𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: Author Interviews

Lauren | @laurendoubleu

Interviewee: laurendoubleu
Author of Turning Tides, Triple Point and the Wattpad Original Ultima Ratio!

Hello Lauren, thank you for doing this interview with us. Let's get started with a few questions about your writing journey.

What inspired you to start writing? 

I had always been fascinated with how storytelling can bring imaginations to life, and as a kid, I occasionally used writing to share my ideas with others. Back then though, I was urged to focus on my studies instead, and many of my stories were abandoned early on. It wasn't until recently that I was trying to find a story to satisfy the itch in my imagination, and when I couldn't find anything, I decided to write it myself. That was how my first original novel, Triple Point, was born! 

What is your go-to genre for writing and reading? Are they the same?

For writing, I prefer speculative fiction, mainly science fiction; for reading, the stories I've completed are mostly fantasy and contemporary romance, though I do hope to branch out. I've only recently become familiar with online literature communities, and I hope that helps me find even more fascinating stories out there.

What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?

With a lot of my stories being science-based, my research usually covers the possibilities of current technology and the potential of future technology. While I consider myself more of a planner than a pantser, a lot of this research doesn't happen until I'm actually writing the story. Before starting a story, I normally outline the vague sequence of events; I may not know the details of how the plot moves from one point to the next, but I know the target destination! But once I'm writing and I need something to help me get from point A to point B, I'll brainstorm, then research if my ideas are plausible.

How important would you say it is to revise and edit your books? How often do you personally find yourself editing through them?

I am self-conscious about sharing anything that's not done to the best of my current abilities, so revising and editing are very important to me. In fact, I prefer to complete stories ahead of time before sharing any of it, and one of the reasons is because my early chapters feel like the roughest of drafts without the rest of the story supporting it.

As I'm writing, I occasionally go back to earlier sections if something comes to mind that needs to be changed. Once the story is completed, I'll do at least one complete read-through, sometimes more, before I start to share anything. When it comes time to post the story on Wattpad, I'll edit each chapter at least once before sharing it. Once the story is completely published on Wattpad, I'll think about the story once in while and brainstorm any changes I could implement, usually utilizing what I've learned about writing since my last edits.

What does literary success look like to you?

As of now, if I'm passionate and confident about my work, that's a win! Basing success on factors like amount of reads, money earned, and attention gained can be stressful for me, and I become more worried about writing for other people instead of myself.

That is a very healthy way to view success! Numbers can give oneself a great boost of confidence, but a creative work's value should not be determined purely by it's numbers – especially if you put in as much work into your stories as you do! 

Next, we'll move on to some looser questions to get to know you a little better.

How would you design your perfect creative space?