So, basically, if you haven’t already heard, my debut novel FRAYED (June ’16, Sourcebooks—are you sick about hearing it yet!?) was actually found from an online website. Cool, huh? And in this day and age publishers aren’t adhering to the usual agent-query-submission formula but instead using the internet to their advantage and taking chances on unknown writers like me. (Which. Is. Awesome.)
There are SO MANY writing websites these days if you want to give it a shot yourself (Wattpad.com, FictionPress.com, Movellas.com, Figment.com . . . and that’s just to name a few) and honestly—the pros of doing that outweigh the cons. (In my opinion. There are, of course, two sides to every coin.) So here are some of the things I learned from posting my stories online:
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How to accept criticism.
This is such, SUCH an important one. You’re posting your stories online where potentially anyone can read it and leave feedback. You’ll get people who love what you write; you’ll get people who won’t. And that, I think is really, really important every writer out there. It also helped me to adapt my writing with revision through given feedback.
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How to write regularly.
Usually I’m a speed writer. But having people reading your work and eager to find out what happens next definitely gave me that motivation to write—and post—on a regular basis.
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There’s an INCREDIBLE writing (and bookish) community out there.
Seriously! Posting your work online means you’ll meet so many likeminded people, and that’s pretty damn epic. And if you’re as lucky as I am, you might just find that putting your stories online could lead to something really, really good. FRAYED, putting it simply, might not have made it to publication that the push that so many amazing people out there gave it. (Especially after those terrible, terrible beginning drafts.)
So: Put yourself out there. Believe in yourself. And even if you fail at something—keep going.
Aaaaaand in other news—a new book haul, because I can’t resist delicious looking books. (And also I won’t get a chance to borrow much over the Christmas period.)
A THOUSAND SKIES ABOUT YOU by Claudia Gray / THE WHITE ROSE by Amy Ewing / WHITE HOT KISS; STONE COLD TOUCH by Jennifer L. Armentrout / THE IRON WARRIOR by Julie Kagawa / A MAD ZOMBIE PARTY by Gena Showalter / DARK PLACES by Gillian Flynn / THEIR FRACTURED LIGHT by Aime Kaufman & Megan Spooner
So, basically, a whole lot of awesomeness. Also—how GREAT does Gena Showalter’s new book sound!?
Diary of a Teen Writer 
I’ve been putting a little bit of my work online, mostly like books that are a bit weird and probably wouldn’t be picked up by a publisher the traditional way. BUT I’M STILL TOO NERVOUS TO DO THE WHOLE THING. XD I have to decide if that’s something I want to pursue in 2016. *nods* I’m so so sooooo excited that Fray got picked up that way though!! I mean, that’s just such an incredible publication story! :D
Ooh, good luck with that, Cait :) Eeeek, I still can’t really believe IT’S GOING TO BE A BOOK.
So true. I’ve learned so much from readers criticisms and compliments alike and I’m a better writer for it. I’ve never posted original work online, just fan fiction. But recently I’ve been thinking of doing a short series for Wattpad and adding some one shot fan fictions featuring my OTPs because I’ve never published anything romantic. It’s an area I need to grow in.
I say go for it! I’ve grown and learned SO MUCH from putting things online.
Oh, and congrats on getting published! Every writers dream. So happy for you.
It really is!! Thank you!!!
I was on wattpad with you and I read your work on there. We talked a bit too. Oh and Dark Places is an amazing amazing book. I loved it.
If I haven’t already said it — then THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH for reading my stuff <3 <3 Looking forward to Dark Places; I LOVED Gone Girl.
I’m super pumped about Frayed! I think it’s awesome all the outlets for writing online. Also very nice book haul! I hope you like Stone Cold Touch and Dark Places.
So I am! It still feels unreal that it’ll be an actual book soon. O.o Thanks!
I like posting snippets of my work online :) It’s always nice and easy. BUT YAY FOR FRAYED. Awesomest online success story ever :)
Yaay, thanks!!
I completely agree so much Kara. Posting online definitely makes me more aware of what I’m writing – knowing that people are going to read what I’ve written makes makes me focus on the quality of my writing a lot more than I normally would. And it definitely teaches time management too! Thanks for sharing, and fabulous post! <3
Yes, exactly!! And thanks so much!
So I love the snow here, and that’s just a random tangent I’ll get out of the way now.
Posting snippets online are definitely great, although I’ve realised that not many people will actually critique if it’s on my own blog and it’s really exhausting to keep up on a writing site. I’ve definitely met LOADS of fabulous people this way, though. And the timeline stresses me out a little because I like to have the freedom to leave drafts slightly imperfect. But it’s definitely an important experience that helped me a great deal!
I know right!? How cool is the snow!? You make a really, really good point there. I don’t post so much on writing sites anymore (and I’m not sure I would ever go back to using it as I used to) but nevertheless, it was so invaluable to me.
Also, the “cool” pun was NOT intended. ;)
Thanks for sharing your story Kara! It’s so incredible that they found your story online and took a chance with it, I’m so pleased for you and can’t wait to read your book! What a fantastic book haul, I loved TFL!
Aw, thank so much for reading & supporting, Jeann — literally means the world to me. <3 <3 Sooo looking forward to TFL. I loved the first one to bits (and I still have to catch up on the second book before I tackle the third.)