As a writer, you know how crucial it is to hook your readers from the very start. While hooking your reader in the first chapter is essential to keep them coming back for more, your story description is what will make them click to read that first chapter.
We know that summarizing your story into a short description is a daunting task, so we've put together some tips that will help make your Wattpad story descriptions pop and grab readers' attention.
Identify your story's essence
Before you get to writing your story description, take some time to consider the essence or core of your story. What sets it apart from other stories? Is it the magical world you've built, the complex characters, or the spicy romance? Think about what happens, why it happens, and how it happens. Knowing the essence of your story will help you communicate its appeal in your story description.
Start with a bang
Picture this: Millions of readers scrolling through countless stories on Wattpad, looking for something that catches their eye. Your story description needs to stand out to your ideal readers. Begin with an attention grabbing sentence that sets the tone or introduces the central conflict. Whether you're writing a thrilling mystery or a heartwarming romance, make sure the first line pulls your potential readers in.
Example from Shadrach by devonbosco: 1987: A headless body is discovered, a used car salesman disappears in the wild. His young neighbor decides to solve the case, entering a waking nightmare.
Introduce your protagonist
To get your readers emotionally engaged in your story, they need something, or rather someone to connect with. Give your protagonist a chance to shine in your story description. Describe their aspirations, struggles, unique traits, or anything else that makes them intriguing and/or relatable. Readers love rooting for relatable and fascinating characters, so help them connect with the ones they'll be cheering for in your story.
Example from Against All Odds by Ashful: Twenty-something free-spirit Stella Huxley is used to going solo, opting for a life of impulsive adventure and often ending up in less than savory situations she only just manages to get herself out of. She has a dream life and a dream job, even if it's come at the cost of past sacrifices that still haunt her.
Tease with conflict
We talk about conflict a lot. Every great story hinges on it, and it's essential to create a compelling experience for your reader. It's also an important part of drawing your readers in! Your story description should hint at the challenges your characters will face. Whether it's an external quest, like a detective trying to solve a mystery, or an internal conflict, like your character's duty to protect her sister, tease readers with enough intrigue to make them eager to find out what happens next.
Example from Lost Luna by XDeafening_SilenceX: Rescued from a wolf pack who abused and bullied her, orphaned Nova must relearn what it means to be part of a family—and that she, too, is worth fighting for.
Build suspense
Everyone loves a good mystery. Play on your readers' curiosity by dropping subtle hints about what may happen in your story but without revealing too much. Leave them with questions: Who ends up with who? What was in the long-lost diary? Did the antagonist survive? Intriguing your potential readers will have them clicking on your story to uncover its secrets.
Example from The Virus Within: The Road Ahead by CrystalScherer: As humankind is driven close to extinction by a zombie apocalypse, Trinity searches for her sister, hoping to find her still alive among the scattered survivors. But even if Trinity manages to find her, how will Jess react when she discovers Trinity is now a zombie?
End with a cliffhanger
Leave your blurb on a high note, just like you would end a chapter. End with a question, a dramatic statement, or hint at an unexpected twist to keep readers wanting more.
Example from Willow Hills by DaniBrull: When the sun goes down, the gravestone statues in Willow Hills Cemetery come to life--including Gretta.
As a granite guardian of the dead, it's her job to make sure her charge--the snarky, hot-headed, lesbian spirit Quinn Rivera--crosses over and finds spiritual peace.
But that's a little hard to do when Quinn's twin brother Jason blames himself for her premature death. And for Quinn to agree to cross over, he must learn the truth of her accidental passing and the bipolar episodes that led her to shut him out beforehand.
But reaching out to the living is against the rules, and to break them would mean facing the most power-hungry and terrifying spirit of all: Death.
Keep it concise
Once you've written your story description, read it over and see if you can shorten it. Attention spans are limited on the internet, so you need to make every word count. Keep your story description concise and to the point. Remember, leaving room for curiosity can work wonders!
Crafting an irresistible story description on Wattpad is an art that every writer can master. Follow these tips and you'll have readers lining up to embark on the journey you've created for them.
Don't forget, this is just the beginning. Your story awaits its rightful place in the hearts of Wattpad readers. It's time to reel them in with a story description so good they won't be able to resist diving in!
There's a formula to getting people to see your content and read it. Learn more about hooking your readers with tags and story descriptions in Story School Episode 4.
