Author Interviews

Interview with @seasidestyles

Yes, the seasidestyles.

1. What or who is your biggest inspiration as a writer?

T: I think really, life itself is a huge inspiration for me. I get ideas from random things at random times, so I always have a bit of trouble answering this question. I find myself daydreaming a lot and sometimes ideas come from there, but other times it's really honestly completely random.

2. How has writing affected your life?

T: Writing has affected and been affecting my life since I could hold a pencil, really. I was raised in a family where writing and reading is emphasized, which I know has greatly contributed to who I am as both a person and a writer. I don't know who I'd be if I couldn't put my words, thoughts and stories on paper.

3. Do you see writing as a possible career in your future?

T: Most definitely. I've wanted to be a writer for years, and I hope to achieve that once I'm older. I don't think any other career would fit me as well as one that allows me to write all the time.

4. Do you ever feel pressured to change anything in your writing because of your readers?

T: No, not particularly. I used to take every comment to heart and be really affected by the negative ones, but I've come to realize that I cant please everyone with my writing so I might as well write what I want. If my readers don't like something in my story, I'm afraid that isn't my problem, I write to make myself happy, primarily, and I think that's what writing is really about. If you write based on the opinions of others, you'll never be truly happy with your work. That being said, I do take my readers' theories and remarks into account. I find that some of them are very insightful and help my writing process.

5. Who is the character you've most enjoyed creating and why?

T: Jane Marx from my story Phantom, I'd say. She's a very special character to me and I immensely enjoyed creating her personality. I guess it's really because we share some traits and I put a lot of myself into her. I honestly miss writing her story but every book must come to an end and Jane will always be one of my favorite characters I've had the pleasure to write.

6. Is there any type of scene that you find more difficult to write than others? Love scenes, action scenes, etc.

T: Not really. I plan out all my work very carefully and sometimes pre-write them in my head so I know what I want out of that particular scene before I ever actually write it.

7. Are there any implicit messages in your work that you would like your readers to get?

T: It is my upmost goal as a writer to teach my readers something in my books. It doesn't matter if it's a random factoid or a life lesson. My books wouldn't be what they are if it weren't for my need to incorporate morals. I think stories are amazing because they can entretain, amuse, elicit emotion and educate all at once. I do hope my readers pick up on the messages and morals I incorporate, because I personally find them very important and I think the books are a lot better when my message is understood. If I have the power of words, I want to use them to immerse people in the story and teach them something valuable at the same time.

8. What is the most important thing you've learnt from reading and writing over the years?

T: I think the most important thing is kind of what I touched on earlier, about doing and writing what you want. Like I said, I realized that both in my writing and my life, not everyone is going to like me. It's impossible to please every single person, so I don't take the negative opinions to heart and focus on the possitive opinions. It's an epiphany I came to a few months back and my life has been much better since that realization.

9. There are many books published here on wattpad that aren't necessarily well written but have gained popularity and admirers because of a "smutty" plot. What are your thoughts on this?

T: I don't mind that stories on here incorporated smut, as I understand it could be part of a plot. That being said, I firmly believe that a book doesn't need smutty scenes to be good. I don't put smut in my books because I feel that those scenes are irrelevant to the plots that I personally devise. I know that's really disappointing to some of my readers but it is what it is, and I'm not going to change that any time soon, I think. I have nothing against smut in other books, but it is irrelevant to my own writing.

10. Do you have a favorite quote or saying regarding writing/reading? If not, describe your feelings towards it in one word.

T: I have many, but my all time favorite is the quote I have chosen for my bio--"if you fall in love with a writer, you can never die." This quote really hits home for me because it's so undeniably true. While writers are, essentially, human and will eventually die, our writing will live on forever, and I think that's really amazing to think about.

11. Do you read and answer comments? In what ways do they affect you if at all?

T: I most definitely read the comments! Some of them are funny and insightful and I do reply to some of them. I enjoy the enthusiasm people seem to have with my work and most often delete the comments I find negative.

12. What book/s are you reading right now? Any recomendations? (Inside or outside of wattpad)

T: I haven't read much of anything lately and I really hope to change that, since it's one of my New Years' resolutions to read more, like I used to.

13. What do you think makes a good story?

T: A good story is one with strong characters and thoughtfulness. And, of course, a lovely moral at the end.

Finally, Is there anything else you would like to say to your supporters?

T: I guess I really have nothing to say other than thank you to anyone who has read my work! I couldn't be more grateful for the support I have been recieving.

A big thank you to Tess, seasidestyles for answering our questions, it's been an honor.

Pilar .x