Coffee Talks

With Laiba

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Our new author of the month is Laiba, who is also known as growingupinsane on Wattpad.

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Hello! Thank you for taking the time to get involved with Coffee Community. It's great to hear from authors like yourself and get to know a little bit about what motivates you to write longer works of fiction.

So, to begin, tell us a little bit about yourself as an author on Wattpad. For anyone who hasn't met you before, how would you describe yourself and your fiction?

I'm a half writer, half doctor who merges the world of fantasies and realities and walks on its borders. My fiction addresses human flaws and imperfections, and sometimes expectations that we seek but only books can meet.

When did you start writing and what does writing mean to you?

I started writing around the age of 12, testing my skills first with poetry before moving on to fiction. Writing means to me half of my sanity and pleasure. In a world without fiction, I would be growing up insane.

Out of all the stories that you've written so far, which one is your favorite and why?

Hearts Of Gold is my favorite. It is dearest to my heart because the messages in that book are stronger than any other work of mine, and the romance in it is the sweetest to me. It's about the setting of the book, the writing, and both the main characters, especially the female lead who I believe I've written better than any of my other books, which makes it special to me.

What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?

I would say I'm a little of both, though more of a pantser than a plotter, depending on the genre of the story. For mysteries/thrillers that I write, I do a bit of plotting before diving into them. But mostly the ideas come to me as I progress through the story and it is sorted out along the way.

Writing for sustained periods is a hurdle that every writer, beginner or experienced, faces from time to time. What powers you through those longer bursts of creativity and keeps you focused?

To be honest, my greatest drive comes from my readers, so I'll always be grateful to them for pushing me through the hurdles with their support. But also from the fact that I write for the pleasure of myself, and create what I want to read.

What top tips would you advise for getting a story, a novella or a longer piece of fiction off the starting line? What kind of story developments motivate you to see it through to the end?

I think it would differ from writer to writer. For me, beginning is the hardest part. What gets me through it is the ending of the story, which I plan ahead of the beginning and then drive the book in that direction. Many scenes in the middle of the book can serve that purpose too, carrying me forward from one step to another. I shape it all once I reach the set milestone. This would be my advice to those too who find it difficult to start a book or finish it once they've started it: find an interesting scene to begin with, something not only you would enjoy writing but will also grip the reader. Then work yourself forward and backwards from it, focusing on one story at a time for your ease if you've difficulty completing a book.

What was your first ever experience with the power of the written language?

Fascinating enough to turn me into a writer.

Lastly, do you drink coffee? If yes, what is your favorite coffee beverage?

I'm more of a tea person but do take coffee from time to time. I think Mocha will qualify to be my favorite among coffee beverages. 

Thank you once again for this lovely coffee chat, Laiba! We're glad that we had the chance to get to know you more and wish you all the best for your writing journey. ☕