100 Interviews with 100 Wattpad authors

Interview with leigh_

1. What inspired you to write?
I hate this question because I don’t even know, lol. I’ve been writing since I was like 7 and that was probably because I read so much, and I just haven’t really stopped. I didn’t really write when I was like 13/14ish, but for some reason last year I just got the urge to write a full-length novel and Serenity Falls was born. I haven’t stopped since!

2. If you could have one of your characters become a real person who would it be and why?
Nathan from Friendship for Dummies... and then I would have him all for myself. Just because he’s so cute, sweet and shy and I would LOVE to date someone like him. He’d be like the cutest boyfriend ever, aww. So yeah, definitely him!

3. What's your favorite thing about writing?
Reading all the fans’ comments of how much they like my writing. It still amazes me that so many people do and it’s such a good motivation, especially when I’m not really in the mood for writing. But also I love when I get to write a scene I’m really excited about and that makes me even more excited to upload it. And usually when I love the scene I’m writing, my actual writing gets so much better

4. What's your least favorite thing about writing?
Writer’s block, without a doubt. I swear I get it way more than a normal person, but that might just be because Friendship for Dummies is a tricky story to figure out. Usually the best thing to do is have a break instead of forcing yourself to write, because I know from experience if you do force yourself, you end up writing total rubbish which you hate and end up scrapping anyway. I’ve done that way too many times, haha

5. What's your wattpad pet peeve?
Oh God, I have so many. Most of them to do with the What’s Hot list and how many bad writers are on it, which sounds really bitchy. I honestly don’t know how they get so popular, and it really annoys me because there are so many good writers on here who struggle to get noticed. I can think of so many more things but I’ll stop there because I could go on for hours, haha.

6. Which character of yours is the most like you?
I’d have to say either Bailey (from Musically Gifted?...) or Georgie (from Friendship for Dummies) because they’re both pretty similar. I’m a pretty awkward and shy person myself so I find I write best about those sorts of main characters... and plus, they work so much better in humour stories. I swear, most of those characters are just me talking because I am so like them. And it’s always a bonus when people are like, “I love Georgie!” because it’s like, that probably means you like me too :D

7. If you could publish one of your stories which would it be and why?
I don’t really know. I love Musically Gifted?... so much but I would have to change the title because I really hate it now, lol. And also it’s kind of short. I would probably say Friendship for Dummies even though it’s not finished yet, because it’s longer and I think my writing’s improved a lot on this one.

8. Who makes your covers? If you do what program(s) do you use?
I make my own. It’s funny actually, because people always assume I have some technical Photoshop programme that I’m a whiz at, and I really don’t. I make them on Paint and Picnik (even though that’s closed down). High tech, right? Haha. I couldn’t let anyone else make my covers because I’m such a perfectionist every tiny little thing has to be right otherwise it annoys me haha.

9. Would you call yourself a wattpad celebrity? Why so or why not?
Personally, I wouldn’t, but in comparison to a lot of other writers I guess I am kind of. Like, I think I’m probably one of the more unpopular popular writers, if that makes sense. I never really thought of myself as popular but I went to the Wattpad meet-up in London a few weeks ago and I got asked to be in the welcome video so I was like, whoa... even though I had so little fans compared to everyone else in that clip haha. I definitely appreciate the fans I have though. And I always reply to everyone, because I think it’s really rude when people don’t bother to talk to the people who support them.

10. What are some writing tips you can give the readers?
I don’t really have any tips per se, but I know 2 things that have helped me. The first is READ. Like, when I was younger I always had my head in a book, and I think that’s really contributed a lot to being able to write. It won’t help you immediately but over time you will definitely benefit from reading a lot. The second is PRACTICE. It sounds obvious but it’s so true. I used to write stories when I was 7, and even though I never used to finish them and they were absolutely awful, it still counts. I can even see myself how my writing has progressed from Serenity Falls to now. That’s all I can say really, as well as don’t give up!