Author Interviews II

FloydLocke

1) Tell us a little about yourself

My pseudonym is Floyd Locke. I'm 19 years old, and I'm invisible. I'm the guy in the back of class that everyone forgot to notice. The one who sees a world made up of colors that most people never knew existed. And some might never know. I just see life differently, and I suppose that's why I started writing: to show everyone what I see. The view seen by those who don't exist.

2) What's your favorite author? Favorite book? They can be from Wattpad or elsewhere.

My favorite author is also my best friend leonaxon. She is just incredible. Life isn't fair. It favors some and neglects others. And for the longest time I saw myself as one of the neglected. But it gave me someone I can be stupid around without being embarrassed. Someone that's just as complicated as I am. So complicated that they just make sense. Knowing Leo is the highlight of my life for sure, and something about her just helps to restore a lot of the faith in humanity that I'd lost. I just went out on a limb one day and decided to read some poetry (something I know nothing about) and met the most gifted wordsmith this world has ever seen. And she also happens to be one of the best people ever created. leonaxon. Top of the list by far

And my favorite book has yet to be written, but it's something Leo and I plan to write together

3) How long have you been writing?

How long I've been writing is a complicated answer. I was thirteen before I actually delved into the realm of literature. Learning the processes and the like. But I've been creating stories and characters since before I can remember. Six or seven years old at least. When I was nine years old I wrote a story for my elementary school competition and won the whole thing.

4) Why you do write? What's your inspiration?

Writing is how I cope. With pain. With life. With loss. If you were to read anything I write, there is no pain, and there is no joy, described in those pages that I haven't felt yet. I write my dreams, and my nightmares. When I can't act, I speak. When I can't speak, I think. When I can't think, I write. And when I can't write, I'll die. It's how my life was meant to go.

5) What's your preferred genre?

I don't really have a preferred genre. I like to read Leo's poetry most of all. As for writing, I do anything from romance, to paranormal, to fantasy, horror, and even some of my own (albeit less impressive) poetry. My favorite thing I've written is probably That Family which is humor. So maybe that.

6) What was your first written story?

My first written story was back when I was an 8 year old diva. I wrote it about a chipmunk who accidentally ended up in another dimension with his other self. I had a fight with my teacher because I wanted to call it "The Two Chipmunk" rather than pluralize the animal, but she told me it would be grammatically incorrect. My argument being the fact that the chipmunks were the same chipmunk, so it didn't need to be pluralized. Let's just say I was not happy with the title when it was finished

7) What's your writing process?

My writing process... I take everything I want to happen in the book and wrote it down in order. Then I just sit down and book it (pun intended) through the list, rough draft style. Then I come back and add a couple plot twists, as I write. (An example being that the main character's beat friend had a hand in the plans of the villain) And I tweak the previous chapters enough that it makes sense. After that initial run through, I go back to the beginning and fluff it up.

It's complicated but effective

8) What are your current writing projects? Can you give us a teaser?

I have a few things I'm working on right now. A wizard war fantasy I've been thinking up for years, is the main one. It's called The Skelitin Saga, and I think it's pretty good. I'm about to start writing a romance story, but that one I won't share any spoilers for.

9) Do you have any unpublished stories? If so, why and do you ever plan to publish them?

The majority of what I write is unpublished. Since I write to cope, a lot of it is based on memories I'm not especially fond of reliving. Maybe one day after I'm gone, a loved one will compile these scattered pieces and build a diary of sorts, to sell in my memory.

10) As a writer, what's the most challenging aspect?

As a writer, the most challenging aspect for me is finishing what I've started. I have so many ideas and so many swings if moods that one second I may want to write a horror, and the next, a comedy. It feels incredible when you finish a story, but it's incredibly difficult to actually get there when there's so much you want to do.

11) Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years, I see myself looking back over those years and realizing that it all happened for a reason. In five years I'll know what that reason is. For now, I'll hold on tight to everything and everyone I care about

12) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Tips... Just a couple. If two people for two different reasons, in two different situations, are both laying in bed with the same amount of tears, feeling the same amount of pain and betrayal, who's to say who's hurting more? Everyone has hurt before. Everyone has had their heart broken or dreams shattered. Use that. It doesn't matter if your character was orphaned and abused only has one leg. If they've been orphaned, write with the pain you have felt for loss. If they've been abused, write how you feel with your inner and outer scars. When you learn to put your heart in writing, that's when your stories become genuine. And when your stories become genuine, that's when the audience can start to relate.