Alessandra Ferreri of Wattpad: “Authenticity Is Key to the Success of YA and New Adult Stories”

Spanish-language fiction is one of the most popular categories on Wattpad, where a new generation of Hispanic authors is reaching fans around the world. Recently, the story The QB Bad Boy and Me by Tay Marley arrived on Wattpad Mexico in Spanish as El Quarterback y Yo. On the platform, it has accumulated more than 33 million reads and was adapted for streaming as Sidelined: The QB and Me for Tubi in English.

PRODU spoke with Alessandra Ferreri, Head of Content at Wattpad, who leads the platform’s global content strategy.

Asked about the reason behind the decision to launch this title in Spanish, Ferreri said: “We’ve always had a very global mindset when it comes to our content and creators. I lead the Content team, and although we’re based in Toronto and have a large user base in the U.S., Spanish is actually our second-largest language category on the platform. We have a very vibrant Spanish-speaking community that constantly reads and writes.”

She added that as they began investing more in franchises that even originated in English, “it made sense to bring the stories we see performing very well in that language and translate them so our Spanish-speaking users can experience them on the platform in the same way. That’s why we decided to bring The QB Bad Boy and Me into Spanish.”

She said she is excited to have seen this story grow from its first chapter into a major franchise. “The Wattpad community doesn’t just read — they socialize, make friends, and build fandoms. That was key for The QB Bad Boy and Me. Now we can share that experience with our Spanish-speaking readers as well. It has received a very warm response, and we hope to do more projects like this in the future,” she noted.

THE POWER OF YA AND NEW ADULT FICTION

Some of the biggest contemporary Hispanic YA and New Adult fiction successes originated on Wattpad, including hit titles that became streaming sensations such as the A Través De Mi Ventana trilogy by Ariana Godoy, Sigue Mi Voz, Mala Influencia, Teens Spirit, and the Culpa Mía trilogy by Mercedes Ron.

Ferreri spoke about the importance of the YA and New Adult genres. “Five or six years ago, the New Adult category practically didn’t exist in the industry. You went from YA to adult, without that middle space. On Wattpad, it was always present. It was about creating space for stories that weren’t in bookstores. Today, New Adult is mainstream, but it wasn’t always that way. Digital platforms like Wattpad demonstrated its importance and viral potential,” she said.

She recalled that Wattpad has always had a very active and viral user base. “Many of our users identify as women and belong to the Millennial and Gen Z generations. We have many young readers and writers — teenagers and young adults — who write from their own experiences. It’s a category that can encompass any genre. It can be romance, but also all kinds of adventure. Wattpad allows young writers to find stories that reflect them and also to write authentic experiences for themselves. I think that’s why Wattpad has done such a strong job connecting communities. We’re not waiting for an editor or producer to say, ‘this story is worth it.’ Authors can develop it on their own terms. That means readers are reading stories written by their peers and identifying with them,” the executive said.

APPEAL FOR STREAMING PLATFORMS

Asked about the appeal these stories have for streaming platforms, Ferreri said authenticity is key. “On Wattpad, you access original material directly and authentically. In addition, many stories already have a built-in fan base. It’s not a manuscript sitting in a drawer, but a story with millions of readers interacting in real time,” she explained, citing Ariana Godoy as a great example: “She wrote directly for her fans and then made the leap to traditional adaptation. The same with Tay Marley and The QB Bad Boy and Me. That makes Wattpad stories unique for adaptation. For Netflix or Amazon, it’s a different source of fresh voices,” she said.

SELECTION PROCESS: A COMBINATION OF CREATIVE INSTINCT AND ANALYTICS

Ferreri noted that when selecting stories, they combine art and data. “We look for strong storytelling, though not necessarily the most polished. We have the advantage of seeing stories from their very beginning and identifying their potential. We also have a lot of data: we see how fans interact and how many readers stay with a story. It’s a combination of creative instinct and analysis. We also work with Webtoon Studios, which handles traditional adaptations. It’s a two-way conversation,” she said.

TRENDS: ESCAPISM AND WISH FULFILLMENT

The executive said the most common trends they observe on Wattpad are escapism and wish fulfillment. “They’re always present, especially in romance. It doesn’t have to be just romance — it can also appear in science fiction or fantasy. Some very strong tropes are ‘enemies to lovers’ and sports romance, like The QB Bad Boy and Me. Stories that offer romantic adventure perform very well,” she concluded.