Welcome to Authors' Spotlight Interviews where Abhipreeti (@_abhipreeti_), the Profile Head of Kalon Community, interviews authors about them, their books, a deeper dive into their writing style and more.
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Hello fellow Wattpadders! Today we have AziaElga with us, the author of the book, Cherry On Top.
I am Abhipreeti (_abhipreeti_), and I have interviewed Azia Elga, a.k.a, AziaElga.
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Azia Elga is a scientist by day and a hobby writer by night. As a writer, she writes a jumbled mess of genres, but all her works contain heavy queer elements, with an emphasis on sapphic romance. Having immigrated from Singapore to the Northeast of the United States for work, Azia is passionate about including tons of Asian voices and perspectives in her works.
At what age did you realize that you have a special place for writing? Are you currently or do you ever dream of one day being in the writing industry?
>>I've always loved reading and writing for as long as I can remember. My earliest childhood memory is of me writing the silliest story on the floor of my living room. I can probably grab a few thousand first chapters to stories I began writing but I did not have the ability or motivation to finish.
However, it's never crossed my mind that I could be writing as a job. I guess it's not something talked about as possible in an Asian society? Till now, it's never been a goal of mine. I just love to write for writing's sake!
Did any story, on or off Wattpad, inspire you ever and help you carve your interest towards writing books?
>>Every book I've ever read will inspire me in some ways. In fact, every media I consume has inspired me. I guess the earliest book that I was addicted to is The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke (better known as the author of Inkheart but I prefer this book of hers XD). That book had such a tight grip on me that I remember loaning it out three times in a row from the library just to read it over and over again. I even considered stealing it from the library, but I'm glad I didn't go down the path of a criminal. The titular character of the book inspired every one of my smug, charismatic characters.
What is the genre(s) in which you mostly write your books? Do you think you are able to create brilliant plots when you write in that specific genre(s)?
>>Romance, for sure. Even if the story's main genre is not romance, there will definitely still be a strong romantic element. Compared to other more plot-drive genres, romance is heart-driven, and to me, a story is all about the heart, not the plot. I believe this is why I tend to lean towards romance as a genre.
What advice would you like to give to authors who are writing in the same genre(s) as yours?
>>Lean into your favorite tropes! I often see new authors afraid of being "too cliche" or being too similar to another book. But nobody creates in an empty space with no inspiration. Tropes are the bread and butter of romance, and I think authors shouldn't be afraid into using them heavily.
