Project Athena | Author Spotlight

dragonhunterthirteen

Meet dragonhunterthirteen aka Maya, the dragon-hunting, book-devouring INTJ with a penchant for lone wolves and redemption arcs, who crafts stories featuring badass heroines, lovable antiheroes, and deliciously twisted villains. We invite you to immerse yourself behind the scenes of their writing journey.

What inspired you to become a writer? When did you first start writing?

I don't remember a time when I wasn't writing out a crazy story in my head. I recall being 10 years old and writing short three-page stories about cars and getting my brothers to draw pictures for them.

Can you discuss your experience with building a readership on Wattpad? What strategies have you used to attract and retain readers?

Getting writing tools really helped build my profile, and interacting with fellow writers. I started experimenting with Canva and putting things about different fandoms to start conversations. Commenting and liking stories by other aspiring writers also helped me gain support for my own works.

How do you handle writer's block or other creative obstacles when they arise? Are there any specific techniques or practices that help you overcome these challenges?

Generally, I take a break from my writing, I'll try to find a new environment or I'll work on a different story. Changing the environment helps a lot because sometimes all a story needs is a new perspective. I sometimes share my story vocally with someone and try to brainstorm new ideas with a friend.

What do you do when you encounter writer's block or feel stuck in your story? How do you get unstuck and keep writing?

As I mentioned before, I find different techniques that I can use to approach the story differently. Or if I'm not happy with the direction it's heading I rewrote the scene in a new light (it is heartbreaking though, having to delete a piece of what you wrote).

Can you tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult creative decision in one of your stories? How did you approach this decision, and what was the outcome?

Whenever a character faces a split in the path and needs to choose a decision, I also end up feeling stuck with them. I try to draw out the possible outcomes from both paths and brainstorm which works better for the story and I go in that direction. It's always important to put yourself in your character's shoes and see where it leads!

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging scene or chapter in one of your stories, and how you tackled it?

Fight scenes are often difficult for me to write - that big dramatic climax when everything goes wrong. In Speed Bumps, a story I recently completed, the characters have a huge fight before the grand finale. I needed to make it as dramatic and nail-biting as I could, a difficult feat to do. For inspiration, I watched a couple of fight scenes on YouTube from movies I liked and used Pinterest to try and vividly write out these scenes the way I wanted them to be.

What do you think sets your stories apart from other works in your genre? What unique perspective or voice do you bring to your writing?

Hmm. That's a hard one. I think my stories, despite being first person, aren't entirely from the characters' perspective. My writing style is very external and very sarcastic and I love incorporating a witty style of humor. I wrote characters I enjoy reading about, smart, snarky characters with a very distinctive voice. I also try to challenge common cliches and put a fresh twist on them whilst keeping the core of the trope still there.

How do you handle criticism or negative feedback from readers or other writers? What strategies do you use to maintain your confidence and motivation?

Criticism is a vital part of growing as a writer. If someone gives me feedback, I always consider it. So it's never really taken a toll on my confidence. Everyone has different preferences in writing and reading. If it's something reasonable and I can change it, I will. If it's something I don't like, I ignore it and go about my day.

What are your goals for your writing career, both in the short term and long term?

Whatever happens, happens I guess. I've always written stories just for the sake of sating my imagination. If I do manage to publish a book, that would be wonderful but just sharing my writing is good enough.

Can you share a piece of writing advice that has been particularly impactful for you? How has it influenced your writing process or career?

Write a little every day. That has helped me improve tremendously. It doesn't have to be for a novel but just a short piece. It's not only practice but also a good starting point to help you perfect the craft. 

We are delighted to showcase Maya as the focus of our featured author series this month. Prepare to be enthralled by her captivating stories that will transport you to new worlds. 

If you're interested in being featured too, keep honing your craft and submit your work to our reading lists. We're constantly seeking exceptional books to showcase and share with our readers.