Campone 1 Rosemarie Campone Mrs. Fuentes ENGL 1101 9 November 2013 Wattpad Community eop!

e "#o s#are a $ommon !an%ua%e and met#ods o& $ommuni$ation' and use t#em to $omp!ete a $ommon %oa! are $onsidered to be a dis$ourse $ommunity' as de&ined by War!de and (o"ns )*23+. ,& t#e $ommunity s#ares t#e same !an%ua%e and $ommuni$ates "it# one anot#er' but does not "or- to"ards t#e same %oa!' t#e $ommunity is $onsidered to be a $ommunity o& pra$ti$e )Ward!e and (o"ns *21+. Wattpad is a "ebsite "#ere peop!e up!oad stories &or ot#ers to read and &ind pub!is#ers to print t#eir "or-s )Wattpad+. .#e Wattpad is more o& a $ommunity o& pra$ti$e' but it $an be$ome a dis$ourse $ommunity i& one !oo-s at a spe$i&i$ area in t#e $ommunity. Writers o& t#e "ere"o!& %enre "ou!d be a dis$ourse $ommunity. .#e "ere"o!& $ommunity &o$uses on stories t#at #ave "ere"o!ves in t#em. .#is $reates a spe$i&i$ !an%ua%e "it#in t#is $ommunity. eop!e "#o "rite in t#e "ere"o!& %enre are a part o& a dis$ourse $ommunity' t#ey s#are t#e !e/is' met#ods o& $ommuni$ation' and !eve!s o& peop!e "it# aut#ority. .#e most important $#ara$teristi$ o& a dis$ourse $ommunity is t#e spe$i&i$ !an%ua%e and vo$abu!ary t#at it uses. Writers #ave t#eir o"n !an%ua%e t#at t#ey use' most!y &or readers to easi!y understand "#at a story is about' t#is ma-es it easier &or t#e reader to $#oose t#e stories t#at t#ey "ant to read. For !on% tit!es "riters usua!!y use a$ronyms' by usin% t#e &irst !etter in ea$# "ord o& t#e tit!e' to te!! readers t#at t#ey #ave updated t#at parti$u!ar story )01anye,nterruptedMe 2ent a messa%e to a!! &o!!o"ers3+. ,n t#e tit!e name "riters usua!!y put t#e

Campone 2 status o& t#e story' !i-e #iatus or #o!d' t#ese t"o terms !et readers -no" t#at t#ere "i!! not be up!oads &or t#is story &or sometime )04n #o!d5$!over3sam3+. 6!so in t#e tit!e is "#at type o& re!ations#ip t#at t#e story invo!ves. 6n e/amp!e o& t#is is 0b/b3' t#is s#o"s t#at t#e story "i!! invo!ve a #omose/ua! ma!e $oup!e )0 #oeni/ )Libra7Li&e20102+3+. 8o!ds' 0b/b3' and a$ronyms are used by a!! "riters' but "ere"o!& "riters use t#eir o"n universa! !an%ua%e' "#i$# a!!o"s readers to better understand ea$# di&&erent story. Were"o!ves are !i-e "o!&s so t#e stories usua!!y invo!ve "o!& terms' in$!udin% "ords !i-e Luna )t#e moon %oddess or 9ueen o& a pa$-+' pa$)%roup o& "ere"o!&+' and !y$an )anot#er term &or "ere"o!&+. 6not#er important e!ement is pa$ran-in%' "#o is t#e most po"er&u! to t#e "ea-est in t#e pa$-' it %oes &rom a!p#a' beta' to ome%a )Maria+. .#e !an%ua%e o& "riters in t#e "ere"o!& %enre a!!o"s &or t#em to "rite t#e story "it#out #avin% to e/p!ain it ea$# time it s#o"s up in a story. :y usin% t#e same %enera! standards o& !an%ua%e &or a %iven $ommunity' !i-e t#e "riter or t#e "ere"o!& $ommunity;s' it a!!o"s &or reader to better understand "#at t#e story is about and a!!o"s &or t#e "riter to not "aste time in e/p!ainin% ea$# term every time. Writer;s stories not on!y #ave t#e same !an%ua%e but a!so s#are t#e same t#emes' espe$ia!!y in t#e "ere"o!& $ommunity. 4ne o& most used t#emes is re<e$tion' most!y by ma!es' be$ause a &ema!e is not attra$tive' is %ee-y' or "ea-. Re<e$tion is usua!!y &o!!o"ed by t#e %ir! runnin% a"ay' runnin% a"ay is anot#er ma<or t#eme t#at "riters use' and $omin% ba$- stron%er to ma-e t#e ma!e !ead re%ret #is de$ision. 6not#er $ommon t#eme is "#en a #uman is t#e sou!5 mate to a "ere"o!& and "#en t#ey &ound out about "ere"o!ves t#ey easi!y a$$ept t#e "ere"o!& !i&e sty!e. (ue to t#e &a$t t#at "ere"o!& are anima!s and #ave t#e same anima! instin$t' ma!e domination and &ema!e submission is very prominent in "ere"o!& stories )EnviousMusai+. .#ese

