Authors' Spotlight Interviews

@megoolders

Hello fellow Wattpadders! Today we have megoolders, author of the book, See Dot Smile, with us.

I am Abhipreeti (_abhipreeti_), and I have interviewed Meg Oolders, a.k.a, megoolders.

Meg Oolders is the author of several young adult novels, including the 2023 Watty Award winner See Dot Smile. She also writes experimental short fiction, poetry, essays, and humor on her popular Substack publication, Stock Fiction. She has many voices and wears many hats. She is a wife and mother who loves music, cake, flowers, yoga, and dancing in her kitchen. She has big dreams, small expectations, thin skin, and a rapier wit. She has a lot to say and writing helps her say it. 

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 won my first ever award for writing in third grade for a book I wrote called The Inchworm Journey. I didn't know then that I'd want to keep writing stories forever, but for someone with a very active imagination, it seemed like a desirable path. And I've always found it easier to express myself through writing than any other medium. 

I am actively pursuing a life as a professional writer as we speak! It is a challenging course with countless obstacles and it's very easy to get discouraged, but I'm still hopeful my writing future includes traditional publication and the joy of seeing some of my books in libraries and on bookstore shelves. 

Did any story, on or off Wattpad, inspire you ever and help you carve your interest towards writing books?

>>Before I started writing YA novels, I read A LOT of them. Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Saenz, and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell are some of the books that inspired me to write my own. 

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)?

>>YA Romance is my sweet spot. I'm easily swept into romantic story lines, and I like to twist and combine tropes and give unique voices to my protagonists.

I think I spend more time developing my characters than I do constructing the plots of my stories. Because if the characters are real and strong, with voices that carry, I can put them in virtually any world or situation and know they'll make a story happen. I just have to follow along and write it all down. :-) 

What advice would you like to give to authors who are writing in the same genre(s) as yours?

>>Go for the feels! I write almost exclusively in first person POV because I think it's the best way to get under the skin of a character and make their experiences feel first hand to the reader. Tap into your MC's senses, the little flutters, prickles, and palpitations that happen when a person of interest enters a space. The easiest way to do that is to tap into your own senses and then put those visceral, human feelings into words. Readers will absolutely relate to those feelings (because we all have them!), and it will hook them on a shared journey with your MC from the start.