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 Lorareedpalmer author of WaterMage Rising. Check out this writer's work 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 this Wattpad community program?
Lorareedpalmer: It must have popped up in my notifications feed somehow, or in a search, and when it did I knew I'd have to check it out. There is so much in the way of valuable information and tips here, on Wattpad and on the discord server, and the support for writers has been invaluable. So far, the whole process of the Wattys bootcamp has been the most valuable. This whole time, my mentor has given me some amazing tools and feedback to help me think more deeply about the story and characters, and it has truly helped my story fulfill its potential.
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what do you like most about the platform as a writer?
Lorareedpalmer: It seemed like a fantastic place to connect with other writers and readers, test the waters with my stories, as well as find inspiration and hone my craft. There are so many amazing things about the platform that it's hard to choose just one, because it allows for reader comments, rankings, contests, and groups to help you grow as a writer, so I love it all! I also love playing around with cover design for my stories on Canva. The platform makes it super easy to organize your story details and post and edit your chapters. If I had to pick just one thing, though, I'd have to say that it's all the ways to interact with fellow writers and readers.
BCM: What motivated you to write the story you're submitting to the 2023 Wattys?
Lorareedpalmer:WaterMage Rising is a rewrite of my Harry Potter fanfiction Breaking With the Past. The idea of a fem! Snape choosing a different path in life around the time of the infamous worst day (5th year of Hogwarts) was the seed that inspired the story. This year, during the Bootcamp Mentor submission process, when the new Wattys rules came out and fan fiction was no longer a category — which makes sense, as the focus is on original works, I was challenged with the idea of rewriting it as an original fiction. I loved the idea of taking on this challenge and submitting it as an ongoing story this year, so my mentor inspired me to think more deeply about the characters as well as a fresh system of magic. That's how WaterMage Rising was born!
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.
Lorareedpalmer: Prior to becoming a mentee, I was a pantser. Now, I have two great tools that help me plot the story's arc and the romance arc in advance. This has helped me develop my summary and a story engine/roadmap to follow as I write my chapters. Also, until this bootcamp, I was not as consistent in my writing schedule as I would like to be, and this process has helped me to get in the habit of writing almost daily.
BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.
Lorareedpalmer: I love time travel stories, and there's a wonderful one by KEJennings called Wars Collide. If you like time travel, military/war stories, and romance, you'll love this one! I also am a huge fan of time loop stories, and Velocity to Never Exceed by RachelReissAuthor is a fabulous one! It's a tight, tense thriller set on an airplane that is due to crash.
Thank you, Lorareedpalmer. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.
More BCM spotlight interviews are on the way!
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