Campone 3 t#emes are very important to t#e dis$ourse $ommunity be$ause t#ey s#o" "#i$# "riters are mus#&a-in%. Mus#&a-in% is "#en a person #as <ust entered t#e $ommunity and #as %ained some -no"!ed%e o& t#e !an%ua%e' or t#emes' and is tryin% to pass t#emse!ves o&& as a part o& t#e $ommunity )Ward!e and (o"ns *2=+. Readers #ave noti$ed t#at "riters "#o use t#e same t#emes as ot#er stories' are not s-i!!ed "it# "ritin% t#eir o"n ori%ina! ideas and story p!ots. Not on!y do $!i$#es te!! i& a "riter is mus#&a-in%' but a!so in$orre$t %rammar' spe!!in%' and most important!y $apita!i>ation )EnviousMusai+. Wattpad is a!! about ori%ina!ity' so #avin% stories t#at #ave t#e same t#eme is not bein% ori%ina!' t#is is a%ainst t#e standards o& t#e $ommunity )0.erms o& 2ervi$e3+. W#en "riters use t#e same t#emes' !i-e re<e$tion and #uman sou!5mates' or do not &o!!o" t#e %rammar ru!es it !ets t#e reader -no" t#at t#e "riter is mus#&a-in%. 6not#er -ey e!ement to understandin% dis$ourse $ommunities is to understand t#e peop!e "#o #ave aut#ority in t#e $ommunity. eop!e' "#o are $onsidered to #ave aut#ority in t#e $ommunity' #ave e/tensive -no"!ed%e about t#e !an%ua%e' "ays o& $ommuni$ation' and are "e!! respe$ted in t#e $ommunity )Ward!e and (o"ns *20+. Most ne" users to t#e "ebsite' espe$ia!!y peop!e "#o #ave never been on a readin% "ebsite' do not noti$e t#e di&&erent !an%ua%e t#at "riters use to !et t#e reader -no" about a story )Rose+. ,t is peop!e "#o #ave been on t#e site &or sometime and "#o use t#e !an%ua%e -no" more about t#e spe$i&i$ !an%ua%e o& t#e "riter. 4ne e/perien$ed "riter noti$ed t#at "riters use a$ronyms not on!y &or tit!es but a!so &or s#ortin% 0point o& vie"3 to 0 4?3 )@n-no"ndemons+. @n!i-e ot#er $ommunities' Wattpad #as many di&&erent $ate%ories &or peop!e to be an aut#ority in. 2ome o& t#ese $ate%ories are boo- $overs' trai!ers' readers' "riters' and editors )0Wattpad C!ubs3+. For Wattpad t#ere are some &a$tors t#at !ets ot#er -no" i& a person is an aut#ority in t#at $ommunity. .#is in$!udes #o" many

