Wattpad is filled with talented writers. Here you will find interviews on some of our top Myth and Legend makers and what started them on their writing journey. Learn tips and tricks from some of the talent and then go check out their works.
Hello, everyone! Today we have another mythical and amazing author, The_Musician, who is sharing her story and discussing about her winning entry for our August Forbidden Hearts contest with us.
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About the Author: The author's name is Tiana. She loves animals, nature, rain, music, and her favorite genres are romance and horror. She started dabbling with a career in writing at just 13 years old but got serious about it after pursuing a degree in English. Tiana hopes to one day become a well known, famous author who creates works that people can find solace and empathy in.
For her, books are a safe space that offer comfort on some of her worst days. They act as a friend when she feels like she's alone. Tiana would love to bring that same reprieve to her own readers as well—giving someone the opportunity to find companionship through her literature.
1. What made you start writing on Wattpad? What has been your favorite moment so far on the orange app?
I initially started writing fanfiction back in 2011 on a different website. I was in middle school at the time and had a lot of ideas for how I could insert my own characters into preexisting stories. About a year after I started, my older sister let me know that Wattpad existed and was a bigger, more popular platform. I didn't start using it to publish my own works until October of 2021. I had just received my English degree in Creative Writing and wanted to start making original content.
My favorite moment as of right now was when I won my first competition. My first piece was for a Halloween contest. I lost, so I was a bit self conscious afterward. Then I entered a different contest with a romance piece and won! I felt so proud of myself—that win pushed me to keep writing to 1) polish my craft, and 2) get myself out there.
2.Which mythology and/or legends influenced your story? Why did you choose those?
Back in high school, I took Mandarin for three years. During the span of that time, my classmates and I celebrated numerous Chinese festivals and holidays. One of my favorites was the Mid-Autumn Festival—a holiday celebrating the summer harvest, family, and more. A legend that's tied with the Mid-Autumn Festival is the story of Chang'e and how she rose to become the moon deity. I loosely referenced the presence of a lunar deity watching over ancient China while adding my own spins to it!
3.Tell us about the main character of one of your stories. What inspired their creation?
Alongside Ming Yue, the other main character in Eternity is Chun Hua. Her creation came about because, as I was plotting, I was watching Avatar: The Last Airbender. In that show, there's a character named Zuko—the Prince of the Fire Nation. He's at war with himself because he doesn't know which path of life he should follow.
I've always loved the idea of writing a character with that type of dilemma. And then the Forbidden Hearts contest came about, and I used the opportunity to finally bring my idea to life!
4.What were some challenges you experienced while writing the story?
I always find it a bit difficult to build worlds through my writing. Alongside being an author, I'm also an artist. I'm very imaginative when it comes to creating worlds, but it's easier to do so when I'm sketching, drawing, or painting. When I'm writing, I have to filter certain details because they aren't always imperative to the story. For example, in Eternity, Ming Yue is from the realm of Yu Zhou. I really wanted to include details about the deity-filled world; but since there wasn't really a need to, I decided against it.
Another challenge for me is making up character names. I like using ones that have a special meaning or relation to the character as a person. For instance, Ming Yue means bright moon. Chun Hua means spring flower. For every story I write, I sometimes spend hours or days trying to come up with the perfect name.
5.Do you have a song playlist for writing? Can you share one with us?
I have multiple for different moods, actually. If I'm writing a scene about mundane aspects of life, I listen to Lo-fi playlists. If I'm writing a story about werewolves and vampires, I tend to listen to dark academia/classical playlists. When I'm writing about romance, I listen to playlists with soft, slower paced love songs.
One of my favorites to listen to—both for writing and for relaxation—is the playlist with music by Fiji Blue.
I love the myth of the Grim Reaper acting as a more peaceful presence. A lot of the time, the media tries to portray Death as something that's scary, evil, or a being that has ill intent. I love the stories that show the Grim Reaper as the one that guides souls on their path to the afterlife. While death is something no one can escape, I find comfort in the notion of someone walking me down the path to the next chapter of life's cycle. It paints the Grim Reaper as more of a friend/companion than something to fear.
7.What is your favorite mythical creature? Why?
My favorite mythical creature is the vampire—more so the older depictions instead of the modern ones. I think earlier folklore pertaining to vampires is equal parts humorous as it is interesting. Sleeping the day away in a large castle; having the ability to burst into hundreds of bats at the most minor inconvenience; being immortal—all of those attributes make for intriguing stories.
The one thing vampires and I have in common is that we're both nocturnal creatures that thrive when the moon is out and sleep when the sun is out!
8.If you could have the same powers as a creature and/or deity from mythology or legends, what would it be? Why?
I'd love to be able to shapeshift! The thought of changing my form and experiencing life through the guise of another creature sounds like a lot of fun. Imagine: Do you want to experience what it's like to sit atop a skyscraper? Turn into a bird. Do you want to see what the inside of a hollow tree looks like? Turn into a squirrel. Do you want to observe marine life without having to worry about coming up for air? Turn into a fish. The possibilities are endless!
9.What is your advice other writers who want to use mythology in their story?
Don't be afraid to put your own spin on things if you're using preexisting mythology! It's more than okay to pay homage to creatures and folklore that already exists, but give yourself the opportunity to tweak details or add in your own ideas. That'll make your story even more interesting while also giving you a chance to let your imagination run free.
And if you're using mythology as a reference to create your own creatures, don't be afraid to think outside of the box! The only thing limiting you in terms of your writing is yourself. So grab your pen and paper—or your keyboard—and just let the ideas flow. You can always fix and finetune later!
That's it for the month, it was fun getting to know about The_Musician. You can check her stories featured in our reading list as well as her other works.
