Interviewer Name: JazzyJ88
Interviewee Name: Tyler
Username: @wilder_mind
Author of the science fiction, Touch.
Q: What's your book, Touch, about?
A: Touch is a story about Kathyn Sharpe and her struggle to overcome the power that has begun to take over her mind and body. Unaware of the power's ulterior motive, she fights to keep it under control. But little does she know that every move she makes only strengthens the power, and brings it one step closer to it's goal. Kathyn in the end has to make a choice that could save all of mankind, or end it.
Q: What inspired you to write Touch?
A: Um, in truth, I'm not really sure what inspired me to write it. I spent a lot of time in my English class going over silly little ideas that I'd scribbled down onto a sheet of paper, talking them over with my teacher. I started with the concept of power. You know, like superheroes have. But I didn't want the story to be positive, really. I wanted it to be dark. So, therefore, the power would be a sort of evil, I guess you could say. Anyways, after a long twenty minute conversation with my English teacher, we came upon our solution. But this wasn't for the story Touch. This was for a story called This Life of Shards. It had the same basic concept of the power, but the traits were very, very different. After I cancelled that story, I went through quite the writers block. It was a while before I returned to Wattpad, and decided after reading a few stories that I wanted to write again. I tried to revisit the idea of This Life.
Q: What are some ways that you would suggest are useful for overcoming writers block?
A: Writers block is definitely a big thing for me, but I usually deal with it by listening to various types of music. It helps me get more ideas of what to write, you know, different scenarios of what could happen in a story. Free-writing is another method I've tried, just writing down my thoughts and seeing where that goes.
Q: Would say that you prefer reading or writing more?
A: Definitely writing. I've become more accustomed to it over time.
Q: What do you love most about writing?
A: I love the creative freedom that it gives me. You know, making new worlds from nothing and having that power to choose how a persons life plays out. It's almost God-like.
Q: Do you think Wattpad is a good platform for writers?
A: Definitely. It's for sure a good start-up for writers, and it's an excellent place to build on your writing skills with such a dedicated community.
Q: Would you add anything to Wattpad that you think would enhance that way you write?
A: Different fonts when writing, maybe? Like, a Times New Roman font option, since that's the common font used in novels and books.
Q: What advice would you give to any new writers? Any tips?
A: I would say to try and be different. Do something no one else has. No one wants to read the same story twice. I wrote Shards, because, well, I really liked it. I began to write the first chapter in school, out of boredom. I had no idea where I was taking the story, so it was more free-formed, if anything. Once I published it, I decided to keep going, and eventually, the story seemed to tell itself.
Thank you so much for taking the time for this interview! Much appreciated!
