ACE AWARD SUPREME - INTERVIEWS

Fifth Place in Mystery, B1

1. What do you, as the writer of your works, like about your book (placed) the most?

- Truth or Dare had been a really great escape of reality for me. Since I basically love anime and Korean dramas, my mindset have been stuck for a while on the thought of "Why not create my own anime-style novel?" That's basically the reason why I love my book. I didn't think that I'd give life to my characters like these - and some of those characters were based on some of my reader's choice and true to life people. I also like how I was supposed to turn this into a romantic novel but ended up being a stuck in the mystery/thriller genre.

2. What inspired/continues to inspire you to write?

- My family and friends supports me and while at it, it inspired me to make the novels I wanted to create. I wanted to voice out the thoughts that kept lingering my mind and make it into a novel. They had always been there, so I thought that if I continue, I could make them happy with what I've created so far. And then, there is also my boy best friend - who is Korean - and he inspires me to write, even though we're apart from each other.

3. How long have you been writing, and what was the first thing that drove you to start writing?

- I've been writing since I was 12. It was my first time so I kept on reading 'til I finally got my own writing style. So, basically, it has been four years or so. I'm currently 16, that's why I feel like I still have a lot more time to improve. My passion in writing first came out when I heard my mom kept on giving her manuscript to authors and gets paid at it. She had brilliant ideas but her name never got out or even became known to the public. I thought that maybe continuing her dream would be the most efficient way to make her proud.

4. Do you get writer's block frequently? If so, what do you do to combat it?

Frequently, yes. I sometimes do other things to get my mind at peace. In other times, I would just rest for a while, drink coffee, watch movies, read other books, and listen to music. That really helps a lot since working under pressure would not solve your writer's block.

5. What advice would you give to other aspiring authors?

- Do not pressure yourself on writing. Just keep on doing it and don't compare your works on others. There are some of your readers who are willing to read what you create. The right time will come - but at the meantime, keep on trying, improve, and of course, smile while you're at it. 화이팅! (Do your best!)

6. Does your writing reflect your own thoughts intimately or are you detached to some extent?

- They reflect my thoughts at some points. Well, depends on the mood. Since this is a mystery/thriller book, I tend to think of myself as one of the characters, you know? Like, ask myself, "What would I do if I was in their shoes? Not literally, of course." Then, some of my thoughts would often wander on the text itself - figuratively.

7. What are your hobbies, besides writing? Why are they so?

- My hobbies are singing, dancing, bowling, watching movies, listening to music, cooking , playing billiards, curling, playing chess, archery, graphic designing, fencing, reading novels, and of course, playing video games.

interviewing SilverGrace643.