Photo by Bryan Derballa
Wattpad is likely the largest writing community on the internet and users spend 10 billion minutes a month reading. Fan-fiction is likely the biggest draw and one of the most prolific Wattrpad sensations has to be Anna Todd.
Anna Todd is best known for her book “After” which features One Direction star Harry Styles and and good-girl protagonist Tessa Young. Wattpad says After has been read 1 billion times.
According to a recent interview on Wired “Todd herself is living proof that Internet celebrity is sweeping away old notions of what it means to be famous. The Internet is no longer just a starting point for fledgling talent to reach higher, more mainstream fame and fortune. Stars are tested and can thrive in this universe without Hollywood’s help, a phenomenon that has left everyone from first-time selfie takers to big corporate brands eager to figure out how to replicate the influence of this new celebrity generation.”
The success of Anna Todd is start to transcend the Wattpad platform. Her book After got a Paramount Movie deal, and likely will be made into a feature film. Wattpad also signed an agreement with Gallery Press to distribute “After” in print and major e-book stores such as Amazon, Kobo and iBooks.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
