Royal Guard Interviews

Catzkrieg

Meet @catzkrieg, the winner of our October 2022 Trick or Treat contest.

The Challenge: You dress up as your favorite Star Wars character for a Halloween party, but when you open your door to attend, you find yourself in one of your favorite Star Wars scenes living as that character. Tell us about your adventure. 

Winning Title: Unfortunate Wish

StarWarsFans: What prompted you to become a writer?

Catzkrieg: I never had the confidence to write. When I first joined Wattpad, I saw so many writers of all ages and writing levels. One day I said to myself, "If this person can do it, then maybe I can too."

StarWarsFans:  We're so happy you did! What is the appeal of the Star Wars universe?

Catzkrieg: Let's ignore the whole character-building and storytelling for this one... I'm obsessed with the villains. It's a whole galaxy. ANYTHING can happen. Characters can do whatever they want whenever they want. Not to mention the raw power of some of these people. It's an anarchist's / a dystopian lover's dream come true. And it's always done in style. Even the good guys do unhinged things. I'd like to compare the adrenaline rush of some of these characters to when I play an intense match in a game. There are enemies all around you, and you absolutely demolish them in the most impossible way. I GUARANTEE the team I just destroyed is absolutely flipping out on the other end at how ridiculous they got taken out. 

StarWarsFans: Your take on this with the villains was unexpected but an incredible view of the Star Wars universe. Loved it. Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Catzkrieg: I write little paragraphs of funny jokes or scenarios. Then I think, 'ah! I could make a story out of this...' most of it is dialogue, reactions, and facial expressions. Honestly, I should be doing more comics rather than writing. 

StarWarsFans: A Star Wars theme comic fanfic would be out of this world! Share some writing tips and tricks (i.e., routines, rituals, exercises). When do you find time to fit writing into your day?

Catzkrieg: Read. Read. Read. Find stories outside of your comfort zone. And make sure you read the story in its entirety. Thesaurus.com is my best friend. If anything, I've used a bit too much of it in some chapters, but at least it's more flavorful than the "furrow" word. (It's a joke. I do it too. Go ahead. FURROW those eyebrows at me.) I'm starting to find a good middle ground, but it takes time. Get inspired by a story you read. It's absolutely okay to think, "hm. I have a BETTER idea." But... be careful with that. Draft your thought. See where it takes you. Publish. Even if you don't feel that it is worthy. You NEED feedback. Also, you will forever want to update or rewrite it because you are always improving. Unless it's something that affects the storyline, or it's a really bad grammatical mistake, just leave it be. Be proud of it. Get in the mood. Make music playlists for your characters. Whether it's their genre of music or if the song relates to your character. Let them have their likes and dislikes, even if it's not what YOU like. Where do I find the time? That's hilarious. My secret is that I sometimes get really manic and just don't sleep. Don't do what I do.

StarWarsFans: These are some great tips! Tell our fans about your experiences on Wattpad. What do you enjoy most about the platform?

Catzkrieg: I really like learning, as weird as it sounds. Wattpad seems to be relatively judge-free. Even with some stories, such as my old first stories (they were bad,) I had good criticism that I was able to learn from- and it wasn't like mean or anything either. Actually, my confidence is building along with my writing. I'm always learning new ways to write and what I like or don't like by reading other writers' works. It is also indirectly helping me learn another language too. My experience on this platform is literally helping me in real life in so many ways. 

StarWarsFans: Loving to learn is not weird at all. What common themes appear in your Star Wars fiction?

Catzkrieg: Well, mental illness seems to be a huge issue for many characters in the Star Wars universe. Even Jedi tend to have unhealthy coping mechanisms. Treatment is nonexistent. I tend to focus on the negatives of characters; what makes them NOT a good person and why? Nobody wants to blow up a planet and the billions of people along with it for no reason. What makes them tick? My themes tend to be a bit on the "Darkside," with bouts of anguish here and there. If *destroying the lives of humans* isn't a definitive line to cross in the threshold of good and bad, then what exactly makes characters a hero or villain? I like exploring the villainous side. Paralleling the unforgiving acts of villains as well as their human morals in everyday life is just so fascinating to me. 

StarWarsFans: That is a very interesting and true statement regarding Star Wars characters. What advice would you like to share with aspiring writers?

Catzkrieg: Just write and publish. You're never gonna do it if you don't do it now. Being afraid or nervous is part of the process. Writing is like drawing or playing an instrument. You learn as you go. This platform is a great place to start!

StarWarsFans: That's excellent advice! Light side or Dark side? Which of the films is your favorite? Who is your favorite character?

Catzkrieg: Darkside all the way. My favorites always differ or shift depending on my mood, but right now, I'm obsessing over The Force Awakens and the character comics surrounding it. General Hux, all the way. (It doesn't mean I don't love all the OCs. I'm just fixating on one right now.)

StarWarsFans: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our interview questions. Is there anything you're currently working on that you'd like to share with our readers?

Catzkrieg: Sure! Wendigo's Winter (Kylo x OC)It's more about Oshin's story and events surrounding her.