Name of Author: SheHopes
Title of Book: Uninvited
Favorite Authors: Michelle Serros, Jane Austen, Robin McKinley
Bio: I'm a novice writer with a background in psychology so I'm always over-analyzing people.
Uninvited
https://www.wattpad.com/story/49574399-uninvited
Can you explain what your book is all about?
After being a victim of an abusive relationship, a woman tries to turn her life around by getting a new job. She ends up fighting for her life and her sanity in a haunted cabin.
Who is your target audience - and why?
If I'm greedy, I'd say everyone but I think adults are more likely to relate to the protagonist in my story. She has a lot of secrets but she's been through something horrible and is trying to change for the better. I think that's something more adults would be able to relate to.
What is 'paranormal' about your story?
My story mainly takes place in a haunted cabin. There are ghosts/evil spirits but I'm not saying how many. ;)
Does it contain other genre elements, if so which ones - and why?
I called this a paranormal thriller because it definitely has the mystery/thriller elements to it. In every story the main character should have something at stake to keep the readers vested in the story. I wanted to put my protagonist in such a complicated scenario that it would be fun for readers to guess (along with her) what's really going on. Is she really being haunted and by whom? Or is someone trying to make her think she's being haunted?
Tell us about your writing process - how do you get from story idea to a Wattpad published story
Outlines. I should admit that what I post on WP are first drafts of outlines. If I like a story enough, I may start editing it offline. However, outlines are important as they bring me back when I start writing off on a tangent.
Did you encounter any challenges when writing, if so - how did you overcome them?
So many challenges! I'm still learning and consider myself a novice when it comes to writing. I could have people tell me they love my work but that little voice inside my head keeps telling me otherwise. I've been known to take down works after I finish them. My story Uninvited had over 11K reads at chapter 6 before I took it down. It wasn't until recently that I decided to put it back up. As for overcoming them, it's a daily thing. I tell myself that it's okay not to be perfect and muzzle the voice. I've also started taking notes about what I do and don't like when it comes to other stories.
You often hear that 'writing well' is the baseline for success. What does that mean for you?
Lol. If I'm being honest, it means nothing. Whether something is written well is subjective to its audience. When I first started writing on WP, I saw a few writers put down popular writers on the Hot List for having poorly written stories. While that may have been true, it's not fair to discredit the writer or the readers for liking something.
I'm not the best writer and I suck at writing pretty prose but when I have a reader tell me they stayed up until six in the morning reading my Demon King trilogy, that's a success. I think every writer just needs to ask themselves what they would consider a win. If writing a beautiful story is enough for you, that's great. Hopefully, that'll lead to success.
