How to Read Free Ebooks With Wattpad

Whether you’re stuck indoors with nothing better to do or on the move and in need of entertaining, free ebooks are the answer. And Wattpad is a useful app which helps you find and read free books.

In this article, we explore the Wattpad app, explaining what it is, what it does, and how you can use it to read one of the free ebooks from its expansive library.

What Is Wattpad?

Wattpad is a little different from traditional ebook distributors like Amazon. Wattpad is more of a social reading experience that aims to connect authors to readers. Authors can publish stories—even works in progress—to the platform, and readers can like and comment on their favorite entries.

There are many different genres for you to browse, from Fantasy to LGBTQ+-themed stories to a genre just called “Werewolf.” You can also sort books by tags to find sub-genres that you’re a fan of.

Given Wattpad’s nature, you won’t find popular and famous books here for free. If you’re on the hunt for those, you should check out how to download thousands of free ebooks formatted for modern e-readers. You will, however, find independent authors with stories for you to read, like, and comment on.

How to Get Started With Wattpad for Android and iOS

You can read stories directly from the Wattpad website on any device, but for the sake of this article, we’re going to focus on how to read stories using the Android and iOS app.

How to Download and Sign Up to Wattpad

To start, download the free Wattpad app for Android or iOS. It’s a good idea to grab it from the official store instead of a third-party one, as unauthorized stores may harbor malware.

Once the app finishes downloading, you’ll need a Wattpad account. You can make one by opening the app, then tapping Don’t have an account? Sign up underneath the login fields. Alternatively, you can sign up using a Facebook or Google account, which is a good option if you plan on sharing your reading habits with your friends.

Download: Wattpad for Android | iOS (Free)

How to Find Something to Read on Wattpad

Now that you’re all set up, Wattpad will show you some stories to read. This can be a little much, so here’s how to cut through the information overload and find something good to read.

First of all, if you’re using Wattpad just to read free ebooks, keep an eye out for the paid stories. Paid stories have a free preview, but you need to spend money to read the rest. To avoid these books, look for the paid stories icon: it looks like a stack of coins behind a dollar symbol.

To get started, tap the Search and browse bar at the top. When you do, Wattpad will show you all the genres it supports. Tap on one to view all the stories under that genre.

Alternatively, you can search for stories that fit your favorite styles. If you enter a word, Wattpad will search that word in the title and description of every ebook. For example, searching “cyberpunk” will find books with “cyberpunk” in the title or description.

You can also prefix a word with a hash symbol to search the book tags. This is a good option if you’re trying to find books under a specific subgenre. For example, searching “#cyberpunk” will bring up every book with “cyberpunk” in its tags.

How to Read Free Wattpad Ebooks

Now that you’ve found something you want to read, it’s time to dive in. Wattpad works a little differently from other ebook readers, so let’s break down how these books work and how to read them.

How to Read a Wattpad Ebook

When you select a book, tap the Read button to start reading. You should now see the start of the book. You can read more of it by scrolling down. Each book is broken up into chapters; you can see how far you are in the current section by looking at the scroll bar on the right.

When you reach the bottom of a chapter, do one more scroll to view an ad. These ads make it look like you’ve finished the book, but don’t worry. Simply scroll past the ad as you would a page, and the next chapter will start.

How to Move Between Chapters

If you want to skip between the different chapters, you can do this by tapping the screen. This reveals the top and bottom toolbars, which hide while you read. Now, tap the three bars in the top-right, then select the chapter you want to jump to from the chapter menu.

How to Add a Book to Your Library

From this chapter menu, you can also tap Add to library. This will add the current ebook to a digital library for easy access later. If you try to stop reading a book that isn’t in your library, Wattpad will remind you if you want to add it. To revisit a book in your library, tap the three-book icon at the bottom of the homepage.

How to Read and Make Comments on an Ebook

As you’re reading, you may see a speech bubble in the right margin with a number in it. This means someone has commented on that part of the book; the number tells you how many comments there are. Tap the speech bubble to see what people are saying about that part.

If you have something you want to say yourself, press and hold on the part you want to comment on. This highlights the sentence you pressed on. Then, tap the speech bubble that appears in the top-right. You can now type your comment, with the piece you’re commenting on visible at the top of the screen.

Fill Your Digital Ebook Library for Less

If you’re a ravenous reader but tight on money, it’s never been easier to read ebooks for free. For example, you can use Wattpad to check out free ebooks from independent authors, and even make comments which the author can read.

If Wattpad doesn’t satiate your desire for books, be sure to check out the best sites to download free ebooks.

Read the full article: How to Read Free Ebooks With Wattpad

from MakeUseOf https://ift.tt/2UAdgig