1.What is the first book that made you cry?
T
he Fault in Our Stars. I read it at a very vulnerable point in my life and it was just. too. relatable.
2.Does writing energize or exhaust you?
Both. When I first come up with an idea, I get super excited and write for what feels like hours at a time, never getting tired. After a while, though, I'll get bored with the idea or hit the inevitable 'writer's block' — at that point, I'll be exhausted, and will take a break (sometimes 1 week, sometimes 1 month) from that particular story until I'm ready to tackle it again.
3.What is your writing Kryptonite?
Procrastination.
4.Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
Sometimes I get tired of genres. I really enjoy reading historical fiction, but reading several novels set in wartime, or otherwise violent/distressing time periods, is not good for my heart. The Kite Runner is my favorite book of all time, but I'm wary of re-reading it because reading it is such an intense, emotional experience.
5.Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I do.
6.Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
I was never interested in writing romance until I joined Wattpad — romance stories just seemed to be the only ones that really succeed on here. That being said, I try to be original, and I think I've achieved that with Under the Mascot.
7.Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?
I
think everyone feels emotions strongly. Some are just better at hiding them than others. Apathy is an emotion, and several writers I know are very apathetic.
8.Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
Each story I've written is contained in it's own universe, as of now.
9.If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Don't expect to become a success overnight.
10.How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
Well Wattpad is different because you publish by chapter, instead of publishing a completed novel. But since publishing on Wattpad, I've realized that readers don't really care about grammar and sentence structure — they care about the story, and whether or not it's engaging.
11.Do you base your characters in people you know?
Yes.
12.How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?
Too many...
13.What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
Zero research. My stories are mainly based on my experiences, and rely on that individualistic perspective.
14.What’s the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Boys are dumb. I don't want my characters to be dumb.
15.How many hours a day do you write?
I'm an Engineering and English double major, so several. That's why I don't publish to Wattpad all that often.
16.How do you select the names of your characters?
I give them names that I've always liked.
17.If you didn’t write, what would you do?
Read?
18.Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
Yes. I don't get that many reviews to begin with, so dealing with critics has not been a problem for me yet.
19.What was your hardest scene to write?
Can't say, spoilers!
20.Do you Google yourself?
Y
es, of course!
21.What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?
M
eat (I'm a vegan lol).
22.What is your favorite childhood book?
T
he Bartimaeus Trilogy. Written amazingly well, and the character development is stellar. I don't want to give anything away, but every kid should read this story!! It was extremely instrumental to my mental and emotional development, and taught me many of the morals that I continue to live by.
23.How long on average does it take you to write a book?
HAH. Considering I still haven't finished one, I can't answer this question.
24.Do you believe in writer’s block?
Ohhh yeaaaaaaah.
