Coffee Talks

With Lady Selene

Hi Selene, 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.

Thank you for having me! I am very happy to be here :)

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?

About me? Well, I am a twenty-year-old dental student, with a rather unfortunate addiction to reading and writing fiction (reading more than writing, to be honest, hehe).

Hmm, in terms of writing, I do not have a specific genre that I stick to. I write about anything and everything I observe, feel or am inspired by - through both prose and poetry :) I find it rather liberating, especially when life gets super tough.

I discovered Wattpad four years ago, during a time when I needed feedback on my work, but was too shy to show it to anyone I knew personally. As you might have already guessed, Selene is not my real name, and I had changed my mind a thousand times before I had posted a chapter on that first day. Slowly, one thing led to another, and well, here I am :)

In these few years on Wattpad, I have mainly been working on two of my stories, which are part of a historical fiction series :) I personally love reading stories of mystery, political intrigue and romance set in a historical context, but something that I have always wanted to see more of in them are independent, headstrong heroines.

Thus, both my books on Wattpad, feature protagonists who fight for what they believe in and to fulfill their dreams, against prejudice and many of the restrictions placed upon them by society. They are inspired by some of the women in my life whom I really, really admire for their strength and courage :)

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?

This may sound really weird, but I am usually inspired to write when I am not supposed to be writing :p It might be just a spark or a full-blown idea for a chapter - whatever it is, and whenever it comes, I simply have to write it down before my mind explodes.

However, it does get super tiring when I am working on a chapter at a stretch, especially if it is an exceptionally long or emotional one. During those times, I surround myself with my favourite food (dark chocolates, potato chips, milo, etc.), so that I am more inclined to focus on what I am writing. There is nothing better than good food to keep me going :)

And silence, of course. Absolute silence.

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?

Personally, before I start writing any story, I like to develop my main characters first. I try to picture what they look like, what kind of personalities they have, their flaws, their values, their hobbies, their quirks, and so on. Without them, there is no plot, after all. Their relationships, their actions, and reactions make up the bulk of the story. And besides, it is pretty fun getting to know my characters :)

Oh, and I only keep a vague idea of the beginning and the end of the story in my mind when I write. It gives me more flexibility in developing the plot, and I like experimenting with different ideas along the way.

Some of my stories have turned out very differently from what I had originally intended - and I would not have it any other way :)

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

I thoroughly check my language (spelling, grammar, syntax, etc.) at the end of every chapter before I post them, because....well, I am afraid I am a bit of a nazi when it comes to language, especially my own. English is not my first language, you see, and I am quite conscious of it. Hehe.

Anyways, I edit all minor or major inconsistencies within the story only at the end of the book. Some of my readers give me feedback every step of the way - what works, and what needs to be improved - and I do make sure that I note them all down so that I know what to focus on when I start editing :)

Personally, what kind of novella -- be it any style, theme, or genre -- would you like to see emerge from the Open Novella Contest?

Simply anything that resonates with you, that you can take pride in writing. These kinds of contests give you the chance to experiment with different genres and try new styles, so go all out!! And of course, do enjoy yourselves :)

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

Hmm, I have enjoyed reading storybooks (Enid Blyton, Caroline Keene, Roald Dahl, etc.) from a very young age, but the first time I was truly inspired by something I had read was when I came across a poem by Robert Frost, called Nothing Gold Can Stay.

It had struck a chord in me. I was amazed by how much it had managed to convey in so few words, and with such simple imagery. Pages and pages of essays about the transient beauty and innocence of life would have put me right to sleep, but this poem of merely 8 short lines had portrayed it so easily, and it had hit me in a way I had never felt before.

So I began to read more poems, took English Literature classes all through secondary school and junior college - and eventually learned to write some of my own.

In addition to improving my language, poetry has taught me to be more observant of the world around me, and to appreciate the little things in my life that I tend to take for granted. Most importantly, it has helped me to understand and express my own emotions more effectively, which is something that I have always found very difficult.

My favourite kind of poems are those that can rip my heart right out of my chest, and stun me into silence at the end of it. Those that can leave me gasping for air, and stay on my mind for days after, making me think, question, and truly feel.

I aspire to be able to write like that one day, truly.

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

It was my pleasure :) Good luck to all of you who are participating, and happy writing!

Best wishes for 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 Bruce Elgin, so stick around for more fun!