Meet the Wattpad Stars: Write Affair Winner Darly Jamison

When you ignore self-doubt and put yourself out there, great things can happen. That’s what Darly Jamison (aka @Monrosey) learned when her story Strawberry Wine was awarded a book deal with Kensington Publishing, America’s leading romance publisher.

As the winner of The Write Affair Contest, Darly joins Kensington’s roster of writers and becomes the latest addition to the growing list of Wattpad Stars who are now published authors. But it almost didn’t happen.

“I debated entering,” she says when we catch up with her at her home in midwest U.S. “On a whim, I decided to submit Strawberry Wine and then immediately regretted it. I figured there was no way in the world I would win.” Fortunately, Darly’s insecurities didn’t prevail, and her original Wattpad story is now available for purchase online and in bookstores.

When asked about her journey on Wattpad, Darly tells us: “writing had always been something I'd wanted to do, ever since I was very little.” She first discovered Wattpad during her downtime at work, and quickly realized she’d stumbled onto the perfect outlet for her story ideas. “I didn't think anyone would ever find my stories among the millions posted, so there was no fear when writing them.” But readers did find Darly’s stories, and to her amazement, they keep asking for more.

It’s why social media played an integral role in shaping how Darly interacts with her readers and other Wattpad storytellers. “Social media has made the writing experience extremely interactive. Never before have readers and writers been able to connect to the degree that online sites allow,” she says. “If it weren't for social media, I'd still be lost in worlds built by other authors. Now ... I'm creating them myself.”

Strawberry Wine is not the first time Darly’s been noticed on Wattpad. She was recently accepted into the Wattpad Stars program that offers opportunities to contribute original stories to brand campaigns. “I've had stories added to several different campaigns and was also invited by Wattpad and Warner Brothers to write a short horror story for The Gallows Movie,” she says. “I'm grateful every day to be a part of such a selective and innovative program. Wattpad has some major plans, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it all!”

Darly offers this advice for new writers: “the advice I have for new writers is the advice I still follow myself—write as much as you can and read even more.” Darly’s love of reading other stories on Wattpad is how she continues to grow her skills. “I recently had someone tell me that it's obvious I'm a reader because it shines through in the way I write,” Darly says. “I firmly believe that reading nurtures writing.”

As for those creeping voices of self-doubt? For Darly, the Wattpad community is where she finds the confidence to keep going. “Putting myself out there has been worth it, mostly because Wattpad readers and authors are so nice and supportive. I've made many wonderful friends since joining Wattpad and have met the most talented authors. It never ceases to amaze me just how big our community is!”

Interested in writing on Wattpad? Check out this writing guide!