❤ Interviewing Writers ❤

solacing

Intro: "Hi! I'm Taylor Hale, a Wattpad Star, Wattpad Featured writer, Paid Stories writer, and the author of THE SUMMER I DROWNED, which is being published by Wattpad Books in May 2020."

1) Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?

"Hmm... I'm working on a lot of stuff offline right now. Mostly rewrites and edits of drafts of the stories that are on here, or have been on here before. Not much you guys haven't seen yet."

2) What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

"A fundamental understanding of how to balance action, dialogue, narration, characterization, description, and showing vs telling in order to craft a scene that really comes to life. That's what draws me into a person's writing; if their scene feels lifelike and their voice is authentic and realistic."

3) Writing can be an emotionally draining and a very stressful pursuit. Do you have any tips for aspiring or young writers?

"Just keep writing. You're going to face a lot of disappointments and let downs - we all do. But if you have a true passion for writing, just keep practicing, keep writing, and you'll get better over time."

4) What was your favorite part, and your least favorite part, of the writing journey?

"My favourite part has to be when I started to feel like I was really getting somewhere in terms of skill - when I started taking my work more seriously and editing/writing offline a lot before posting on Wattpad. And meeting my friend Meg, who helps me in so many ways.

My least favourite part was probably this period of time back in my first year on Wattpad where I was REALLY struggling to build an audience. Everyone else was rocketing above me and I just couldn't gain a readership, and I was so full of doubt about myself and my writing. I actually took a break for a while and stopped posting and writing entirely. Of course, within months, I was back at it again and things have been amazing since then."

5) How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why? 

"Not sure how many I've started, but I've completed six full-length YA novels. It's hard to say what my favourite is because I don't like a lot of my first drafts, but for the story itself, probably Every Last Piece because writing it just brings me to a good place."

6) Do you have a favorite character that you have written? If so, who? And what makes them so special? 

"Griffin from Paper Trails because he's the first character I ever wrote who I truly fell in love with and felt as though I knew him as well as I know myself. He's just really sensitive and good inside, but super flawed and a really realistic teenage boy imho. Somehow, I'm able to relate to him so much."

7) When you're writing a very emotional scene, how do you get in the mood?

"Listening to a super emotional & sad song that reminds me of said scene."

8) What is the most surprising thing you discovered while writing your book(s)?

"That people are willing to pay to read them. :-)"

9) If you could spend time a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?

"UMM I have no idea hahaha it's a really weird thought for me. Maybe Aria from Chasing Constellations because I have the most in common with her. We'd be drinking, of course."

10) What famous author do you wish would be your mentor?

"I think Stephen King would have invaluable advice."

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Thank you so much @solacing for a brilliant interview! You're answers are great and have made me want to read your books, I can't wait to start!