Story Writing Guide for First-Time Global Makers
Last Updated: 2026-08-19
On Wadiz, the "story" is what a general e-commerce site would call the product detail page. Wadiz supporters aren't bargain hunters looking for the cheapest option — they're deliberate shoppers searching for a product worth investing in. That means whether they decide to back a project comes down to how genuine and relatable the maker's story feels. This guide walks through exactly how to write a story that wins supporters over.
0.1 What Matters in a Project Story
Story-writing priorities differ depending on your project type.
Funding Projects
A standard Funding project is a very early-stage product that has never been sold on the market. Supporters naturally wonder, "Will this product actually get made?" and "Can I trust this maker?" — so your story needs to directly resolve those doubts.
Writing Tips:
- Highlight the single most differentiated point among your reward's function, materials, or design
- Emphasize your development process, test results, and technical capability
- Make "why Wadiz" explicit: early capital, market validation, community feedback
Pre-order projects
A Pre-order project offers a benefit unavailable on other platforms, or a reward only purchasable on Wadiz during the campaign period. Your story needs to resolve supporter doubts like "Is buying through Wadiz actually the better deal?" and "Will I get it quickly?"
Writing Tips:
- State the Wadiz-exclusive price benefit clearly (e.g., "30% cheaper than other retailers")
- Commit to a specific delivery date (e.g., "Shipping begins July 15")
- Disclose existing sales data (e.g., "2,000 units sold last year, 65% repeat purchase rate")
- Emphasize why this beats buying direct or through another retailer
Funding vs. Pre-order at a glance
| Item | Funding | Pre-order |
|---|---|---|
| Core message | "This product is innovative" | "This price/benefit is Wadiz-only" |
| Tone | Anticipation, persuasion | Urgency, practical value |
| Proof style | Technical capability, development process | Track record on other retail channels, customer reviews |
| Shipping | Estimated timeframe | Committed exact date |
| Maker framing | "Why I made this" | "Why I'm bringing this to Wadiz" |
02. Required Elements of a Story
1. Project title
Write a title that lets a supporter picture the project in a single read. Amid dozens of competing projects, your title needs a hook plus an instant answer to "what's in it for me?"
It shouldn't be too long, needs to read naturally, and should avoid exaggerated or misleading claims.
Take this example: "Money-calling money pen!" — the title alone makes it obvious this project is about a pen tied to money.
The same logic applies to other examples. Words like "butter," "capsule cosmetics," and "shampoo bar" instantly reveal what the reward actually is. The last example goes further, adding an eye-catching phrase to a shampoo bar to boost its appeal. Always include the keyword that identifies your reward in the title, and place it near the front where it's easy to spot.
2. Key Reward Features
Clearly write out three key features of your reward and the benefit each one gives the customer. Supporters decide "I need to buy this" while reading your story — the more concretely you spell out what they gain, the more likely they are to back the project.
Writing Tip: Emphasize the benefit to the customer over the product spec itself.
- ❌ "We used a highly elastic material"
- ✅ "Your movement stays free, so you're comfortable all day"
Example: Vacuum Steam Iron 7800Pa – iHandy AeroNova
3. Reward composition and benefits
Write your reward section so supporters can instantly understand exactly what they get, and under what conditions, for the amount they pay. It's essential to clearly lay out what's included in the reward and what options (color, size, quantity) are available. If there's a Wadiz-exclusive benefit, this is where to highlight it.
Writing Tip: be explicit about when it ships, what's included, and what extra benefits come with it.
- ✅ "Basic set (1 product + dedicated case) + 1 additional color"
- ✅ "Early-bird exclusive: 20% off + free shipping"
Example: Foldable Cooler Bag by an LG Electronics Researcher
4. Maker Introduction
A maker's credentials and experience matter, but the personal story of why you made this product, and why you're bringing it to Wadiz, matters more. Supporters back a project because they trust the maker.
Include real photos (your face or footage from the field), and introduce any team members or partners you work with.
Being transparent about why you chose crowdfunding over standard retail, and how you plan to use the funds raised, builds supporter trust.
Writing Tip: focus on "why I made this product," not a list of credentials.
