All About You: A Book of Interviews

Interview #10 | TheSpamCam

There it is. The lucky number ten. It appears we are one tenth of the way through this book. For this checkpoint, I will be interviewing @TheSpamCam. 

        With her great sense of humour, @TheSpamCam's books guarantee a good reading experience. Some of which include her educational, but also witty, "The Writer's Guide to a Good Story", her book of opinions, "Diary of Ravings", and one many of us can relate to: "The Life of an Introvert".

        She certainly doesn't limit herself to one genre. She has short stories, science fiction and romance novels and also a pair of teen fiction books as well. Without further introduction, please read on and immerse yourself in @TheSpamCam's world.

What do you think of the community/people on Wattpad?

It's a lot of fun. It's cool to be able to meet a bunch of different kids of people of all ages and opinions whose only thing they have in common is that they love to write.

Do you think the ambassadors are communicating with users enough?

To be honest, I do think that the ambassadors don't get the credit they deserve.Most of them aren't getting paid to do this, and some of them really get harassed by users who are not bothering to learn the rules or simply aren't bothering to communicate with the ambassadors. At the same time, I think that when people or users of this site have concerns, it's important to listen to and understand them. I think both the users and ambassadors need to communicate with each other more.

Have you ever used the suggestions/support section on Wattpad and, if so, did you get good support there?

I have indeed used the support section on Wattpad. I don't have any complaints. Most of my issues were solved in a short period of time, and the people that answered the complaints were pretty cool about it.

What do you think of fanfiction in general?

I've written fanfiction myself, and I think it's pretty cool. I know people complain that fanfictions are bad, but the thing is, I've seen some fanfictions that were really good, as opposed to original fiction stories that were horrible. I don't really have anything against it. I do think that it is a good idea for all writers to try writing an original story, because you get to develop your own characters and background, but that is up to them.

Have you experienced technical issues on Wattpad? If you have, what were they?

None I can recall that they haven't fixed really quickly. There was one time that everyone's reads and followers dropped to 0 for a while because of a glitch. My friend and I called it the "zero virus" :b

Which clubs are you in, if any at all, and why do you like them?

I'm in the fantasy and science fiction club, as well as the cafe. But if I'm going to be straight with you, I only really participate in the cafe discussions. Mostly debate-like threads because they're pretty interesting. I should probably participate more in the science fiction or fantasy topics, though. Some of them seem really engaging.

What is your favourite work by another user on Wattpad and why do you like it?

I would say that my favorite work, although taken down now, is "Until The Last Shooting Star", by an author that no longer uses this site. It had kind of a Fault in Our Stars feel to it, but it was its own creation, and the ending almost made me cry.

It's hard to choose a favorite, though, cuz there are a lot of books here that I like, like "The Fugitive Grandma" and "I am Anastasia" by Elatimer.

What is the work that you have created that you are most proud of and why?

I would say the work I'm most proud of is "Rule of the Fist". It's not necessarily my best work, but it is the first full story that I ever wrote, and I still remember the day I finished it and ate a double stuffed oreo to congratulate myself.

What inspired you to start writing?

It's funny, cuz it's hard to think of anything that inspired it. I remember I enjoyed writing in kindergarten, and from there I would make up ghost stories and tell my teachers. Sometimes at home, when I was little, I would create little books out of scratch paper and try to illustrate them. (Note the "try")

I guess if anything really inspired me to start for real, it was my sixth grade english teacher. He was a funny guy, really awkward and nice. He told me I had potential and that I wrote really well, so I decided to try writing and editing an actual story.

How long have you been writing seriously for?

Not too long, to be honest. I'd say I've been writing seriously since middle school, so a few years now. Before, in elementary school, it was more of me messing around and trying to find my style.

Do you most often read or write on Wattpad?

I would say I read more often than I write, although it does depend. Sometimes I'll come here only to read for weeks at a time, and sometimes weeks will go by when I've come here only to write.

About how often do you go on Wattpad?

I try to get on every few days. It may not be for a long time but I just check on stuff

What are your favourite genres of writing?

I'm a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy. Depending on my mood, I also read Historical Fiction or mystery. I don't really like romance on its own but if it were part of a sub-plot then I could go for it.

What qualities in a story are important to you?

To me, a great story is one that I can come back and read over and over again. The stories I usually like usually have either a strong plot, or strong characters. If both those things are lacking badly, it probably isn't a story that I would come back and read, or even finish reading the first time.

In what ways do you think Wattpad could improve?

I'm not a huge fan of some of the changes they have made. I understand they are trying to do it to benefit the users, but I think what they should do is something like first applying the change, then surveying the users to see if the general reaction to the change was positive or not. If the majority of users disliked the change, then they should consider removing it. Basically, more user feedback.

What writing advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Read!

Seriously, the best thing you can do for yourself is read. Try reading all kinds of things. Magazines, newspapers, plays, stories, etc. It may not seem like it'll help, especially if you're only writing in one genre, but it'll definitely give you a feel for different kinds of works. Another thing you can do is try to write every day. It doesn't have to be Shakespeare, and it doesn't have to be a 5-paragraph essay, but just keep some kind of journal. Write down what you did that day, any thoughts you had, all that stuff. Me and my friends put together a giant document on google drive where we could all share our writing with each other.

Also, a tip, for those of you that are really hardcore, keep a notebook on you for whenever you're bored at school or home. When you have an idea but aren't ready to make it into a story, write it down so you won't forget it later.

Rate your overall experience on Wattpad from one to ten. One being the worst website you've ever been on and ten being the best.

I'd give it a 7.5. It's not perfect, but it's a pretty good writing website and I do like the social aspect of it, because it makes it different from others.

Make sure to stop by her page and check out any of her works or, if you'd prefer, @ELatimer's "I am Anastasia" or @DmitriRagano's "The Fugitive Grandma". If you'd like to help get me to that one hundredth interview, please let me know and I'll get you started on an interview right away. Thanks for reading!