The official Coffee Community book for exclusive interviews and advice from Wattys winners, Wattpad Stars, Ambassadors and various upcoming authors and poets. Peak inside, we have cups of Ristretto too!
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Our author of the month is Amelie, who is also known as amelierhys 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 began my writing and Wattpad journey as a historical romance writer, and have since branched out into writing contemporary romance. I now have completed series in both genres, and while they take place hundreds of years apart, all of my books hold some shared themes regardless of the century: strong female characters and empowerment, mental wellbeing, non-toxic relationships, and as much tension as I can justify packing in! All of my books are written for a mature audience and contain adult content.
When did you start writing and what does writing mean to you?
I started writing when I was in high school and wrote on and off for myself (and the few friends who were my only audience) until the idea for Before She Ruled sparked in my head. It was the first book I finished writing, and when deciding my next steps after completing my initial draft, I discovered Wattpad. I have been sharing my stories on here ever since!
Writing is truly a means of escape for me. Like many people, I have a stressful day job, and writing (and reading) provides a method in which to completely detach from the things on my mind at the end of a long day. Writing has also been a way to share stories or incorporate themes which are important to me.
Out of all the stories that you've written so far, which one is your favourite and why?
This is a really challenging question! I love my books for different reasons, but I always get the most invested into whatever book I am writing at the time. So I am tempted to say that my current work in progress, Alive at Night, is my favorite. The themes in this book are lighter, there's a lot of banter and tension, and I am really having fun with it. Which is the whole point, right? I think where the characters are in their life is really reflective of my adult life, too.
Other than Alive at Night, I tend to favor Before She Ruled because it was my first book and most creative plot-wise and It Burns Within Us because it holds a special place in my heart.
What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
I am more of a plotter, but I definitely have some pantser tendencies. I do not always have every single scene or plot point worked out before starting, but I do generate backstories, outlines, and character motivations before I begin a new story. I am a very visual writer, so sometimes the specifics come down to what I am imagining right before starting a scene.
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?
I definitely recommend removing as many distractions as you can. For me, this means that my phone sometimes needs to be in a different room because I have no willpower! I also find that timed sessions where you track your word count really help me. Giving myself a goal per hour (or longer or shorter) motivates me to stay on track. Sometimes I will also share my writing sessions on my social media (ie Instagram stories) as a way to keep myself accountable.
Also, music! Not everyone likes to listen to music while they write, but if I can find the right song that fits the scene that I am working on, it really helps me power through. Maybe this is weird, but sometimes I will listen to that one song on repeat for the entire writing session. It helps me stay in the zone.
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 you have to look at the character motivations and make all your plot decisions based on how that scene, dialogue, action, etc is going to help the character develop. If it isn't going to move the character forward, it isn't going to move the plot forward. I think that's why it is important to know what your resolution looks like. You might not know exactly what or how you will get there, but you should know where you're going so that you have a driving momentum while working through scenes.
What was your first ever experience with the power of the written language?
It's hard to pinpoint my first experience, but I was a very involved reader growing up. My parents would play audiobooks in the car when we took roadtrips, and I became obsessed with all sorts of books. Reading made me fall in love with stories, and writing made me fall in love with words–how to piece them together to make the story more powerful.
Lastly, do you drink coffee? If yes, what is your favourite coffee beverage?
I do drink coffee! My go-to is a vanilla latte or a caramel cold press, depending on the time of the year.
Coffee is also mentioned regularly in my contemporary romance books. In the Wildfire series, half of the characters worked at a coffee shop, and it became their regular hang out spot. So, in other words, big fan of coffee over here.
It was a pleasure speaking with you and getting to know you more. We wish you all the best for your writing journey. ☕
