Wattpad Unveils 2023 Watty Awards Winners
Rachael Rose’s YA-romance Checkmate took home the $5,000 English-language grand prize, while Deanna Faison won the opportunity for her story to be published by Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group
A total of ten stories from authors around the world won publishing and adaptation opportunities with Wattpad WEBTOON Studios
TORONTO - December 1, 2023 - Wattpad, the leading webnovel and storytelling community, has unveiled the winners of the 2023 Watty Awards, recognizing nearly 100 winners across nine languages. Rachael Rose’s YA-romance, Checkmate, took home this year’s $5,000 grand prize. Now in its 14th year, the Watty Awards are Wattpad’s annual international writing competition, where authors around the world can win more than $50,000 in total cash prizes, along with book deals from the Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group and TV and film development opportunities with Wattpad WEBTOON Studios.
In Rachael Rose’s Checkmate, after a scandal jeopardizes Rose’s class president aspirations, she turns to troublemaker Blake, seeking a risky alliance to salvage her reputation. What begins as a calculated arrangement evolves into a bond, unraveling major secrets that challenge Rose’s own beliefs. The story stood out for Rose’s immersive storytelling, fresh take on familiar romance tropes — including everyone’s favorite, opposites attract — and look at redemption and resilience in the face of societal expectations.
In other major wins, Deanna Faison’s girl-meets-boy-next-door story, The Feeling Checklist, won a chance to publish in print with the Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group. The Feeling Checklist follows 17-year-old Hazel, who becomes emotionally drained after caring for her sick mother. Enter her neighbor River, who hands her a transformative checklist. As River helps Hazel reclaim her buried emotions, secrets start to unfold, revealing hidden dangers and the risk of experiencing the one feeling she vowed to avoid, love. The Feeling Checklist’s exploration of emotional depth amidst adversity, and the struggle to reclaim suppressed feelings, made it a stand out Watty entry.
Additionally, nine international winners earned the opportunity to work with Wattpad WEBTOON Studios for TV or film adaptations for their stories. Winning entries span the globe, with winners in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
“The Watty Awards showcase the remarkable creativity and talent within the Wattpad community,” said Tom McGee, Interim Head of Content and Creator Development at Wattpad. “Every year we’re amazed at the innovative storytelling we see, and we’re thrilled to see so many authors go on to grow their fandoms on Wattpad and beyond. We’re proud to honor these outstanding storytellers and provide a platform for the next generation of diverse voices. I want to congratulate all of the 2023 Watty Award winners, and I can’t wait to see what these authors do next.”
Since its inception, the Watty Awards have helped launch rising stars in fiction, propelling winners to success on screens and bookshelves. After her 2015 Watty Award for My Wattpad Love, Ariana Godoy went on to become one of Wattpad’s most successful authors. Godoy’s Wattpad hit A Traves de Mi Ventana (Through My Window) has more than 377 million views online and her books have sold over a million copies in print. A Traves de Mi Ventana was adapted into a hit film from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, Netflix, and Nostromo Pictures, and became one of the all-time most viewed non-English films on Netflix.
Other past Watty Award winners include, Mercedes Ron, author of the Wattpad webnovel-turned-Prime Video streaming sensation, Culpa Mia; Beth Reekles, author of The Kissing Booth, which grew to millions of reads on Wattpad before becoming a global Netflix hit; Vic James, author of the The Gilded Cage; Taran Matharu, author of the New York Times bestselling series The Summoner; and Claudia Tan, whose massively popular novel, Perfect Addiction, was adapted into a film from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and Constantin Film that debuted in Prime Video’s Top Ten all over the world, according to Flixpatrol.
A full list of the 2023 winners is available on the Watty Awards website.
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