Writing romance online, one predictable ending at a time - Through a free online platform for users around the world, Jo Buitendach doesn’t only read romance novels, she writes them - anonymously
I used to apologise for reading romantic novels. I’d try to justify this penchant by mentioning a brilliant surgeon friend who inhales as much of this fluff as I do. “I read other genres too,” I’d mumble.
Now, like some heroine who’s secretly, feverishly in lust with the brooding count next door, I have a secret. I don’t only read romance, I write it too – online and anonymously. Wattpad was founded in Toronto, Canada, in 2006 and initially only offered public-domain books – classics like. In 2008, it was launched on Apple’s App Store and, coupled with the addition of original content written by amateur writers, the platform exploded.
After a few months of reading, I began wondering whether I might try my hand at a story. Sure, I’m a journalist and write all day, but fiction is a different ball game. Reader interaction and comments have been incredibly important in my writing journey, although it does leave space for nasty comments and bullying. Critically, I can look at statistics and reader engagement on the platform. This lets you track whether readers are invested enough to read the whole book. Top stories on Wattpad can garner millions of reads, though my first novel currently has 40 000, which I’m pleased with.
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