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 Shivran86 author of Daughters Of Kalika. Check out this writer's work 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 this Wattpad community program?
Shivran86: I got to know about the Bootcamp Mentors program from Queen_of_life_Heba who encouraged me to participate. I am glad I was introduced to this community program – it is designed to help writers not only polish their work, but also gain confidence about it. Mentors act as perfect guides in the process.
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what do you like most about the platform as a writer?
Shivran86: I began my journey here writing poems and short stories, and it was the community of Indian Historical Fiction readers and writers that prompted me to begin my own novel. From then on there was no looking back.
The thing I like most about Wattpad is the diversity of ideas on the platform. There are so many stories and so many opportunities. One can easily find their own little soul tribe! I got to meet so many wonderful writers through Wattpad.
BCM: What motivated you to write the story you're submitting to the 2023 Wattys?
Shivran86: Being a Bengali, I always wanted to write a story based in Bengal. After a certain age when I got to know about the darker sides of society, I became aware about the profession of prostitution. Growing up I always wanted to involve them in my stories as mothers, unsung heroes, or inspirational female figures who challenge us to think differently. Juggling ideas like this, I got to see the prompts of ONC 2023 and immediately an idea came to my mind which had Bengal, prostitutes, and Goddess Kalika in it. The latent wish to express Divine Feminism made the work shine brighter.
BCM:. If you had to describe your story in three words, what would they be?
Shivran86: Bittersweet. Divine. Womanhood.
BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that has helped you the most.
Shivran86: Making a playlist! I know this is not directly connected to the story, but music helps me a lot to channel my characters and pour their feelings into the story.
BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.
Shivran86: I would like to recommend Supernalia, a mythical retelling of Ausar and Aeset through the story of Tutankhamun and his wife Ankhesenamun. It is written by Queen_of_life_Heba. The second story I would like to recommend is Piper: The Gods of Dansarun by Exequinne. It is the story of a royal prince Kai-Se who is a storyteller in secret, and his bodyguard and companion Nao-Zai. Together they go on adventures to fight gods and save empires.
Thank you, Shivran86. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.
More BCM spotlight interviews are on the way!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
