Author Interviews II

vanessallosa

1) Tell us a little about yourself

My name is Vanessa, I am a medical student and author of two novels: The Writer and The Last Petal. I was born in the U.S and currently live in Italy. Apart from writing and reading, I love drawing, playing the piano, and sometimes playing video games.

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

There are so many authors I admire, but I will never stop mentioning Roald Dahl as the author that made me love reading from the very start. His book Boy has always stayed with me. There are many other authors of other genres I could mention, but I have to stay true to the first author for me, that made me associate books with excitement and magic.

3) How long have you been writing?

I have been writing little poems and stories for as long as I can remember. When I was little I used to grab a piece of paper, draw something on it, and then write a little poem next to the drawing and gift it to my parents. But the moment I started writing actual novels was around the age of 14.

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

Writing is the most freeing thing in the world to me. I love how writing gives me the power to change anything I wouldn't be able to change in real life, to create something from nothing, and it allows me to travel to any world I have created, whenever, wherever.

The ups and downs of life in general inspire me. I am always eager to dig in and explore every emotion and create something beautiful from a place where I never thought such a thing could be born.

5) What's your preferred genre?

I have written young adult and new adult fiction, and now, I mostly enjoy reading works of fiction, romance, memoirs and poetry.

6) What was your first written story?

My first written novel was The Last Petal, which I finished writing when I was 17.

7) What's your writing process?

I like making a general outline of the progression of the story, and jotting down the main qualities of each character. Then, I start writing and see where the story takes me. Before I start writing the first chapter, I usually know how the novel will end. And even though I have an outline of the main things to happen in the plot, all the details are discovered as I write the story.

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

I am currently working on a romance novel called The Wall Between Us, and a poetry book featuring my own illustrations.

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

I have some stories and poems I have written years ago which are buried on some old laptop, which I don't plan to publish. My writing style and interests have evolved since then.

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

My biggest challenge and motivation is getting my books to be read by more people. At the end of the day, the act of writing is magical on its own, but hearing someone tell me they read my book and loved it, makes the whole experience even more fulfilling.

11) Where do you see yourself in five years?

I hope to have more readers enjoying my stories. I also hope to have gotten a literary agent by then.

12) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

First, to constantly read other novels and when you aren't reading just continuously write. Stay true to your own voice, and build on that. The more you read and the more you write, the more confident you will become with what you produce as a writer. And I do have to underline this: You have to believe 100% in the story you are writing, otherwise the characters will fall flat to the reader, and if you can't believe in what you write then how can you expect the reader to believe in it too. Last but not least, have fun!