Vintage | Phoenix Interviews (𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃)

ShreyaSolaris

Ace, from CLN, had the amazing opportunity to sit down with the lovely author, ShreyaSolaris She is the author of The Cripple and The King, Perfect and several other books on wattpad.

First off, what would you like to be referred to?

As in, my name? Or my gender?

No, just the name you'd like me to call you.

Oh! Sorry! Shreya is fine.

It's completely fine! Okay, Shreya, let's just dive right into it! Let's see, what inspired you to start writing?

I would say my boredom. I was never really "inspired" so to speak. Really, I just loved listening to my mother read me books and wanted to write as well. And because I was so young when I started writing, I realized I really liked doing it.

That's really sweet! So, what traits of yours do you find helpful and incorporate into your writings?

I think perseverance is the most important trait. It isn't easy to keep writing, especially when you see all those authors on the front page of Wattpad. The most important thing is to not worry about that and just write. You'll be discovered one day, no matter what. You just have to be patient.

I completely agree; though patience is a difficult thing to achieve. So, what do you think your weaknesses are in writing?

My weakness in writing would probably be the talent I tend to display; that I tell more than I show. I love describing, and maybe a bit too much. It takes a lot of editing and such for me to fix up my mistakes. Also, probably grammar.

So, that in mind, what sets you apart from others?

What sets me apart from other writers? Uh..I'm not really sure. I believe most, if not all, writers have the same mindset. We're all dreamers, we all write constantly, and we all keep writing. Maybe my constant ideas? Or probably how I write more about my culture than anything else.

Great! So, let's talk about that. Do you think your culture has influenced your writing? And how so?

My culture has influenced my writing a lot. One of my first (and not my best) books was based on an Indian Mythology romance that I wanted to expand on. Writing that book made me realize how much I loved writing and how good at it I was. Somewhere, in all of my books, there will always be a hint of my roots, whether it be in the main character, or in a side character.

In the end, we all are connected to our roots, but that doesn't mean we can't go far. How do you think you've grown as a writer, since that first book of yours?

I think I have grown a lot since my first book; grammar, punctuation, and word choice wise. I also feel as if my growth had influenced my character growth as well, as many of my characters have changed over the years that I've written them

Do you see yourself in your characters? If not, what inspires your characters?

I definitely see myself in my characters. I always try to incorporate a few of my own characteristics into my characters, which is what makes them my own. Many of my characters, such as my latest, Raleigh, are based on myself.

That's really great. So, what are the toughest challenges you've faced as a writer?

The toughest challenges...that would probably be the criticism faced. Sure, they are helpful, but that doesn't mean that they don't hurt. I find it easy to step away from them and take a deep breath before working again. Another challenge would be the work overload. Between school and home life, it's tough to find time to sit down and write, but I do it.