- ❌ "I have 10 years of industry experience"
- ✅ "Ten years on the production line, and the frustration I felt there, is where this product began"
Example: 27 Years of Cell Biology Research – Hank's Cell Vital Serum
03. Check Your Images, Text, and Mobile Screen
Even great story content falls flat if it's unclear what an image is showing, or if text is too small to read on mobile.
| Story area | Purpose of the check | Checklist |
|---|---|---|
| ① Images / GIFs | Make the product easy to understand at a glance to drive faster checkout; verify reward benefits to build trust | Is there a GIF showing the core function? Is it placed near the top of the story? Does it show before/after or how the product actually works? Are you repeating similar-looking photos? Do you have a good mix of function, usage scenes, reward composition, and trust signals? |
| ② Content | Tip: entering text directly through the story editor improves the odds of surfacing in portal search and AI search answers, reaching potential supporters | Is your key copy and product info written as editor text? Are you cramming all your explanation into a single flat image? Is any paragraph too long? Can someone follow the story just by reading the subheadings? Would someone unfamiliar with your industry's jargon still understand it? |
| ③ Mobile screen | Confirm GIFs display smoothly on mobile with nothing cut off or rendered incorrectly | Is your first-screen message cut off? Is text inside images too small? Do GIFs play back smoothly without stuttering? Are images cropped or broken outside the screen? |
Choosing your intro video or photo
The intro video or photo is the first thing a supporter sees on entering your project page. It occupies a large area at the very top, so it's not an exaggeration to say it decides your project's first impression. This slot allows either a video or a photo, not both, and each comes with its own things to watch for.
(1) If using a video: register it in landscape format
Register your video in 16:9 landscape format, matching the display size on the Wadiz project screen. You can link a video from a streaming service like YouTube or Vimeo, but the thumbnail image shown must be set directly on the platform where the video is hosted (YouTube or Vimeo).
(2) If using photos: don't lead with event content
You can register up to 10 intro photos. Some makers running a supporter participation event place an image about that event first, to highlight it. But showing images of event gifts or perks in this slot can confuse supporters about what the project itself actually is, creating a negative experience. Keep your intro photos focused only on your project and reward.
(3) If using photos: don't put text inside the image
Don't use images with text baked in — the same goes for GIFs and other moving image formats. Text embedded in an image reduces readability and can lower supporter engagement.
(4) If using photos: choose an image that makes the reward obvious
Supporters judge in a few seconds, from a photo alone, whether this is the product or service they're looking for. Prepare a clear photo that makes your reward's identity obvious at a glance.
04. Key Considerations When Writing Your Story
Finally, there are four rules you must follow when writing your Wadiz project story.
(1) Avoid building your story as one flat image
Always keep images and text separate when writing your story body. Use the Maker Studio editor to type your explanations directly as text, and upload images as separate image files. This makes your story significantly more readable, and readers who make it to the end are more likely to back your project.
Entering your text directly also improves your odds of ranking in Wadiz's internal search as well as external portal search results. Always use the editor's text function for your explanations.
(2) Don't put text inside GIFs or other video-format images
Many stories embed text inside GIFs, WebP files, or MP4s to explain a reward's features. This actually hurts readability. Text embedded in a video-format image doesn't get picked up by AI auto-translation, so untranslated text can be shown as-is to Korean supporters, making it harder for them to understand. That said, using a video-format image is a good choice when your reward's features come through well via motion. Just be sure to avoid embedding text in it. If you do need a version with text, create separate Korean and English versions and apply each to its corresponding story language.
(3) Always left-align your text
Most Wadiz supporters read stories on mobile, so mobile readability matters. Left-aligned text without unnecessary line breaks reads best on the screens supporters actually use. Centered or uneven alignment tends to hurt readability once translated into Korean, so be careful with it.
(4) Check that your text still reads naturally after AI translation
Even with Wadiz's AI auto-translation, meaning can come through awkwardly or grammar can feel unnatural. Always review your final translated version once more. Also double-check that currency units display correctly wherever prices appear.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q. What should I do a final check on before my story goes live?
A. Before launch, review your first-screen key message, your main strengths and differentiators, and your trust signals. It's especially important to confirm your story answers, in order, the questions a supporter naturally asks: What is this? Why is it good? Can I trust it? Why should I back it now?
A. Are there any expressions I shouldn't use in my story?
A. Yes. Write your story in line with the advertising review guidelines. Wadiz reviews and monitors stories against these guidelines, and may ask you to revise content that falls outside them.
Common reasons for a revision request include:
- False or exaggerated claims
- Deceptive claims
- Unfair comparisons
- Disparaging claims
- Unauthorized use of someone else's copyrighted work
- Unverifiable claims like "world's first," "Korea's first," "Korea's only," "world's only," or "original"
- Any other product or service benefit or efficacy claim that wasn't verified during requirement review
Q. Can I write my story as one flat image?
A. We recommend using the Maker Studio story editor to keep text and images separate. The story editor is the tool you use to write and design your funding story directly. Typing text directly and uploading images separately makes your page load faster, and helps with portal search visibility — putting your project in front of more people.
Just Start on Wadiz.
Your step-by-step guide from preparation to funding success—available now at the Wadiz Maker Center.