A couple weeks ago I was contacted by FOX Television via Wattpad Studios to do some writing related to the new The Exorcist TV show debuting Sept. 23 on FOX. Specifically, they wanted me to write an alternate ending that played along similar themes in my short horror story on Wattpad, When the Black-Eyed Children Knock.
You can read the alternate ending (for free!) here on Wattpad.
You can also read the entire story from start to finish here. It’s free to check out on Wattpad.
This was an incredible opportunity to have my writing reviewed (and approved!) by FOX, and that this came together in the way that it did is still shocking. It happened so fast. You can bet I got this in ahead of deadline.
Wattpad: Opening New Opportunities for Writers
That little 10,000-word short story took on a life of its own on Wattpad, with more than 350,000 reads. The opportunities it pulled into its orbit, facilitated by the Wattpad staff, are incredible. This is the third major movie/TV studio I’ve had some sort of involvement with via Wattpad. (The others I can’t say too much about for now.)
Cool factor aside, writer-wise Wattpad’s model is one I think will eventually disrupt the current publishing market as much as the Kindle did not long ago. Tying sponsored content to well-read stories on social reading apps like Wattpad satisfies the younger generations of readers’ appetites for free content inside of a social experience while simultaneously paying writers to write. When I compare this Wattpad experience to some of my others in publishing, it’s clear to me where the puck is headed in the next three to five years.
Also: The People Behind the Scenes at Wattpad are Terrific
Seriously. Count yourself lucky if you ever get the chance to work with them. What a great group of people.
Don’t Forget to Watch the Show
The Exorcist debuts on Friday, Sept. 23, on FOX. I’ll be watching. Will you?
The Writer's Guide to Weapons 
I am so happy for you, I hope that something amazing comes from this!
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Thank you! I’m crossing my fingers that the next thing is even bigger, but I’m thrilled to be participating in this at all. I owe it all to the black-eyed children.
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Woohoo!!!! Way to go, Ben! That’s fantastic news. I could not be happy for you. Well-deserved, my friend.
As far as watching the show…well, for someone who writes creepy stuff, the exorcist stuff totally freaks me out. However, if you let me know which episode will feature your story, I’ll have nightmares just to support you. Deal?
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OMG, that should be “could not be HAPPIER for you.” LOL
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Oh, I gotcha, and thank you for that. I actually don’t watch a lot of horror because my better half is of the same persuasion. For me, I like horror because of the metaphors and the mysteries. There’s a lot of depth to the good ones, and a lot of crap to the ones that do shock for the sake of shock. But I get it. Some people like spicy food, some people water down their ketchup.
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Hahahahahaha!!!
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