Hey there.

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Desirae Clark and I've written my first book when I was 15. This is my very first Wattpad Block Party and I must say... I'm under a lot of stress. I've spent days upon days trying to figure out what to write. I didn't want to promote my books or talk about myself. No, this should be about Wattpad. The community that helped me realize how wonderful it is when you're not afraid to dream. And then it came to me. I came up with the perfect topic.

But first, you need a bit of a back story (I'll try to keep it short). Like I said, I started writing here on Wattpad when I was very young. Back then, the only people who believed in me were my readers. I still had a lot to prove to my family and everybody else just seemed to look through me. But I stuck it out and I wrote a story that later got published and that's a big deal. Because everything you do has a counter-effect. Like a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil causing a tornado in Texas.

If it weren't for Wattpad, I wouldn't get published. And if that didn't happen then I wouldn't be able to attend Wattcon 2017. Are you following so far?

When I attended Wattcon in Toronto last year, I learned so much. And I want to share that knowledge with you guys so that it will help you on your way to greatness.

Now let's get started, shall we?

1. Write for the right reasons

Every writer knows how stressful writing can be sometimes – especially when the block hits. Whether you're an accomplished author or an aspiring one, you need to figure out why you want to write. Is it because you feel you have a fresh voice and something to say to the world? Or is it because you love it and want to turn it into a career?

If so, then do not let anything stop you on your path. Write from your heart and keep things real. Don't pretend to be someone you're not – as easy as it is on social medias. Write about the things you're passionate about and don't let yourself be discouraged by anything.

I've seen a lot of people start writing for fame or followers. But I've also seen a lot of those people give up in the middle because they weren't doing it for the right reasons. Writing for recognition is quite frankly unsatisfying and won't make you happy in the long run.

I've also met a number of people at Wattcon who wrote because they absolutely loved it. And when someone loves what they do, you can see it in their eyes and, consequently, in their work.

2. Determine whether you're a Pantser or a Plotter

The day after Wattcon, my sister and I couldn't stop talking about these two words. In the end, we determined I was a Pantser. That meant I never sat down and plotted my story. I had a general idea of what I wanted to write in my head, but I never put it on paper. Instead, I just went with the flow and saw where it took me.

The beauty of being a Pantser is that you're not confined within the walls of the story you've set for yourself. Nothing is your limit – not even the sky. And you're always surprised when you come up with a major plot twist on the spot. Ah, the wonderful gifts pantsing can bring.

On the other hand, however, it is a cruel, vicious thing. From plot holes to constant writer's blocks, pantsing can present itself as an ugly curse. So, make sure you know what you're doing.

Moving on to plotting. If you're a Plotter, like my sister, that usually means you have a wall full of post-it notes containing information about your characters, your story's timeline and everything in between. It's possible you have a number of notebooks for your story ideas and you spend a lot of time thinking through them. Most plotters want everything figured out before they set on the wonderful journey of writing. And if you're a Plotter, you might leave little to no room for improvisation.

So determine what you are and then assess your strengths and weaknesses. Then, try not to let those get in your way.

3. Engage in the community

Be a part of the community. Meet new people and make friends. It's pretty important to have a support system as you go. Your friends will not only be able to relate, but give you great advice on certain things. You can be there for each other and you can ask them to give you feedback if you need it.

It's something I say to everyone. Writing is more fun with friends.

4. Be a positive influence

There's a saying. Your attitude determines your direction. The way I translate this is that you attract people with the same attitude you have. If you're negative, you attract negative people. And not a lot of people want to be around someone who brings them down or makes them feel bad about themselves.

Always be kind and stay truthful. Help others because one day, they might do the same for you.

4. Most people hate editing

I'm not going to lie to you, I do too. It's much more fun to write than having to edit your work.

5. Hate isn't constructive criticism

You can't please everyone when it comes to what you write. Some people might be into other things and have expected your book to be different when they opened it. And that's totally okay. There's nothing wrong with you.

But the way they react to your book is that determines whether they're trying to be helpful or hateful.

Constructive criticism contains tips on how you can approve in your craft and what you might need to look out for in the future. It's usually polite and isn't written with the intent to hurt you. You can take the criticism and consider whether there's a point behind it.

Hate, however, is. I'm talking about insults and downright rudeness. What I advise you to do in this case is to ignore it – do not stoop to their level. There's a mute button you can use if they're particularly nasty or you just don't feel like dealing with the drama they're trying to stir.

The mute button is your friend. Don't be afraid to use it – too many people are.

If you do decide to talk to the hater, remember what they chose to forget. There's a person behind that screen. A real person with feelings.

If you have haters, it usually means you're going in the right direction. So chins up, smiles on.

6. Every writer feels insecure about their work

At some point. Maybe not all the time. But there are times when you might get the urge to scrap all your current and past projects.

Don't worry about this. It's perfectly normal to feel that way and it's quite awesome to be honest. Wait till I tell you why.

Being insecure about your writing skill only means you're willing to improve. It means you're not overly-confident to the point of thinking you have everything figured out. It means you can grow and see that process through time.

Being insecure about your work enables you to think of new ways to inspire people. It opens the door to creativity and thinking outside the box. You try harder to be better and to bring something new to the table, to the writing community.

Know that it's perfectly normal and you're most definitely not alone. Ask anyone. Just don't let it stop you from writing and stop being so hard on yourself.

8. No shortcut to success

There is no shortcut to success. You need to sit down and work hard to get what you want. It will be worth it in the end, I promise you that.

This concludes my post for this Wattpad Block Party. I want to thank you for reading now get out there and make a change.

Lots of love,

Desirae Clark

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