Boot Camp Mentor and Mentee Spotlight Interviews

BellOfSilence

The Bootcamp Mentors are proud to present a spotlight interview with BellOfSilence , author of The DRACULA Dossier. Check out this writer's works and give them a shout out in the comments.

BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what is one thing you find valuable about the platform?

BellOfSilence: To be honest, I stumbled across Wattpad by chance. I read stories here from time to time, but very irregularly. Then, I discovered the Watty Awards in 2022 and spontaneously decided to submit a novel for them. Well, that was it! I started writing to get feedback to enter small awards and was promptly caught like a fly in a sticky web. I got to know people in the English and German communities, and now I wouldn't want to be without Wattpad.

This also leads me to the answer to what I like best here: the community. The exchange is great; there are so many wonderful people, communities, and opportunities. I find the simple exchange, including comments in the respective lines and not just at the end of the chapter, helpful and great. But above all, it's the people who make it special for me here.

BCM: How did you discover the Bootcamp Mentors and what have you found most valuable about this Wattpad community program?

BellOfSilence: I've been following the BCM community for quite a while and saw the program before last year. I think this opportunity and the program itself are great! especially because experienced authors pass on their knowledge and experience to others. This is not a given; after all, they are volunteering their time (and patience!).

They pass on very valuable advice, and I am incredibly grateful to have been given this opportunity! My mentor Wimbug is incredibly great. I appreciate every tip and was thrilled to have a non-native speaker as a mentor, as I immediately felt understood and in good hands. It helped me a lot to have such an experienced person look over my story - and I hope to take a lot from it. The program is really great, and I recommend it to everyone!

BCM: What motivated you to write the story you're working on with your mentor?

BellOfSilence: The story "The Dracula Dossier" is a unique centrepiece for me. It is the beginning of a great adventure for which I have already written a prequel or Sinn-Off and won the Wattys 2022 Grand Prize in German. The whole story and the adventure are roughly based on a pen-and-paper adventure. The story and the characters mean a lot to me because they have a lot of depth, and I have been through a lot with them. All the more reason for me to share this adventure with my readers - in a modified, exciting version, of course ;)

BCM: If you had to describe your story in three words, what would they be?

BellOfSilence: Gloomy, nerve-wracking and mysterious.

BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that has helped you the most.

BellOfSilence: My mentor helped me a lot in several areas. She got my plot for the current volume in detail, and we talked through it to find any gaps. She also suggested corrections to the chapters based on her excellent English skills and explained some differences between direct translation and 'typical English spellings'. This was an incredible support that will hopefully help me improve my writing in the future. Having someone so experienced to take away my insecurities was a great blessing.

BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.

BellOfSilence: Of course, I would like to warmly recommend a story from my wonderful mentor: Hearts of Stone by Wimbug !
I would also like to recommend "Magpie Promise" by Denkerlein . Denkerlein is one of my dearest and best friends and inspired me to write long before Wattpad!

Thank you, BellOfSilence. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.