Serialized Content

What is Serialized Content?

Serialized content refers to how the content is released on Wattpad. Writers post on a regular schedule, typically once or twice a week, with a new update to the story. This content aims to be lengthier in its storytelling, and can theoretically go on indefinitely so long as the author has more story to tell. 

Since writing indefinitely is a bit abstract, Wattpad requires any story aiming to be serialized to be a projected 150,000 words or more. Projected means the story does not need to already have 150,000 words, just that it could be that long, at least. If you’re thinking of a short novel and nothing else, serialization isn’t for you. If you struggle to imagine writing one story of that length but you can picture writing a series of shorter novels, that works for serialization. If you had planned to write a sequel, then you were probably going to hit 150,000 words between them and this would qualify for serialization. 

 

How Does a Story Get Discovered?

Serialized stories are most frequently found through a pitch to Wattpad. For a pitch, you only need 1 chapter and a rough outline of your predicted plot and then, if the scout likes the first chapter, a full sample at 5 chapters when the story qualifies. Since the content is serialized and long, you may not have a firm idea of how it ends, but if you feel you have at least enough content behind the idea to hit 150,000 words, you can pitch it.

There are various :

• Creators Program opportunities to pitch content under specific circumstances
• Pitchfests that occur within Creators Program allow writers to bring content to meet specific asks
• Community contest prizes. Some contests run in the community will have a prize allowing the winner to pitch the winning story (or a new story in some cases)

Stories can also be discovered by our scouts within the platform, especially if the story sees a strong readership early on and matches our content needs. For a story on Wattpad to be considered for a Wattpad Originals opportunity, it must have at least 5 chapters that are published and available on the platform. You do not need to reach out to check if your story is being reviewed. We are constantly looking at the content that is posted on Wattpad and you may be contacted for an opportunity if you are writing consistently. Writing serialized content is the best way into the Creators Program, where there are more pitching opportunities, so we strongly encourage posting consistently. While pitching is the best way to get your serialized story into a Wattpad Originals opportunity, it is not the only way.

 

How Does the Opportunity Work?

Once a story enters into a Wattpad Originals serialization opportunity, you’ll need to commit to a schedule for release and consistently post new chapters on that schedule. Our recommendation is to update at least once a week, but if you feel you could write more, or you have many unpublished chapters written, you can update more frequently. 

No matter your schedule, every 5 months spent posting in serialization merits a one-month hiatus. You can take a break, recharge, and then come back to your work. To help organize this writing pattern, we recommend you treat each five-month period as one season of content, or one (probably shorter) book. It’s a weird reading experience to know the author is on hiatus when the character is stuck in a burning building, so it’s best practice to have a smaller wrap to the season or book one but leave the big questions still unanswered to pick up in the next season. 

This process will keep happening unless you determine the story is simply out of content and bring it to an end or support is ended on the story by Wattpad due to performance. The process of ending support doesn’t mean the story has to end if you want to keep writing.

 

Serialization & Ending Support

While we want all serialized stories to go on forever, we have support available for a limited number of stories. This means that we regularly evaluate story performance to determine if we want to continue to invest resources and support into the story, or if we will end support for it. We know authors make a similar choice as they write, sometimes abandoning content if it doesn’t have an audience, but we also know that writing is a passion project and you might wish to continue writing.

If you’re informed support is ending on your ongoing story, you can choose from one of three options for how to proceed. These options are intended to give you the flexibility to write in the way that you want and that best serves your readers, while also ensuring that the stories in the Wattpad Originals program can be effectively promoted.

 

Option 1: Remove the story from the Wattpad Originals catalogue & continue the story as free

• What would happen to the story?
  • The story would remain on the platform & would continue, but all paywalls would be removed from the story.
• What would this mean for you?
  • You could continue to write and update the story on whatever cadence you like, just as you would any other story on Wattpad. 
  • You would not earn any other revenue from the story after it exits the program.
• What if it suddenly got very big?
  • After a story returns to free, it’s possible the story picks up fans later in life or with more seasons and has outstanding data signifiers
  • At that time, Wattpad may contact you to offer a serialized opportunity again and you can evaluate that opportunity at that time and make a decision. A story (and its author) is not permanently banned from future serialization if support is ended.

 

Option 2: Keep the story in the Wattpad Originals catalogue & conclude the story

• What would happen to the story?
  • The story would remain in the Wattpad Originals catalogue with paywalls in place.
  • You would have a set period of time in which to write a definitive or relative conclusion to the story, about 4 or 5 more chapters
    • A relative conclusion means you can’t wrap the entire plot in just a couple of chapters, but you can at least end the immediate plot and allude that the fight or romance goes on
  • The story is now treated as a complete story in the program and continues to generate revenue for you. It can still be promoted and marketed but there’s no additional work for you
• What would this mean for you?
  • Once the story is complete, you would be free to work on your next story.
  • You would continue to earn revenue from the story while it remains in the program.

