Many people look for such platforms to develop their writing skills, especially when they are still at school. If one wants to become an author in the future, such an app or website is a great way to publish your work and get it reviewed and evaluated by others and gain popularity for your writing debut. At the same time, it’s important to remember that such platforms often have a limited number of features for the text itself. Thus, the author needs to edit, proofread, and ensure their text’s uniqueness to avoid any claims. Here you can check your paper for plagiarism and get editing help before the actual publication on Wattpad or similar platforms. Some people don’t like how Wattpad looks or turns more into a fanfiction platform than personal blogs and authors’ pages. As they say, there’s a lid for every pot. Now, alternatives to Wattpad have polished some of the things they felt were wanting, and so in the end, they are improved versions of it.
1.) Inkitt
This platform is designed for those that prefer simplicity, much like a student’s website. When you register either with Facebook or Google, you are ushered into a site with a toolbar for formatting your writing and browsing the site for other writers’ material. Inkitt allows you to upload your manuscript as a .doc or .docx file to format to include page breaks.
1.) InkittProsCons2.) PenanaProsCons3.) WriterskyCons Cons4.) UnderlinedProsConsThe More the Merrier
You also have the option to label your work as Work-in-Progress or send it to the unstructured peer review groups for critiquing. You have the option of rating your book into the various age-groups that it targets this way; 13+, 16+, or 18+. This makes the site ideal for a high school student, younger kid, and older adult. Thanks to its simplicity, this site feels like an academic corner with the admin as the tutor.
Pros
Simple format Has peer review groups for critiquing work You can rate your work per appropriate age groups.
Cons
No search feature
2.) Penana
Penana is a well-designed platform that allows anyone to write their own stories and interact with authors and other users in many different ways. Penana accommodates different genres to cater to a wide audience. While it won’t allow you to detect plagiarism as you write your book, the text box on this site will allow you to underline words, bold and italicize them. Thanks to the different authors you find on the site, you may get a few essays or books dedicated to students in general or narrow down to specific courses. The search button on the site makes it possible to go through all that’s on offer. Students can share their thoughts on literature that feels appropriate since the site is segregated into sections depending on the user’s age.
Pros
Age-grouped to target the right audience You can highlight or make edits on the side. Readers can share their insights – immediate feedback.
Cons
The homepage is a little overwhelming.
3.) Writersky
This site is pure bliss for the reader or writer keen on organization. On the left is a search option for all the books on the site and then excerpts for each upon clicking. After registering an account with either Google or Facebook, you are urged to follow your favorite authors to update what they are doing. To start writing, you will be prompted to write your book’s heading, summary, and genre. You can then label it as Work-in-Progress or complete and allow others to rate it. Writersky’s analytic page is the most basic of all, breaking down the views, reactions, and interactions to their smallest detail. It is ideal for all ages, and so the only warning to the content being meant for a mature audience is a note at the beginning. We feel this could be enforced better.
Cons
The writing software works mainly like Wattpad. The writing page has more features than Wattpad. Easy sign-up with Facebook or Google
Cons
There are no tags for appropriate age groups.
4.) Underlined
This site keeps things simple by making the theme look like a mini library with lots of book genres. While some people may find it a little less complex than the sites above, young writers will have an easy time here. Books are lined up into genres, and you will notice the site targets kids between 13 and 18, which we think is considerate as that audience is a little neglected. It is the ideal place to research writing for younger audiences since you will find lots of their books here, and it is well organized.
Pros
A site with enough material for younger audiences Accessible through Android and iOS Its writing software is comparable to Wattpad’s
Cons
A little too keen on having users invite friends
The More the Merrier
More Wattpad-like sites ensure there is something for everyone. Whether you want a site to use for the education material that you can later turn into an eBook to share with your college mates or some fun fiction, there is always a site you can use other than Wattpad. The above examples are tried and tested if you want to give them a try.
