Coffee Talks

With Ruechari

Hi Ruechari, thank you for taking the time to get involved with Coffee Community. It's great to hear from authors like yourself and get to know a little bit about what motivates you to write longer works of fiction.

It was quite a surprise and honor to be asked.

So, to begin, tell us a little bit about yourself as an author on Wattpad. For anyone who hasn't met you before, how would you describe your fiction?

I began my journey on Wattpad in Dec of 2015. I was shocked by the response I had received to my works. I write in just about every genre but my heart's favorite is Historical Fiction. My first story "From the Ashes" had made it to number one on the Wattpad Historical Hot List on Aug 23rd, 2016. I was shocked to say the very least; as I know such results on Wattpad are not typical. It was a joy to be validated as a writer in this way as it was something I've been hoping to achieve for quite some time.

Writing for sustained periods is a hurdle that every writer, beginner or experienced, faces from time to time. What powers you through those longer bursts of creativity and keeps you focused?

Being excited about what I'm writing about. I stick to two rules when writing-
1. I write what I love and 2. I write the book I would want to read.
Keeping those two ideals in mind usually powers me through. I don't cut corners or push through things if I have to walk away and come back to it I will because I don't believe my stories deserve anything but me being at my best.

Those are two very simple rules that will surely help every writer but other than that, what top tips would you advise for getting a novella or a longer piece of fiction off the starting line? What kind of story developments motivate you to see it through to the end?

Pick a prompt that excites you. If you can picture the story in your mind you can write the story you are thinking of. Don't force it. I love when I write a story and the characters just come to life. It plays like a movie in my mind and I become invested in the story. If I become invested in my characters then I know my readers will too. Wanting to give my characters their happy ending is usually what drives me to see it through till the end.

How much do you edit on the fly? Or do you prefer to edit after you've finished the initial draft?

I try to make it as flawless as possible before I post. I know that I can accidentally skip things or misplace commas. Sometimes, I swear I have deleted the word than from my vocabulary. I am always writing then in its place but I try my best to keep it as clean as possible because I don't want my readers experience to be disturbed because I didn't want to perform my due diligence. Too many errors, no matter how great the storyline is, will turn a reader off and once you've lost them, that's it, they're gone and you've lost your chance to tell your story. It's just not worth that.

And I think we know your answer to this question, still... what kind of novella -- be it any style, theme, or genre -- would you like to see emerge from the Open Novella Contest?

Honestly, I would love to see some real Historical Fiction come out of this contest. Stories set in a real historical time, dealing with fictional characters that interact with actual historical figures. I know that takes an immense amount of research, which is why it is easier to create some fantasy kingdom, but what really took place in certain times in our history is more fantastical than anything one could possibly imagine. The people are incredibly interesting. It would be great to get more stories like that.

Lastly, because we're always curious... What was your ever first experience with the power of the written language?

I always loved to write but I only recently discovered what the power of words could do when I lost my Father to cancer a few months ago and had to write his eulogy. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to write and I felt the importance and immense pressure of getting it right because I had to sum up a truly loved man's life in just a few minutes and to do so in a way that would speak to everyone, his family, his friends all those that loved him. I wrote, rewrote, kept writing that piece until it was polished and when I had to stand in front of everyone and read my words out loud it was only then I learned my words could cause laughter in a moment of immense sadness, to share a truth, and ultimately to heal those that heard it. Several people had asked me for a copy, wanting to keep it for themselves.

Having that kind of power is not to be taken lightly for it is truly a gift from God.

It's been great hearing from you, Ruechari, and thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge in storytelling.

Thank you for asking me.

Best wishes in your future endeavours from Coffee Community.

Our goal is to bring you many more exclusive interviews with people who aren't just Wattpad Stars or Staff, but also some pretty awesome authors.
In that quest, next we will be talking to GabyCabezut, so stick around for more fun!