Campone 7 $ommentsAmessa%es' votes' or &o!!o"ers t#at t#ey #ave. ,& someone is to be an e/pert at readin%' t#is user "ou!d #ave an e/tensive !ibrary o& boo-s' &o!!o"ers' and $omments )0MatureContent3+. W#i!e a "riter "it# aut#ority "ou!d #ave a !ot o& $omments' reads' votes on t#eir stories' many &o!!o"ers' and #ave Wattpad re$o%nition )?io!et+. Wattpad re$o%nition $ou!d be t#at t#eir story is ran-ed in t#e top ten in t#eir %enre or t#e story is in t#e Watty 6"ards' a $ontest &or "riters to enter $omp!ete stories in a %iven %enre )0Re"ardin% t#e best in (i%ita! 2toryte!!in%3+. .#e bi%%est &a$tor t#at determines aut#ority is bein% so$ia! by b!o%%in%' $ommentin%' and updatin% statuses' be$ause t#at determines #o" invo!ve a user is in t#e $ommunity and t#e user "i!! %ain respe$t and &o!!o"ers in t#e $ommunity )Wattpad+. .#e Wattpad #as many $ate%ories &or peop!e to be an aut#ority in' but aut#ority is determined by #o" so$ia! t#e user is' votes' $omments' and re$o%nition %iven to a parti$u!ar user. Mentioned in t#e !ast se$tion "as some o& t#e "ays t#at users in t#e Wattpad $ommunity $ommuni$ate "it# one anot#er. .#e "ays o& $ommuni$ation $an be divided into t"o $ate%ories' me$#anism o& $ommuni$ation and %enres. Me$#anisms o& $ommuni$ation purpose is to provide in&ormation and &eedba$- to a$$omp!is# a %oa! )Ward!e and (o"ns 7*2+. .#ere are t"o types o& intervie"s t#at are popu!ar on Wattpad' aut#or and $#ara$ter intervie"s. 6ut#or intervie"s provide in&ormation about t#e aut#or' !i-e motivation and story ideas' to &o!!o"ers to promote t#eir "or- )0MatureContent3+. C#ara$ter intervie"s %ive readers more in&ormation about t#e t#ou%#ts o& t#e $#ara$ters outside o& t#e story )0Ni$o!e )$one!ys"i&ey+3+. :ot# o& t#ese a!!o" a "riter to promote t#eir stories and %ain more readers' t#ereby a$$omp!is#in% a %oa! o& be$omin% more popu!ar. Readers on t#e ot#er #and use me$#anisms o& $ommuni$ation to provide &eedba$to t#e "riters about t#eir stories. Readers $an motivate a "riter to "rite t#eir stories 9ui$-er' to

Campone B -eep "ritin%' or ma-e su%%estion about #o" to improve t#eir story )0MatureContent3+. W#i!e %enre is t#e deve!opment o& spe$ia!i>ed te/t t#at is re$o%ni>ed by t#e $ommunity' it is a!so tries to test t#e ne" members o& t#e %roup by usin% t#e $ommon !an%ua%e o& t#e $ommunity )Ward!e and (o"ns 7*2+. .#e most important %enre is t#e vote button on a!! stories on t#e site' t#is a!!o"s &or readers to !et t#e "riter -no" t#at t#e story "as %ood "it#out "astin% time to type a $omment (Wattpad). Ne" members are %oin% to try test t#eir ne"!y a$9uired !an%ua%e in t#e $#at rooms and t#e b!o%s. .#e Ca&e $!ub is very popu!ar &or ne" users to %et to -no" ot#ers and test some ideas and !an%ua%e o& t#e $ommunity )0Wattpad C!ub3+. .#e me$#anisms and %enres o& $ommuni$ation on Wattpad are very uni9ue to t#e site and #e!ps "riters and readers a$#ieve t#eir %oa!s "it# 9ui$- met#ods. .#ere are a !ot o& di&&erent "ritin% "ebsites on t#e internet' but due to t#e "ays o& $ommuni$ation and t#e %enera! &ormattin% o& Wattpad attra$ts "riters and readers to t#e "ebsite. ,& a user &o!!o"s a parti$u!ar person' t#ey "i!! re$eive emai!s "#en stories are updated or "#en t#ey send a messa%e to t#e readers. .#is a!!o"s &or users to read updated stories "it#out $onstant!y tra$-in% t#em )0Cayt#an posted a story3+. ,n an intervie" "it# an e/perien$ed user on Wattpad and "it# b!o%s' t#ey said 0, !i-e t#e idea o& #avin% a so$ia! media "#ere it;s readin% and "ritin% stories and a!so intera$tin% "it# ot#ers "it# t#e same interests.3 .#e so$ia! aspe$t o& Wattpad is deemed to be very important to many o& t#e users on Wattpad )@n-no"ndemons+. 4n t#e site it is easy to &ind stories t#at readers are interested "it# ta%s' t#ese are one5"ord des$riptions about "#at is in t#e story' be$ause t#ey s#o" ot#er stories t#at s#are t#e same ta%' or topi$ )Marie+. Wattpad ta-es advanta%e o& users sear$#es and stories t#at t#e user usua!!y reads and $reates !ist o& su%%ested readin%s &rom t#e readers pre&eren$es )Wattpad+. Wattpad a!so

