365 Interviews

Interview 86: ToshibaGold

1. Can you tell me about yourself?

My name is Olivine and I'm a student at the moment living in the UK. I speak 3 languages, I'm incredibly lazy but have a crazy personality. I suck at maths but love to draw. I am mostly interested in Japanese animation.

2. What inspired you to write?

Growing up alone, as my brothers never came to the UK with my parents,  I've always read books from an early age. This was to help and develop my knowledge in English speaking and writing. It wasn't until High School did I start writing my own. Unfortunately,  til this day I easily get embarrassed when someone see my work, I can never tell what they are thinking. I guess what inspired me the most was to be able have people support and just their point of view of my work, some readers may not be kind but their honesty matters to me and it's encouraging,  somewhat.

3. Is writing a hobby or career to you?

 It's mostly a hobby, if I was able to receive a message from a company that are interested in working with me then I would take it as a career. I love to write, it's a great distraction,  but it's also a handful and stressful to please the readers.

4. Do you want your stories to be published one day?

I would love for that chance to appear one day, but I honestly don't think it will. My English is not up to the standards that a publisher may be looking for and there are so many good writers out there that I hardly expect to even scrape the interest of one person. I am genuinely a negative thinker, so I expect nothing.

5. What do you do when you aren't writing?

 I read, draw or just chat up with my friends through social media. I spend most of my time doing anything except study.

6. If you could spend the day with one of your characters who would it be and what would you do?

At the moment I have only managed to just get in depth with my chapters for my first book,  but there are 2 characters that I'd love to meet which is Valentina and Ophelia wolf. Unfortunately I don't want to spoil it for those who are interested,  but I personally think their attitude to certain situation is very straightforward and they just don't care about anything. I'd just like to hang with a character like that, who doesn't worry about your actions and would probably just support/influence you even more.

7. How much of the book is realistic?

I AM THE KEY, is the first book I've ever decided to publish and honestly I have a hard time making it sound realistic because it's based around werewolf and other supernatural species. The history with the story will be as realistic as I can make it, but it will take some time because I need to do some research, also the names of cities, groups and such are either mythical or translated in a foreign language but overall, everything but the fantasy is real.

8. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life? 

Everything that I write is made up. Since I have a horrible memory, I stick to what I know and how other writers decide to change the scenario of an event taking place within the story. Besides, most things I write changes because I have a better idea on how to end or begin the chapter.

9. What is your main goal with writing books?

All I want to do is to grab the readers attention and tell them that not all writers have no imagination or the capability not to write something amazing. Especially when it comes to werewolf books, I felt the need to teach and show that even someone as minor as me could be able to impress or just have the interest of a reader within a chapter.

10. What job did you want to be as a kid? 

I mainly had 3,

- Become an artist

- Become an author

- Or become an actress

11.Do you ever experience writer’s block?

YES! When I first created Wattpad it was in 2011 in August, my writer's block lasted until 2012 mid spring. As I had exams, I did not focus on writing until 2013 early summer. Now that I'm prepared to work again, I update and change anything weekly.

12. Do you work with an outline, or just write?

I constantly change my previous draft on document and once I'm satisfied I send them to my editor who returns with the changes, with her thoughts and improvements. This way I learn my mistake but able to avoid it next time.

13. Imagine your main character dies on page one.  Everything else remains the same.  Describe the new plot to your book.

I'd probably reveal the information by including those who are closets to the main character. The reason for her mysterious death, the other members of her family ect. The problem is, the book is not exactly focused on the main character but it is in some way (to fill up the gaps) there are many things that centre the main character but the main importance is not targeted towards her.

14. Where do the your ideas come from?

I completely make them up, things that I've said before may change once I'm around the 9th or 12th chapter.  I never stick to the same plot, always changing it continously.

15. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Coming up with ideas to make it sound believable. I struggle to continue a chapter without realising I've missed important information from the previous one.  I also forget what the idea was because of school, stress and laziness... I am unreliable at times.

16. Will you have a new story coming out soon? If so can you tell us about it?

Until I've completed I AM THE KEY, I don't plan on writing anything just yet. There is a story involving time travel but I'm unsure of where to go with it. I truly want to complete the Paradise Series books before coming up with another.

17. What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Having someone edit your work. Writing is no problem, but not being able to notice your own mistakes until pointed out later on is embarrassing, I constantly have that problem. As the writer, I don't see the little mistakes and errors that readers are able to notice, making it unbelievably hard to see what I've done wrong. So to have an editor look through my chapters is scary for me.

18.Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

I've learnt more from reading other people work. How paragraphs should be structured and placed, how dialogues should be formed. I am no professional and even the slightest mistakes I do it constantly, I find reading my work helps understand and see what I have done or to improve on. I hate to leave facts out.

19.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Continue to supprt your favourite writer. You'd be amazed at how the littlest of things can do wonders for a writer. To support them and just randomly pop up to them, that's all it takes for a writer to be influenced and feel loved by the readers.

20. Do you have any advice for other writers?

Do not give up, make your story outstanding and unique. Accept not everyone will love your work but never be discouraged by that idea, you don't need to please everyone. Write because you want too, not to please but to enjoy.