𝐵𝑒ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑠 (Featuring Many Great Authors)

Author [@-despressos]

Welcome, everyone. Today we have the lovely  -despressos

A big thank you to her for taking the time to answer these questions.

If you haven't read her books then please do. They're amazing...

Without further ado...

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1. What inspired you to start writing?

What inspired me to start writing was my mom and my teachers when I was in elementary school. I remember being about 7 or 8 and my mom would ask me to write about my day on our old, really slow computer, and then at school, my teachers would have us write short stories to learn narrative writing, and I guess it just stuck with me. When I got older, my sister introduced me to Wattpad and Quotev for reading fanfictions since I really liked certain fandoms, and from there, I just started writing my own stories, too. I would say, right now, my biggest inspiration to keep writing and not just give up on stories with the motivation leaves is the shows for the fandoms since it's easy to get re-inspired by watching, the people who read my books, and this whole community.

2. Did you have any writers' block along the way? how did you get past them?

 I get writers' block a lot. Currently, I have a lot of uncompleted works, three of which people have been commenting and asking me to update. Normally, the way I get past writers' block is to go and reread the book I was writing or to go watch the show it was about again or the band it's centred around. For example, my book SMITTEN was basically on a hiatus for almost a year because I had no motivation to write it, and then when the new part of Sabrina came out, I was instantly hit with all of the inspiration I had previously, and it's gotten me from Chapter 6 all the way to Chapter 24 in a matter of I believe two months.

3. Do you see yourself in any characters and why?

Yes, I do see myself in my characters. The ones I relate to the most would be my characters Lilah Mikaelson from my book series "SIDE CHARACTER" and "AFTERMATH" as well as Annalise Hart from my book "SMITTEN" and the sequel that is not yet out, "DANCING WITH YOUR GHOST." I try to find face claims that are close to looking like me, but somehow for these two books, I didn't use a Filipina, but they're still tanned tones, girls, with straight black hair, short or long depending. Their personalities are definitely me. Lilah Mikaelson is the badass I wish to be, but also the closed of girl I am. Annalise is the same as terms of how scared she is by the concept of relationships and love and falling for a dear friend.

4. How old are you?

 I just turned 18 in January, and I am a senior in HS 

5. How old were you when you started writing?

 7 or 8 when I started liking to write, but it was around the 5th and 6th grade that I started sharing my work online through Wattpad and Quotev. 

6. Can you remember what you felt when you first started writing? what did you feel?

 I've been writing for so long that it's just become a part of me

7. What's your outside life like?

Outside of Wattpad, I am a retail employee who works long hours of OT whenever she can, wants to be an English major, is going to pay for college herself. I have a small, tight-knit friend group, and I'm known as the "lover" of the group because I'm "always" falling in love, or I always have someone who I'm interested in. I'm a coffee addict. I'm a workaholic, that's something I always have to work on because I tend to prioritize making money & the place I work for/people I work for/with over myself and my social life, but hey, my work is my safe place. 

8. Where do you get your ideas from?

I honestly will hear a song, watch a show, and get some kind of idea of what I could do with it, or I'll be laying down in bed and scenes will just rush to me.

9. What do you like to do when you're not writing?

when I'm not writing, I'm at work or school. I bake a lot, or I read. I like taking notes so sometimes I'll go do some extra notetaking, or sometimes, I'll be researching some history things for original stories I want to write.

10. What does your family think about your writing?

my family has always known I'm a wattpad writer, and they've always supported me. it's my outlet and my hobby, and it also sometimes turns into me writing original works, which is exciting because of the idea of future publication.

11. What's your favourite genre?

my favourite genre to read is usually Teen Fiction romance or Fanfiction, and I also write both of those genres, but I'm hoping to branch into historical fiction. 

12. Do you write on wattpad or do you use software (like Microsoft word)?

 there was a time I was scared my books would be deleted so I would write on Google docs, but I write all my fanfiction on wattpad now, sometimes I'll write them on my GoodNotes app on my iPad if I don't have my laptop, like when I'm at school and have an idea. all my original works get written on google docs and then I'll transfer it to wattpad.

13. What's the hardest part for you to write, and why?

the hardest thing I've ever written is this original book of mine called Museum of Us on my original works wattpad the entire book was emotionally draining and editing it brings my mood down so much, and that's because it's based on true events and a time in my life where I feel I was at my lowest. My thing with writing and pain is always that, writing it can be healing but healing isn't always something that feels good. Sometimes healing is sitting down at your computer crying and diluting the actual events because the truth is painful. When writing something that hurts, the writing also will hurt, and that's like, my motto when it comes to my writing, to write about what hurts until it doesn't hurt any more.

14. Do you work on an outline or just go with the flow?

It depends. Sometimes, I'll outline chapters because there are certain things I need to make sure make it in, but it's more of scene fragments I'll think of that I write in advance or little details I want to sneak it, so it's more of a checklist than an outline. 

15. Do you have anything specific you want to say to readers?

to my readers, you guys are the reason I've finished so many books on here. my total inspiration.

16. And lastly, Do you have any advice for new writers.

 advice for new writers: don't be scared to just hit publish. Yes, you might not think it's your best work, you might not know if people will like it, but you'll never know until you try. it's taken me over eight years to get to where I am on this little app, in this huge community. just hit publish, people will find it, they will find you. there's no need to be afraid.

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There you have it, don't forget to vote, comment and share. Also if you want a specific author to be interviewed then please let me know.