 

Option 3: Keep the story in the Wattpad Originals catalogue & continue writing

• What would happen to the story?
  • The story would remain in the Wattpad Originals catalogue & all new chapters would be paywalled.
  • You would not receive editorial or marketing support.
• What would this mean for you?
  • You could continue to write and update the story on whatever cadence you like.
  • You would continue to earn revenue from the story while it remains in the program.
• What if it suddenly got very big?
  • While you continue a story in Originals, it’s possible the story picks up fans later in life or with more seasons and has an outstanding readership
  • At that time, Wattpad may contact you to offer full marketing and editorial support again and you can evaluate that opportunity at that time and make a decision. A story (and its author) is not permanently banned from future serialization if support is ended.

You do not need to select from one of these options in advance. If your series is being scheduled for support ending, all details (including timing, rationale, and logistics) will be communicated to you via email. At that time, you would be able to select from one of the three options above, based on what works best for you and your fans.

 

How Do Paywalls Work for Serialized Content?

The paywalls for serialized content are dynamic–as new chapters are added to an ongoing season, older chapters become free. This means that there are only ever 10 chapters paywalled in an ongoing season, and they are the latest 10 parts.

When a new series launches, it does so with 15 chapters live in total: chapters 1–5 will be free, and the other 10 will be paywalled. The paywall then starts to move as soon as the first serialized chapter is released, meaning that readers who want to read for free won’t be waiting long for the next chapter to become available.

Once the first season in a series has finished, a new season is launched in a new story. The paywall will then shift from the complete season to the new, ongoing one; as an ongoing series, each season is considered part of a single series. When the new season launches, its first chapter will be free. As new chapters (Ch. 2 onwards) in the new season are launched, each one is paywalled, and at the same time, one of the last 10 chapters in the previous complete season becomes free. In other words, the paywall “rolls” one chapter at a time from the previous complete season to the new ongoing one.

Once there are 10 chapters paywalled in the new, ongoing season, the previous complete season is made free for one week. That allows readers who were following for free to finish the previous season. After that one free week, the previous, complete season can then either be given a fixed paywall on the last 10 chapters of the story, or it can be left free. Each writer gets to decide what to do with their complete seasons.

 

Are There Limited Spots Available?

There are a limited number of spaces available for Originals serialized content opportunities. Only so many stories can be promoted and supported at once and keeping up with hundreds of constantly updating stories is impossible for any reader. Currently, there are 75 spots available and once those are filled, a story will need to end or support is ended for an existing story in order for the spot to be available again. 

If we change the number of spots available we will update it here.

 

Is There Any Additional Support for Serialized Content?

Yes, you will be assigned an editor who will work with you and your story before it launches and continuously during its lifespan. Initially, an editor will meet with you weekly to discuss any changes that need to be made to existing chapters and what your plans are for the season. Once your story launches, they’ll meet with you monthly to talk through the story direction and can help with creative blockers and continuity issues.

Before launch, the editor will work with you to discuss common typos or issues they’re encountering with your work. This will help you understand what to look for in your own editing as the team will not be able to rewrite large passages or make significant edits to alter a story. If your writing requires major editing to remove errors, it won’t be considered for opportunities. If you make occasional typing mistakes while you write that look liek thsi then that’s fine and expected; nobody’s perfect and you can usually catch these in a second look at your chapter before hitting publish.

 

What If I Already Have A Story?

That’s fine. The minimum for serialization is 15 published chapters + 5 drafted chapters. If you have a serialized story that already has 30 published chapters, it is still eligible for serialization opportunities. You will have the following choices:

• Reduce the story to 15 published chapters + 15 drafted chapters when you launch. You will need to go back and edit the first 15 chapters and then can edit the drafted chapters instead of having to write them, until you catch up to where you were before and start writing new content again. 
• Launch the story with 30 chapters + 5 new chapters in draft. You will need to go back and edit all 30 existing chapters before launch, as well as write the 5 new chapters.

 

Where Do I Post the Content?

On Wattpad. Even if the opportunity extends to other partners, like YONDER, you would continue to post on Wattpad and focus your efforts there. We will post the content to the partner on your behalf. It’s possible that we might ask for small formatting changes, but you otherwise only have to worry about your Wattpad story and audience.