Way waaayy back in the ancient old 2016, nonfictionsim held a huge one-shot competition on Wattpad that was on the search for Christmas-themed stories that featured messages of awareness. The three winners from the @TheChristmasContest each will recieve a feature in one of our issues with an interview that will allow you to get to know them a little better.
This month, we're proud to introduce you to OdetteRoux!
Why do you write and how did you first get into it?
OdetteRoux: I think, ambiguously, my answer is the same as any other writer's. We write to escape, explore, and release. But for me, I grew up as an only child and one out of like 10 Asian kids in the entire tri-state area (I'm from Tennessee and I could best describe the environment as passively racist). So you can imagine I lived in my head a lot and daydreamed of an alternate life. Then one day I discovered that you could actually write it down and read it and relive that made-up life over and over again.
One of my earliest memories of writing was a screenplay for a High School Musical fanfic starring Cole Sprouse and a girl who looked like me (lol). There was a musical number centered around raking leaves and an über angst-ridden argument between Cole Sprouse and Girl Who Looked Like Me after hours in a chemistry classroom (lots of sexual tension, lots of brooding; think: Twilight but on the Disney Channel). Throughout high school and college, I would continue to write stories but never took it seriously; it was more of like an outlet. It wasn't until I graduated and had to really battle the big bad question What the F**k Do You Want to Do With Your Life? when I realized that the thing that's always been there and that I've always been above average at is writing.
Do you have a favorite character you've ever written or one that you relate to the most?
OdetteRoux: Listen, I f**king love Kennedy Vo from Bad Nights. Probably because she is the most complex character I have (her and Rosie Young from Young Hollywood Fever of course) but also probably because she is me for better or for worse. She's deeply flawed but she's also someone who is trying very hard not to be. I also think there's a bit of me in every one of my characters (both the good and the diabolically evil), and I think that rings true for every writer. You write about what you know.
When you're running low on inspo, where do you turn to?
OdetteRoux: Music. There are certain albums that I can't help but listen to and imagine some scene. I see my books like movies and music videos.
But if I'm in a real rut, I'll read. I think that's the best way to kickstart some creative juices. Going out, catching up with friends helps, too. Sometimes you just need to be in a new environment.
What's your favorite Wattpad novel?
OdetteRoux: I'm such a bad person, I don't read enough Wattpad novels as much as I'd like to. (TBH I don't really read much in general because I simply don't have the time). BUT I do have some favorite Wattpad authors whom I admire not only for their stories but their sentence structuring, fresh voices, and (let's get real here) self-awareness and wokeness. And they are simonesaidwhat and iwearheelys.
If you were stuck writing one genre of stories for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
OdetteRoux: YO, WHAT, hard question because I think this would change as I grow older much in the same way that my characters' ages do... I only ever want to write about my current age group hahah. BUT IF I HAD TO CHOOSE I GUESS I WOULD CHOOSE NEW ADULT because it's like young adult but the stakes are higher and the themes are darker/deeper/more graphic.
Imagine your normal writing setup: what does it look like?
OdetteRoux: First off, coffee. I need to be alert (funny how I always get tired whenever I start writing—does anyone else feel this way?). I definitely need music, my kindle (for inspiration), and a notebook and pencil. Even if I'm not going to write something down, there's something about holding a literal pencil that just sparks productivity/creativity for me.
What's your favorite piece of writing advice you'd like to pass on to our readers?
OdetteRoux: There's this really great book on writing called Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott and the main piece of advice is to just take it word by word, which I've found to be a great mantra for whenever I'm overwhelmed by the scope of what I'm doing.
Another bit of advice I keep in my back pocket is from a TED Talk by Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert called The Elusive Genius. People are always saying to take a break if you ever have writer's block, and I and that TED Talk think that's some major BS. If you took a break and "didn't force your creativity" then nothing would ever get done. This Talk instead encourages us to work through it and write despite that writer's block even if it turns out super shitty because you can always go back and edit anyway. You can't force a magical creative moment but what you shouldn't ever do is wait around for it. At the end of the Talk, she says something along the lines of, "Just show up for your part of the job. If the Elusive Genius (ala your creativity) decides to show up or not, you we're at least doing your end of the bargain."
Oh and last one: If you feel insecure about your writing, just keep writing. You're always improving.
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Follow @OdetteRoux on Wattpad to keep up with her writing journey!
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Wattmag Issue #13
RandomThis month, we look at using writing programs to help you plan your novel, offer some awesome advice to keep you going and look at issues such as mental and physical health. Check out our latest issue now and be sure to add it to your library and sh...
