If you were one of the millions of people who enjoyed the gentle romantic entanglements of Elle, Lee and Noah in hit Netflix romcom, The Kissing Booth, you might not know it, but you're already a fan of Wattpad.
The film, and its sequel, originated from a story posted to the storytelling app back in 2011, which had been read an incredible 19 million times before the streamer came calling. Its author, 17-year-old Beth Reekles, went on to earn a three-book deal with publisher Random House.
Not bad from a content sharing platform you’ve likely never heard of.
What is Wattpad?
Wattpad is a website and app on which writers, both amateur and established, publish their stories. Readers can interact with the user-generated content, offering their opinions on characters and plots – they can even leave notes next to specific sentences – in a way that allows would-be writers to shape their content to better serve their readership. The site says it reaches an audience of more than 90 million users, with content available in 50-plus languages, although stories are predominantly written in English.
With the news this week that South Korean Internet conglomerate, Naver, which owns global digital comics platform Webtoon, has acquired Wattpad for $600 million, the deal will increase that 90 million to a global monthly audience of 160 million users.
It was the brainchild of Hong Kong-born entrepreneur Allen Lau and Malaysian Ivan Yuen. The pair say they were each working on variations of the idea before coming together to create Wattpad in 2006.
“We were just too early for the technology to take off, but we stuck it through and I’m glad we did,” Yuen told his alma mater The University of Waterloo. Adding of the year 2007, when the iPhone and the Kindle launched: “The fact that we were already there opened up a whole new way for people to use Wattpad.”
What is on Wattpad?
In short, a lot of fan fiction. If you've ever wondered what it might have been like if Harry Potter had married Hermione rather than Ginny, or if any member of One Direction decided to quit dating models and start dating their fans instead, then Wattpad is your spiritual home. But that's not to say fanfic is the only literary genre on offer. There's fantasy, paranormal, horror, science fiction, humour, mystery, teen fiction … The list is endless and ever-growing, from the mainstream to the niche. And according to John Hunt Publishing, the most popular genres are romance, young adult and teen, and fan fiction.
On Wattpad, no-one need know how old you are, what your social background is, or where you live. Your readers can be anywhere
With its own direct publishing division, own literary awards – the Wattys – and an ability to connect writers with producers via their Wattpad Studios, the platform claims more than “1,000 original Wattpad stories have been published, produced, or adapted to TV or film”, citing deals with Netflix, Sony and Paramount among other major Hollywood studios.
One book, 1.6 billion readers
One of Wattpad's biggest success stories has been Anna Todd's After trilogy. Originally posted as fan fiction about former One Direction star, Harry Styles, a quick name change turned him into Hardin Scott.
The book has so far been translated into 35 languages, landing Todd a six-figure deal with publisher Simon & Schuster. Not to mention the two films it has so far spawned: 2019's After and its 2020 sequel After We Collided.
More impressively, her books have been read more than 1.6 billion times, generating more than six million reader comments.
So, is Todd a professional writer? No, she was a 24-year-old housewife with a new baby, living in Texas.
Wattpad appealed to Todd, as she told The Atlantic, because it enables writers whose work would otherwise "never see the light of day because their names aren't known, or they don't have whatever following, or they don't have experience in publishing".
Put into context, authors using traditional modes of publishing, need to sell books in double digit thousands to land themselves on the bestseller lists, but it’s worth remembering that readers are paying for those books, whereas Wattpad content is free. The money, however, comes later; just ask newly-minted millionaire, Todd.
World-famous authors on Wattpad
Another Wattpad story that translated to the small screen was titled Death to my BFF and racked up 92 million reads, leading it to be acquired by Sony Pictures Television, while the tale Light as a Feather was snapped up by Hulu, and Cupid's Match was turned into a pilot at CW Seed after it garnered over 36 million reads.
And for anyone feeling slightly snobby about Wattpad, bear in mind that the critically acclaimed author of The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, is also a contributor.
"You can post your own writing. No-one need know how old you are, what your social background is, or where you live," she told The Guardian of her decision to publish on the platform. "Your readers can be anywhere."
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio
Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)
Engine 4.7L V8
Transmission Six-speed automatic
Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GYAN’S ASIAN OUTPUT
2011-2015: Al Ain – 123 apps, 128 goals
2015-2017: Shanghai SIPG – 20 apps, 7 goals
2016-2017: Al Ahli (loan) – 25 apps, 11 goals
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
Pathaan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Siddharth%20Anand%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20John%20Abraham%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
From exhibitions to the battlefield
In 2016, the Shaded Dome was awarded with the 'De Vernufteling' people's choice award, an annual prize by the Dutch Association of Consulting Engineers and the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers for the most innovative project by a Dutch engineering firm.
It was assigned by the Dutch Ministry of Defence to modify the Shaded Dome to make it suitable for ballistic protection. Royal HaskoningDHV, one of the companies which designed the dome, is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy, leading the way in sustainable development and innovation.
It is driving positive change through innovation and technology, helping use resources more efficiently.
It aims to minimise the impact on the environment by leading by example in its projects in sustainable development and innovation, to become part of the solution to a more sustainable society now and into the future.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
The biog
Place of birth: Kalba
Family: Mother of eight children and has 10 grandchildren
Favourite traditional dish: Al Harees, a slow cooked porridge-like dish made from boiled cracked or coarsely ground wheat mixed with meat or chicken
Favourite book: My early life by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, the Ruler of Sharjah
Favourite quote: By Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, “Those who have no past will have no present or future.”
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investors ranking by size
|
Rank
|
Country
|
Sovereign Wealth Assets ($ trillion)
|
|
1.
|
United States
|
12.125
|
|
2.
|
China
|
3.368
|
|
3.
|
UAE
|
2.497
|
|
4.
|
Japan
|
2.228
|
|
5
|
Norway
|
1.905
|
|
6.
|
Canada
|
1.860
|
|
7.
|
Singapore
|
1.591
|
|
8.
|
Australia
|
1.538
|
|
9.
|
Saudi Arabia
|
1.534
|
|
10.
|
South Korea
|
1.178
|
