These are the voices of our mentors and mentees from past and present. They've provided their insight about the program, their processes, the Wattys, and have shared their favorite Wattpad stories. Grab a cuppa and sit down with us as we get to know...
The Bootcamp Mentors are proud to present a spotlight interview with MermaidAriel13 author of Fallen Angel. Check out this writer's works and give them a shout out in the comments.
BCM: How did you discover the Bootcamp Mentors, and what have you found most valuable about the program?
MermaidAriel13: I learned of the program thanks to the writersconnx panel and profile on WP.
I find the sense of community in the program very beautiful and inspiring. Many writers connect here, and we all learn from each other through messages on the server or through the workshops. It's great to see that happening and to experience it.
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad, and what do you like most about the platform as a writer?
MermaidAriel13: I first discovered WP as a reader and struggled to find my way around it for a while. Eventually, after reading some of the works posted and seeing that it was a good community to get feedback, I decided to try my hand. My first stories on WP were fan fiction, as I wasn't quite ready yet to share my novel, and I wanted to see what the initial reactions were to just things I wrote for fun. As I grew into those, I decided to post my novel as well and entered awards and book clubs. This helped me grow more confident and become more certain in my role as an author.
I enjoy reading the comments. I have my fan fiction on another platform as well, but there's no comment feature there, unfortunately. So having the interaction with the readers (and being able to give comments as a reader myself) is something I like a lot.
BCM: What motivated you to write the story you're submitting to the 2022 Wattys?
MermaidAriel13: I started my first real attempt at fiction by writing a YA drama. But that didn't work out quite so well, so I took a step back and looked at what I liked to read. The answer was simple; fantasy and historical drama. It was what I read or watched the most and what I craved for as well.
There have been attempts to do this combination, but at some point, the scales always tipped and focused more on either of the two genres. I really wanted to try my hand, keeping in mind that I wanted to honor my two passions equally. So, I challenged myself to do so and placed some of my favorite historical characters together in a fantasy/supernatural world, with just a hint of religion thrown into it for good measure.
I wrote Fallen Angel first and foremost for myself, but the characters began to speak to me as the story progressed. I wanted to conclude the story, and now, I even find myself writing the prequel for it, which I hadn't planned on doing at all. It shows that if you have the right drive and just enough imagination, you can pull anything out of your hat.
BCM: If you had to describe your story in three words, what would they be?
BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that has helped you the most.
MermaidAriel13: Writing with music helps me get into the moment of the scene I write. If it's just a typical scene, e.g., conversations between characters, I listen to string and/or piano. But when we get into specifics, that's when the playlists come in;
- A battle scene – music by Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, DaVinci Code...)
- A love scene – music by James Horner (Pearl Harbor, Titanic...)
- A sad scene – music by John Williams (Schindler's List...)
However, when writing fan fiction, I specifically stick to the music from that universe; e.g., my fic about Bucky Barnes has elements of both Marvel and Call The Midwife, so I combine both musical compositions, depending on the scene-setting.
