These are the voices of our mentors and mentees from past and present. They've provided their insight about the program, their processes, and have shared their favorite Wattpad stories. Grab a cuppa and sit down with us as we get to know the writers...
The Bootcamp Mentors are proud to present a spotlight interview with DaniDraven author of Deathless. Check out their works and give them a shout out in the comments.
BCM: How did you discover the Bootcamp Mentors and what have you found most valuable about the program?
DaniDraven: I've been following the Bootcamp Mentors profile for a few years and had been tempted to apply but never felt quite ready till this year.
I really loved the workshops. Understanding the weaknesses in my story and character summaries really helped me to zero in on what wasn't working overall. It gave me a lot of ideas on how I could make improvements.
I've just started working with my mentor and I know Deathless is going to become a much stronger story as a result of this mentorship.
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what do you like most about the platform as a writer?
DaniDraven: I was searching for a place to share my work with like-minded readers and writers. I've always struggled with having the confidence to show other people my writing but feedback is really the only way to improve as a writer. I found posting my work terrifying at first but the feedback I got was so encouraging. The first few comments were so positive and brought me to tears! My confidence has grown massively. Knowing people have enjoyed and connected with my stories has felt amazing.
I feel like Wattpad is a great place to experiment. I'm a multi-genre writer (though everything I write is always romance-heavy) and I feel like on Wattpad I've been able to 'play' and challenge myself to write things I never thought I could. I've been trying my hand at high fantasy recently, a genre that has always intimidated me and I've loved it.
BCM: What motivated you to write the story you're submitting to the 2022 Wattys?
DaniDraven: I remember the first time I discovered paranormal and fantasy romances when I was a teenager and it felt life-changing (it was the Vampire Diaries series, btw!) I devoured all I could and ever since I've really wanted to write my own and put my own spin on it. The characters in Deathless came to me really clearly and I was excited to tell their story.
Even though the story is a fantasy romance, the theme is quite heavy and personal to me. It's about dealing with the anger that can go hand in hand with grief and loss. Writing itself is therapeutic, and spending time with characters learning how to confront and move on from their own anger was a gift in a lot of ways.
BCM: If you had to describe your story in three words, what would they be?
DaniDraven: Eeek! And I thought a 500-word summary was tough... romantic, adventurous, and a little bit gothic (is that cheating?)
BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that has helped you the most.
DaniDraven: I feel like I'm still learning and improving my writing process. The more I write, the more I learn. I've always been a plotter, and the more I organise my thoughts before I write a single word, the stronger the story becomes. Things can and do change when you start writing, beats that work perfectly in an outline don't always do what you need them to (and characters don't always want to do what they're told!), but having a plan in place means you never feel lost.
BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.
DaniDraven: Only two!? Since I've joined Wattpad I've been hunting relentlessly for the best werewolf stories, but there are a couple I've read over and over again. Dirty Lying Wolves was the first book I read by my mentor SabrinaBlackburry I loved how real and grounded her characters felt even amongst the world of werewolves. And I can't recommend Juliemidnight and her Monstrous Hearts Series enough. Her writing style is unique. She can be brutally blunt and poetic at the same time.
Thank you, Dani. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.
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