The journey of this novel has been a long one. Those who have followed Near Touch on Wattpad know the highs and lows we’ve faced together and for that I’m eternally grateful. I was a total noob when I joined the platform with this book last year but the love and support I’ve received since has been a blessing. After becoming an Ambassador, it only feels right to give back to the community that has given me so much in such a short span of time.

While it may seem like a list of the book’s accomplishments, it is actually one of gratitude. When you are a newbie author, the world is full of opportunities but it is oh so overwhelming too. Through features on official profiles and community awards, a Wattpad writer not only gains recognition for their work but also friends for a lifetime. This is my attempt to honor that legacy. I didn’t know these avenues existed till David Anderson (amazing author of Watty-winning book The Art of Breathing Underwater) told me about them. I remember it was a mere week after publishing the first two chapters of Near Touch and his words were a beacon to this headless chicken.

I’ve learned that wonderful things can happen if you realize that you are not alone on your path towards your goals. You never walk alone. If you think you do, just look back and you’ll find me. I will always have your back. Oh, and the image of the bag here is an amalgamation of two very iconic references. Let me know if you get them.

Feature me like one of your French girls

There is nothing quite like being featured on an official Wattpad profile. It is a seal of approval from the Ambassadors that your work is of superior quality and they are proud to promote it. There are other community-run reading lists that are equally as prestigious to get into. You can find a guide to get your book featured here. That being said, I am pleased to announce that Near Touch has been featured in 18 official profiles across Wattpad:

TeenFiction | Chills
Romance | Strange Love
Mystery | The Sixth Sense
MysteryThrillerIN | Gumnam Hai Koi
YA | The Conjuring
YAMystery | Paranormal Activities
YARomance | Forbidden Worlds
DangerousLove | Bad Boys
MythandLegend | Urban Fantasy
StoriesUndiscovered | Can You See Me Now?
Humor | The Nun is Taken & The Unknown Road to Laughter
WattpadLitFic | Novels
MediaDirectory | Inspired – Fantasy Cover
LowFantasy | Dark Days
DarkFantasy | Shades of the Now
BadassReads | The Badass Queen
WattpadMulticultural | American Stories
WattpadUrbanFantasy | Dark as Death

Other awesome community profiles that have featured Near Touch:

WackyWriters | Judge’s Favorites (August 2022)
Sangha Book Club | Book of the Month (September 2022)
FBWCBookClub | Palatable Paranormal
Celestia Cove | We Shine / Our Choice

Awards that can make your hands clap

Before I let you go

Looking at every item in the list above I do feel the need for a bit of perspective as a parting note which I often see missing in other such documentations of gratitude and grandeur. There are many awards in which I participated but did not win even an honorable mention. In fact, at the time of writing this blog post, I received quite the scathing review. But that is alright. Art is subjective. No amount of criticism should sway one from writing what they want and how they want to write it. Learn from the bad if possible but always focus on the good. As I’ve judged these contests, reviewed entries for the reading lists on official profiles, and critiqued books on Wattpad, I’ve come to the realization that there’s always something good, something praiseworthy to be discovered in a written work.

You just have to be kind enough to look.

At last, I would love to squeeze in a short note of thanks (extensively covered in the Acknowledgements of Near Touch). All of these milestones would mean nothing without the support and love of all my friends on Wattpad. Each feature or award would be meaningless without them and for that I thank them from the bottom of my heart. The final banner for Near Touch is an collage of all the banners that preceded it and every time I look at it, I’m reminded of how much we’ve been through together.

Here’s to many more celebrations to come!

Resources

Near Touch by Gauravaaditya on Wattpad.
Animated gif maker for online use.
Abstract shimmery stars pastel background from Rawpixel.
Reticule (c. 1935–1942) by Edith Towner. Original from The National Gallery of Art. Sourced from Rawpixel.

Accolades for Near Touch

Feature me like one of your French girls

Awards that can make your hands clap

Before I let you go

Resources

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