365 Interviews

Interview 87: roastedpiglet

1. Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

My name's Myka. Last time I checked, I'm sixty-nine years old. I live somewhere in Asia, but if you're following me, you'd know from my posts on people's message boards, haha.

 2. What inspired you to write?

People, most definitely. People are interesting, complex, and exponential, to such point that one could just go on and on about them—but no one could actually figure them out entirely.

 3. Do you have a specific writing style?

Yep. I call it, "The Shit...ty Style."

 4. How did you come up with the titles of your stories?

"How to Fall in Love" is an almost satirical story about an infatuated girl slowly flicking away her naivety as she realises the true meaning of falling in love. I guess that's whence, haha.

 5. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

As of now, I only have one story posted, but I never stick to one single theme. I try to tackle a variation, but if this is what you're referring to, they're all under the umbrella of one: "I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul."

 6. How much of the book is realistic?

I try to make the events in my stories realistic to a certain extent where they don't kill the "fiction" part in them. Characters are key—they move your story forward, and all you have to do is make them act how they should act. Imagine it happening in real life. Will this character really do this given the situation?

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

Only 1 out of 10 times will I base the events in my stories on true-to-life experiences.

 8. Imagine your characters are on Survivor.  Who will they vote out of the book?

They'll vote out Miles Royal, most definitely. He's the most resilient, he's very cunning, and given that he's three years younger than the MMC Finn Laurel, he has hints of immaturity and self-centredness that, despite the fact they are all trying to survive which in reflex will bring out the selfishness in each one of them, will still be more prevalent over the others'.

 9. What job did you want as a kid?

According to my preparatory yearbook, I had wanted to be a "Doctor."

 10. What is your main goal with writing books?

    My main goal in writing books used to be selfish, but when I began posting on a different website several years ago, I realised that I actually had the ability to inspire emotions to people who read my work, and because of that, ever since, my main goal in writing books had been only one: to inspire. I still have my doubts about whether or not I have the capability, but whenever I do, I'm more than blissful and grateful.

 11. Do you ever experience writer’s block?

   All the time. To avoid it... I don't. I just wait it out, sit down in front of my laptop, and try to spill words. It helps—just writing no matter what.

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

   Outlines are shit. I presume I've answered your question.

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

    Will there even be a plot? Without Mia Lockheart's decisions, the ripples that involve Finn Laurel and the rest will be nonexistent, as will the plot twists that are yet to arrive. With the main character dead on page one, there will be no growth for both her and the MMC.

 14. What do you do when you are not writing?

     Procrastination is the shit, man. So's grammar. See: "Outlines are shit" versus "Procrastination is the shit."

 15. Do you see writing as a career or a hobby?

     It's nothing but a hobby. I'm absolutely shit at it (hurray for grammar!) and there'll be no version of me as a writer.

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

    Yes, after I finish "How to Fall in Love." The blurb plus the first two chapters of it have already been posted.

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

    "How to Fall in Love" is extremely difficult to write. As I believe characters are the most pivotal and relevant element in a story, I find it tremendously exhausting writing from Mia Lockheart's POV. Why? She's absolutely NOTHING like me. Almost every single decision she makes, I will most definitely negate in real life had I been in her situation.

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

     From writing "How to Fall in Love," I learned a few things, all of which I'm afraid I'm not ready to share, as they're all rather very personal.

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

   Contrary to popular belief, in most situations, I wouldn't know exactly the right thing to say. But right now, I'm very sure of it—thank you, to each and every one, especially you, who are reading this right now. Thank you so much for your support, and for investing your time in reading "How to Fall in Love" which always puts me up whenever I'd suddenly want to give it all up. You're all very special, beautiful, and brilliant, and without you, I'd have already quit Wattpad.

 20. Do you have any advice for other writers?

   Just write. You might find your writing style crappy (like I do, which is why asking me for advice is a very, very dangerous idea), and you might believe you're under all the other lovely writers who you believe write better than you do, and albeit I cannot say whether or not that's true since really, it's only you who could say what your writing really is, just continue writing. Because if you feel disheartened hence stop writing, that's like cutting your progress. You'll stay stagnant. You will not improve. That's why no matter what, if you continue writing, you wouldn't notice but bit by bit you're improving and improving and improving, until one day you'll sit back and relax, look at your computer screen, and grin to yourself at how beautiful your writing turned out to be.

Thank you so much for having me—it honestly means a lot to me, and I cannot thank you enough! :)