"ᴱᵛᵉʳʸ ˢᵉᶜʳᵉᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵃ ʷʳⁱᵗᵉʳ'ˢ ˢᵒᵘˡ, ᵉᵛᵉʳʸ ᵉˣᵖᵉʳⁱᵉⁿᶜᵉ ᵒᶠ ʰⁱˢ ˡⁱᶠᵉ, ᵉᵛᵉʳʸ qᵘᵃˡⁱᵗʸ ᵒᶠ ʰⁱˢ ᵐⁱⁿᵈ, ⁱˢ ʷʳⁱᵗᵗᵉⁿ ˡᵃʳᵍᵉ ⁱⁿ ʰⁱˢ ʷᵒʳᵏˢ."
Welcome to our lair, where you'll find interviews with the amazing winners of The Orca Awards! Get inspire by the authors o...
Hey everyone!! Here's an interview with MiyaHikari whose book Empathis an honourable mention of the fantasy genre! Congrats!!
Read on to found out amazing tips and thoughts of this great author.
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Who or what inspires and motivates you to write?
Truth and understanding.
Whether that truth is found in my faith, or whether I see pieces of it in people, society, a concept or idea; my constant search for truth and knowledge is what drives my writing. Sometimes, it's hard to see yourself clearly. Everyone asks the question: Who am I? Writing is the process by which a person bleeds their soul out onto paper. Even set in an alternate world, what I believe to be true about the world, about myself, comes into the starkest light. Yes, it can be painful. For the author, there is no hiding. But what I learn from writing is worth it. My inspiration I owe to God. My motivation: To know and be known.
What is your strongest point in writing? What advice would you give to other writers struggling in that category?
Character development is my strongest point. I love bringing them to life, though many times I have to steer my characters away from wrecking the plot line, they're that real to me.
Some tips I'd give to writers interested in developing their characters would be to let us see them happy once in awhile. We tend to put characters through a lot of pain and suffering, but readers can't sympathize with their low points if they've never seen their high point to begin with. Another would be to give your protagonists bad traits and your antagonists good ones. People are three-dimensional, with the capacity for both good and evil. For a character to be realistic, that capacity should be in them too.
Lastly, know more about your characters than your reader ever will. The point of this is not just to know your character intimately, but to not overwhelm your reader with info unnecessary to the plot. Even if you don't put everything you know about your character into the story, that personal understanding will shine through.
Is there any scene you particularly enjoyed writing in your book, "Empath"?
There are so many small scenes I've had fun writing, it's hard to pick just one!
I'd have to say I enjoyed writing the scene where Chiyo is introduced. Between her love for food and her caring nature, she's quickly become one of my favorite characters as well as a hit with readers.
What is something you look for in a story?
When reading, I look for books with thorough worldbuilding. I love the experience and discovery of entering a world of the author's creation, especially if it comes with a complex magic system! I also look for consistency in payoff, where the author drops details or foreshadowing and links back to them later. That fulfillment of plot and subplot lines usually make for that satisfying ending I crave. I'll read a book once if its ending is alright. I'll read a book ten times over if the wrap up is perfectly connected, beginning to end. No loose strings or corners cut to fit.
What do you find to be your weakest point in writing?
Good pacing is a weakness of mine. I tend to take my time laying out the world's foundation and, as a result, the story's hooks and progression can often suffer.
This is a point I've been working to improve, but for those who enjoy action and thrilling cliffhangers, my books might not be the ones for you.
How do you deal with insecurities about your story, if any?
When I have insecurities about my writing, I'll tell myself, "Well, if it's bad, I can only go up from here!"
I'll also think about the reasons why I write. If you write for fame or fortune, chances are it'll be easier to get down in the dumps. But when I think of my work as second-rate or amateur, I remind myself of what amateur means. It comes from the Latin word amare. An amateur is someone who does something because they love it.
I write for the love of it. I enjoy doing it.
It doesn't wipe away every insecurity, but it's a start. Write out of love and work to improve. Worries about whether my writing is "good enough" become trivial when I use that mindset.
What is something you improved in writing over time?
I've improved in writing description and setting. Before, I would blow through writing actions and dialogue then get stuck on how to describe the room everything took place in. It's still something I don't write much, I rarely describe a character's physical characteristics, instead I choose to showcase their personality.
It's an important aspect of writing that I'm still looking to improve in. I have hope though, I can look back and see I've come a ways forward since I began.
Which genre do you love to read or write the most and why?
Fantasy is by far my favorite genre, both for reading and writing. It comes with a special sense of wonder and discovery, and space for imagination on a grand scale. I love that feeling of entering a different world, whether it's of my own creation or someone else's.
Conclusion: It has been lovely to take your interview! Glad to see you have come so far. Best of luck and keep shining!
