Wattpadder wins six-figure deal for fanfic phenomenon

It’s been a while, but another Wattpad writer has been snapped up by a trad publishing company in a six-figure deal.

Simon & Schuster’s Galley Books is to publish After, a lengthy piece of fan fiction by Anna Todd which appears to feature a popstar called Harry in various erotic frolics, can’t imagine who she could be thinking of.

The work by Todd, who hails from Texas and is 25, has received a staggering total of nearly 210 million reads, according to the totals published on the Wattpad site (pictured), so the only surprise really is what took publishers so long to move in on it. Wattpad apparently acted as the agent in the deal, which certainly adds another string to their bow.

The first volume of the stories will be published in the autumn after reworking that will turn ‘Harry’ into a completely fictionalized character to shed the fanfic aspect, but surely the fanfic bit is why Wattpadders have been reading it in their millions?


Serial success with Wattpad