Interviews With Wattpad Authors

Interview with trainwreck_

This next interview is with trainwreck_, whose story Stereotypical has over 220k reads as of when this interview was published. The author has a wonderful way with words and has stories that are nothing short of amazing. 

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Who is your favorite author?
This is a hard one (already), lol. I don't think I really have any favorite authors, since there's never been that moment where I have to buy this person's other books because I know I'll just love 'em - if that makes any sense.

What inspired you to first start writing? Is it a big part of your life?
I've been making up stories since I could fully comprehend words and use them (to my best ability). It's just always been this wiring in my head that's making new characters, plots and scenes - I can't help it. My family traveled frequently as well, so I was constantly seeing new things and meeting new people. Then, one day I just snatched a piece of paper, a pencil, and started writing. I guess that answers the second part of this question, too.

What was your reaction when you first hit over a million reads?
Dude, I'm gonna be honest and say that every little thing is a celebration. That day, I refreshed the page a few times to see if it had been a mistake, but when I saw that it was, in fact, legit, I gasped to myself, grinned like a fool, and then blurted in one of those squeaky voices; "I'm such a lucky person!" and then I started getting all sentimental, like what would I be doing if everyone ignored my book? I gave an imaginary audience a speech, that day.

What can you say to frustrated writers who work hard but never get many reads?
If you genuinely care for the story you're weaving, don't expect instant fame, or seven votes with fourteen comments on your first chapter, the very day it's put up. Yes, it very much disappoints you when this hard piece of work isn't getting the praise you feel it so rightfully deserves, but never give up because of that. Keep pushing, keep adding, keep improving. No one gets 100k or 1m in three days – it takes struggle and hard work, and once you do have votes and comments and reads just pouring in, it'll feel soo much better, because this is your hard work. You did it, and this is proof that you were strong enough to power though the darker days.

Can you connect to any of the characters in your stories?
Definitely! Carson is the more assertive, anxious and broken side of me. I pull her witty comebacks, her vicious episodes, and her flaws from myself. Jasper is my goofy, slightly (really) vulgar, lagging-in-life but still leading it by a leash side that very few people ever see. And Kobi is the hopeless, reckless part of me that's always looking for the light in person, who wants to have awesome adventures but is scared of the backlash of it all.

Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
There's never really that direct inspiration that hits me before I start a story. I think up cliches and try to completely rewrite them, usually. A bad boy story about friendship instead of making out at parties - the Angel being a total potty mouth and not stunningly beautiful and gifted at everything – the good girl ballerina having a secret daredevil side and her bad boy co-character who hates her with a burning passion.

How did you find about this website [Wattpad]?
I originally started on Quotev, too scared to belt out my original ideas. I wrote cringey fanfictions for a while, but then one day decided to branch out. I'd seen Wattpad a few times before, but only visited there that time out of curiosity. I guess it just grew on me, so I made the transition.

What has influenced your current style of writing?
I'd like to say that practice did that for me. I could see what I was good at, what I sucked at, and what lines I dare not cross. That made it so that I could write for different characters and give them their unique voices while staying in my little box. I want for people to see a piece of my writing and have it click like, "This is definitely her. Definitely."

Are there any writers on wattpad that you'd like to suggest to the readers?
I'd recommend lewisclarke for those who like a little mystery/adventure, and whenindoubtmcr if you like sarcastic humor (sorta like mine). ellacx has absolutely fabulous writing that makes me jealous sometimes, lol, and bibambii is another fantastic writer that I've seen.

Lastly, do you have any advice in general for up and coming wattpad writers?
JUST DO IT! When you've got an idea that makes you shiver with anticipation, whip that bad boy out and take it as far as you possibly can. Freaking run with it, dude. And write because you love to, not because so-n-so has 25k followers and you want some of that action. Respect your readers and their opinions. Remind them that they matter, because they do. And lastly, have fun. Every time you log in, never feel nervous or anxious; just enjoy yourself.

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Thank you to trainwreck_ for doing the interview!