For writers interested in direct-to-web (D2W) publication, there are many options. I am creating The Mural Gazer in two: a stand alone web-site, with its own domain name, MuralGazer.ca; and Wattpad, a template driven platform where authors can post stories without the hassle of maintaining their own site, here’s the Wattpad Mural Gazer link.
To date, I have published four episodes of The Mural Gazer in each of these modes, and I remain undecided as to which is best. For many, the choice will be easier. I have designed websites using WordPress for years, and am quite familiar with the technical aspects of D2W in that medium; somebody with no web development experience would have a very steep learning curve. Wattpad, or a similar platform, would probably be their best option, or the expense of hiring a web savvy designer to work with them.
That said, here’s some of my comparisons between stand alone D2W publication, and a template service like Wattpad. If you have observations to make about the benefits of each, share a comment below.
Pros & Cons
- Ease of use – Even for an experienced web developer, Wattpad is the easier of the two platforms to get your book online and organized in an appealing, navigable format. Wattpad’s developers have made thousands of decisions about how copy should flow, how readers can access copy through a table of contents, how multi-media can be incorporated into the presentation, and so on. My experience of setting up in Wattpad has probably been more seamless than most because of my skills developing stand alone sites. That said, an author can be up and running in a day, and have a working grasp of Wattpad within a week. From then on, it’s easier to focus on your passion: writing.
- Audience Reach – I’m no expert when it comes to marketing and social media, but my sense is Wattpad offers channels a stand alone D2W designer won’t have access to. First, Wattpad is a community of writers and readers, so at the outset you are in an environment where your book stands a better chance of being seen by people who are interested in literature, and – as importantly – D2W literature. They have programs for featuring and monetizing your D2W book that I haven’t yet accessed, but which look promising.
- Design control & features – WordPress offers D2W publishers the most control over the look of their site, and the type of multimedia files that can be imported onto its pages. For example, Wattpad only displays Youtube videos, if you want to include video-readings of your episodes. If you prefer Vimeo, you’re out of luck. On my WordPress site I can post material (like this article) to The Wall, the Mural Gazer blog. I haven’t found a similar capability on Wattpad. All in all, I’d say the ability to interact with readers, and build rapport is more robust in WordPress, but Wattpad offers a more immediate connection.
- Sales – There’s no easy way to sell books. Conventional publishing, self-publishing, online publishing, all of them require attitudes and skills that are often incompatible with the writer’s disposition and training. For me sales is, and always will remain, an afterthought. And in my case money isn’t the only, or even the most important motivator. Sales are a measure of how many readers I have reached with my stories and how highly they value them. Wattpad does not make it easy to sell books. Their mission is to deliver literature, often as it is being written, to as large an audience as they can. Charging people to read becomes an impediment to that mission. They don’t discourage writers from selling their work elsewhere – all rights remain with the authors – but for the most part sales have to be transacted through other channels. I can sell ‘subscriptions’ to my own Mural Gazer site directly. Not to rush to conclusions, I should say I have yet to successfully make many online subscription sales, but the experiment continues, and I’ll keep you posted.
We’ve barely got past the first few clicks when it comes to a comparison of stand alone or Wattpad as the mode that would be best for you to distribute direct-to-web books. But I hope this introductory article will get you thinking, and sharing your ideas about writing and publishing in the 21st Century.