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 EllisVanWyk formerly known as GrimmInker. Check out this writer's works and give them a shout out in the comments.
BCM: What motivated you to become a Bootcamp Mentor and what have you found most valuable about this Wattpad community program?
Ellis: I was motivated to become a mentor because I wanted to encourage more horror writers to submit to the Wattys in the face of the lower winners over the years. I think the genre has amazing potential, and I want Wattpad to see that, too. The most valuable thing I've found within the community so far has been access to culture! My mentee has opened my eyes to a world of horror and murder and intrigue from across the world, and it's been really encouraging to see our shared bond despite wildly different backgrounds.
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what is one thing you find valuable about the platform?
Ellis:I wanted to start writing on Wattpad because it looked like a great way to practice my writing with real, live feedback. I eventually stayed for the community, and that is the most valuable thing Wattpad has to offer. There are so many wonderful people I've had the pleasure of knowing and learning about and treasuring because of the site.
BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that you've incorporated into your mentoring.
Ellis:One important writing tip I've used consistently and shared with my mentee has been varying one's sentences up! We might not realize how often we start a sentence the same way, and it's always been a fun challenge to reread a passage and then try to intentionally vary the length, word use, and more.
BCM: What is the username of your 2023 mentee and the title of their story? If you had to describe your mentee's story in three words, what would they be?
Ellis: My mentee is Shivran86 and their story is Daughters of Kalika. In three words, religious murder, mystery.
BCM: Will you be entering a story into the 2023 Wattys? If so, what motivated you to write the story? If not, can you share what you're working on?
Ellis: I will tryto enter my work in progress The Ghost of Winn Peterson if I can finish it before the deadline. I was motivated to write a better version of my first book, as well as something more classical and heavy on Gothic themes and imagery.
