Did you know that there are now more than 35 million people using Wattpad spending 9 billion minutes a month reading from nearly 70 million uploads?
In the Philippines, you only have to look at the box office success of Diary Ng Panget or Talk Back and Your Dead to see that Wattpad has become one the most popular social platforms and source material for movies and TV shows. Eleven movies based on Wattpad stories have been released, are in production, or have been confirmed for production in the Philippines
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Manila International Book Fair, chief executive officer and co-founder of Wattpad, Allen Lau, described the fact that there are more than 5 million monthly users of the Wattpad application in the Philippines as validation that people love to share stories through mobile devices and social connections. After the United States, the Philippines is the largest community of Wattpad users in the world.
“Wattpad is a huge part of entertainment in the Philippines. In fact many Filipino best sellers and blockbusters get a head start on Wattpad,” said Allen Lau. “Last month, Filipino Wattpadders spent close to a billion minutes immersed in free stories. We’re excited and encouraged by the response we have had from the community in the Philippines.”
The Philippines has been very prolific with 11 movies already adapted from Wattpad stories and close to 100 books published after their Wattpad stories were discovered by interested publishers. This is no mean feat for an app that promises, quite simply, to connect the world’s readers and writers.
Based in Toronto, Wattpad is revolutionising the way we read, write, and think about story-telling. Anyone with internet access, regardless of where they live, can read stories and share their own writing for free. To date, more than 35 million people all over the world are Wattpadders and they connect with each other while discovering and sharing millions of free stories.
On Wattad, readers can interact with the written word by leaving comments or messages or embedding images and videos for the authors. There are tens of thousands of stories generated and being revised each and every day. Wattpad stories are available in more than 50 languages and can be read or written from any phone, tablet, or computer. Writers no longer have to stay stuck to their desk, brainstorming for creative story ideas. Writing stories are made easier now that authors can share their stories chapter-by-chapter in a supportive and positive community.
Allen Lau will present on a panel called: Wattpad: Redefining what it means to be a reader on Sunday, September 21st at the SMX Stage Area. He will be joined by several popular Filipino Wattpad writers, readers, and official Wattpad Ambassadors.
Also on Sunday, Wattpadders will join their favourite writers at the 2nd Annual Wattpad MIBF meet up. A lively panel of writers will share their experiences with their fans through a Q&A session. The annual meet up also includes a photo booth set up where Wattpadders can take turns crystalizing their memories in print.
According to Allen Lau, “ Having writers like Ariesa Domingo, Louisse Carreon, Sic Santos, Freesia Lockheart and their fans at MIBF sharing their support of a mobile, social story-telling means a lot to all of us at Wattpad. Moving forward, we hope to convince more of Philippines and the world, to join us in spreading the love for reading and writing on the go.”
