Meet The Authors Showcase Edition #3 (3 of 3)

A showcase with @of-wine-and-ecstasy author of: To Put On An Act

1 what inspired the idea of your story?

 An old fanfiction I wrote during the first covid lockdown actually. We don't talk about the specifics of that one. I think during that time specifically I was yearning for adventure and relationships and that romanticized school life you see in movies. Now that I'm growing up, I wanted some place to write about my growing pains, about finding my voice, about coming to terms with my disabilities, and of course, a place to dump all my gay thoughts.

2 what is something you struggled constructing with your story?

Since it is based on a story I've written before, I already had a pretty decent base, at least for the first two acts. I've completely rewritten the end though, and I really struggle to outline that, make it make sense, work with the characters and all the changes I've made to the story. In general, finding out what things I didn't like in the original (which is a lot) and then figuring out how to change it and improve it has sometimes been pretty hard.

3 what did you enjoy writing most of your story?

All those gentle moments between the main characters. The romantic moments as well as those times of simply comfort and friendship. I also love writing about the support and advice that the main characters get from their friends and family. It's quite comforting to write. On the other hand, I also love the angst, I love when everyone's just having a really bad time. It's fun!

4 what's the overall response of your story from your readers?

 I sadly only really have one reader that's giving me a response right now, and that's my brother. They do seem to really enjoy it though! I feel as though he's gotten quite attached to the main cast, he'll get upset with me when I'm putting my characters through The Horrors again, and sometimes maybe he thirsts after some of them, which, in my opinion, is the absolute highest praise.

5 is your story a stand alone novel or a piece of a series ?

Technically it's a standalone, unless the worms get into my brain and I suddenly spit out a second book. There is, however, something else planned that could probably be called a spin off? It will follow a side character of my current book, but I wouldn't call it part of a series.

6 what would you like your readers to take away from your story?

Most plainly said, it's okay to be you. It's okay to not fit in, it's okay to have quirks and kinks, it's okay, it's fine, it really is. You're worthy of love no matter who you are, no matter how odd and broken you are. You deserve friendships and relationships and joy and pleasure. You're allowed to feel, good or bad, you can let out your emotions, please don't hide them. Life is precious, you are precious, no matter your imperfections, your mistakes. It's fine. There will ALWAYS be someone out there that will love you, that will give you the joy you deserve.

7 what advice would you provide to fellow writers, when it comes to focusing on their own story?

 Be passionate about it. Write what YOU like. I think a lot of us want to get views and votes and comments and might bend ourselves a little to appeal to the masses, but in the end making something that you fully love and enjoy will make you so much happier and will make it so much easier to write lots and write well. You'll find it so much easier to focus if you're fully invested in your own work. You're allowed to sneak in a couple of guilty pleasures. You're allowed to include something that some might find cringe. As a treat. Cringe is dead and life is wonderful. Obsessing over your own work is always okay and morally correct.

8 does your main character share any similarities to yourself?

Plenty! My main character Youngbin is autistic like me, and he mostly struggles withs social interactions. They often drain him a lot and he isn't good at reading people and social cues, which is something I deal with as well.My other MC, Alex, doesn't quite see a future for himself, which was the case for me as well for a long time. He doesn't take care of himself as well as he should. Also, our music tastes are almost the exact same. He's a smelly emo punk. Just like me.

9 what is something about your story you believe would draw in new readers?

The themes of queerness, acceptance and growing up are in my opinion something that could draw in a lot of people that are around my age/the age of my characters.Also, I feel like my main characters really aren't as they seem in the beginning, and uncovering what they're like as they grow more comfortable around each other might be quite enticing!

10 do you have any future projects?

Once To Put On An Act is finished, I plan to move on to it's spin-off, which for now I've dubbed Birds Learn To Fly. It's still in it's early planning stages so far and I won't start properly working on it until TPOAA is finished (I do not trust myself with multiple WIPs at once), but I'm very excited for it, as it is once again very close to me and my own experiences!