Campone D ma-es su%%estions &or peop!e to &o!!o" based on #o" many &o!!o"ers t#e t"o users #ave in $ommon )Wattpad+. :y doin% t#ese t"o t#in% t#ey $onne$t users to more peop!e' and a!!o"s &or $ontinued $ommuni$ation bet"een peop!e in t#e $ommunity. .#e su$$ess o& Wattpad $an be $ontributed to t#e "ays o& $ommuni$ation bet"een users and t#e ease o& &ind stories and peop!e "it# simi!ar interest. Writers o& Wattpad' espe$ia!!y in t#e "ere"o!& %enre' #ave t#eir o"n spe$ia! !an%ua%e' peop!e o& aut#ority' an "ays o& $ommuni$ation t#at is uni9ue to t#e Wattpad $ommunity. .#rou%# resear$# o& t#is $ommunity' "it# intervie"s o& users and sear$#in% t#rou%# t#e "ebsite' one "ou!d dis$over a more in dept# understand o& t#e "ebsite and t#e users. .#e $ommunity is more t#an <ust postin% stories and readin%. Wattpad is more t#an a "ebsite &or peop!e to "rite and read stories' it is a "ay o& $onne$tin% "it# peop!e o& simi!ar interest. ,t &orms bounds "it# peop!e "#o "ou!d ot#er "ise never #ave met or %otten a!on% "it# ea$# ot#er. .#e users o& Wattpad ta-e pride in t#e &a$t t#at t#ey #ave t#eir o"n $ommunity to s#are ideas "it# and %ain &riends "it# simi!ar interests.

Campone * Wor-s Cited EnviousMusai. 0C!i$#Es in t#e Were"o!& %enre. W#o $an name t#e mostF3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Marie' 6!yssia. Marked. Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. 0MatureConent.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$.' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. 0Ni$o!e )$one!ys"i&ey+.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. 04n 8o!d5$!over3sam.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. 0 #oeni/ )Libra7Li&e20102+.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. 0Re"ardin% t#e best in (i%ita! 2toryte!!in%.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$.' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Rose )6rtisti$G(reamerG+. ersona! intervie". 1 Nov. 2013. 0.erms o& 2ervi$e.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. @n-no"ndemons. ersona! intervie". 1 Nov. 2013. ?io!et )ba!!et!ove+. Unique, Different, Found. Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$.' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Ward!e' E!i>abet#' and (o"ns' (ou%. Writing About Writing. :ostonH :ed&ordA2t. Martin;s' 2011. rint. Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$.' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. 0Wattpad C!ubs.3 Wattpad. W .e$#no!o%y ,n$.' 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2013. Wattpad .eam. 0Cayt#an posted a story.3 Messa%e to a!! &o!!o"s. 7Nov. 2013. Emai!. Wattpad .eam. 01anye,nterruptedMe 2ent a messa%e to a!! &o!!o"ers.3 Messa%e to a!! &o!!o"s. 7 Nov. 2013. Emai!.