#NoSeriously

Interview: @AnimalWrites

The Five Unique Questions:

Question One:

You have a book of poetry, The Words' Way, available on Wattpad. Has writing poetry influenced the way you write prose?

Yes and no. To be honest, I really don't like poetry! I do have phases where that's all I write, though. But I guess it has made me more conscious of the rhythm my words made. If things don't flow, it doesn't feel right to me. I guess we can thank poetry & songwriting for that.

Question Two:

Tell us about your novel, My Life Before. One of the main characters, Dorie, suffers from Alzheimer's disease. What inspired you to write this character?

As I said before, my Grandmother had Alzheimer's. Her name was Dorothy, actually. I like to think that she helped me out with this one. I came up with the idea, and I just couldn't stop thinking about the story- and Dorie, herself. The story basically wrote itself, but I did try and give Dorie a few speed bumps along the way. As a teenager, she has a lot to deal with- including a bit of depression and a low point in her life. I never said it outright, but I hope it's recognizable. I wanted her to struggle with a few additional real life issues, some of which i or people I care about have had to deal with.

Question Three:

Do you think that older characters, especially seniors, are underrepresented in a writing community like Wattpad?

Definitely! At least in the books I read, I haven't really seen many older characters as protagonists. If there are any present, they're usually stereotypical (ex: sweet old ladies baking cookies, wise old grandparents, grumpy old neighbor who's either creepy or yells at you for stepping on his lawn, etc.). But I guess Wattpad is a generally younger community, and people tend to write what they know, so that's probably at least partly at fault for the lack of older characters.

Question Four:

Tell us the biggest benefit of Wattpad, as it pertains to your own writing and growth as a writer.

For me, it's been about getting comfortable with others seeing my work. If I hadn't discovered Wattpad, I would still be afraid of anyone reading anything I write. But now I love getting feedback (both positive and negative!) and I think it's improved my writing dramatically. Also, it encourages me to write because I actually have an audience (a small one, but they're there!) that wants to know what happens next.

Question Five:

What's a subject that you are passionate about, and how do you translate it to fiction?

I'm really passionate about feminism (equality for everyone, actually). I always like to have some diversity within my cast of characters, and my female protagonists will never be the classic, pushover, damsel-in-distress types. In that way, all of my characters will have an aspect of my beliefs in that area.

The Five Standard Questions:

Question One:

What inspired you to research and write the tough topic(s) that your novel centers around?

Well, a number of different factors prompted me to research Alzheimer's. My Grandmother had it, and it's genetic, so I wanted to be informed. I also think that it's one of the scariest things that could happen to me. My memories are part of who I am, and without them... I don't even know what I'd be like. I decided to write about it because Dorie (my main character) just sort of popped into my head during a car ride one time and refused to leave until I told her story. So I did! And I'd like to think that I honored my Grandma's memory along the way.

Question Two:

Has writing said tough topic changed the way you view writing, or the world in general? How has it impacted your creative aesthetic?

Definitely! I think it's made me look at each moment a little closer. If there's a chance that there might be a time I don't remember it, I want to live in "the now" as best I can. The feedback from my writing has made me think about my writing more than the topic, to be honest. When people tell me how it's "dark" or "deep" or made them feel a certain way, it makes me think about the words I put down on the page a little more. I never realized I had that power over people! I don't want to abuse it. Because of the tough topics I write about, I think I've had to get a little more creative to prevent my writing from becoming too dark or sad. I like how my "aesthetic" is changing though- it's growing and changing as I do so as a writer.

Question Three:

How do you hope to help people with your writing?

First and foremost, my main goal when I write anything is to make someone stop and think. All too often, people go through life not really appreciating the things that they experience, and I want to change that, even if it's just for as long as it takes them to finish reading my work. I'd also like to help people. I want to show them that they're not alone, no matter what they're going through. Additionally, I'd love to raise awareness for Alzheimer's, of course.

Question Four:

What does your writing process look like?

A: Um, you mean besides sitting in my room wrapped in a blanket stuffing food in my face while I try not to get crumbs on my keyboard? Haha, it's kinda weird I guess. I'll usually come up with an idea, then either decide what I want to do with it or just write and see where it takes me! For My Life Before, I combined the two methods. I just wrote as I went along, but made notes on things i knew I wanted to include. And for the last eight chapters, things got a little messy so I had to outline exactly what was going to happen.

Question Five:

What are your long-term goals outside of writing?

That's a good question... I don't really know, to be honest! I'm still a teenager, so I have some time, but I guess I just want what everyone else wants. I want an interesting life, filled with love and happiness, and most of all adventure. I guess you could call that a long-term goal. It would also be nice to be remembered for something, or to be able to make a real impact on someone else's life.

\=SJM