365 Interviews

Interview 124: fratboyashton

1. Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
My name is Sarah and I'm from Malaysia. I'm 18 this year. I graduated last year from high school and I'll be in college soon. Utterly obsessed with pop punk, punk rock and Les Mis. I have amazing friends and lovely supporters from probably all around the world. I've been on wattpad since 2012, and uh, I'm pretty much an open book I guess :) 

2. What inspired you to write?
I like imagining and I like putting my thoughts to words. I actually started writing fan fiction since I was around 12 but I focused more in essays for school exams or assignments especially in primary school which lead to good reviews in both my primary and secondary school life. And with that kind of encouragement, I've written a short story that won me a constellation prize two years ago and my story was published in the school's magazine and I've gotten good compliments from my teachers for my work so that really inspired me to carry on writing.

3.Do you have a specific writing style?
I think my style is narrative writing.

4. How did you come up with the titles of your stories?
I go through the entire plot of the stories first, figure out the body and the end, then I finalize the title.

5. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Yes, in both I'm Not Me and Aftermath, I'm trying to let my readers know that it may seem like the end of the world, but it really isn't. It may seem like things are not going to get better, maybe they really wont but you shouldn't get discouraged or give up because they will always be someone out there who cares for you and is willing to help, you just need to know where to look, and who to talk to, and when the tables are turned, you'd do the exact same thing for the person who helped you through it all.

6. How much of your book is realistic?
The condition that Calum has in I'm Not Me is not realistic, I made all of that up.

7. Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?
Yes actually, but I cant say who and what but they are, my friends, family and some things that I experience in life have made some cameos in my stories haha

8.Imagine your characters are on survivor.  Who will they vote out of the book?
 Haha, I think from I'm Not Me and Aftermath, I think people would vote between either Sonia and/or James. I haven't gotten far in my other books yet, but I'll be working on them soon hopefully!

9. What job did you want to be as a kid?
Uh, as a kid I think I wanted to be like an actress or something but that was short lived haha. Growing up later on I wanted to be a professional writer who would publish stories and travel the world meeting people from all over the world.

10. What is your main goal with writing?
My main goal is actually to spread messages to my readers, just like I mentioned a few questions earlier. I want to share my stories with the world and maybe have readers live through the characters and understand whatever message I'm trying to portray and maybe it may help them deal with their own personal problems if they are going through any.

11.Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Yes, all the time haha. But mostly I think, I'm just too lazy to think haha.

12. Do you work with an outline, or just write?
I do work with an outline, I chose to picture the story in my head, think about two senarios and pick the best one to go with, then I write it.

13. Imagine your main character dies on page one.  Everything else remains the same.  Describe the new plot to your book.
Hmm, thats a tough one haha. I think if Calum died on the first page, his brother Ashton would be so broken and he would have grown up very differently. I think he would have had a different life. He would have been lost, I think without his brother, broken too, even. I think Ashton would have met Sophia and maybe they would have figured out Calum's condition.

14.  What do you do when you are not writing?
Probably looking for different shows to watch online, I'm on Game of Thrones and some other shows right now, its getting so epic.

15.  Do you see writing as a career or a hobby?
Uh, I see it as both, I do it during my free time and I would love to make a living from it.

16.  Is there any book are you ashamed to have read? Why are you ashamed you read it?
No not really, I love books but I don't think I've been ashamed after reading any of them.

17. What is the weirdest thing that has ever been said or done to you by a fan?
Good question haha, I think the weirdest thing thats been said to me is probably "this story gives me aids." I've never had any weird encounters with the people that read my books, they're all really nice and supportive, always encouraging me to continue writing, I love each of them so much and I'm so grateful for all of them.

18.Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Yes I have, and its the same message as I've mentioned before. I didn't think I would because its just words but as people read it and say that some parts of it has taught them to appreciate life a little more, I think that really made me realize that it was kind of a lesson I was teaching myself in a way. Its kind of hard to explain but yes, I definitely did.

19.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Yes, I would like to thank them all so much for their continues support and motivation that they've given to both me and my books. Without them I don't think the books would be where they are today so I'm eternally grateful to all of them.

20. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Never give up, accept criticism and keep on improving. It isnt the end of the world if one person doesn't like your work, improve and prove them wrong. "You're only as good as you're last performance" -Abby Lee Miller