Wattpad Author Interviews

11. louvinglouis

Today we're catching up with Leanne, aka louvinglouis whose book No Homo has reached 5.6 million reads and ranked at #3 on the Wattpad Fanfiction HotList! Her casual, text-style writing approach has enticed quite a following, so we were eager to find out what inspired her book, and what about it she loves...

Whereabouts in the world are you from, and what do you do for a living?

I live in good ole Austin, Texas ! I am a very proud Austin resident, partially bc The Office mentioned Austin a couple times :~) also I don't have a job but sometimes I help my mom with video or photoshoots bc she's like a photographer and so yeh.

What is it about Larry that inspired you to write?

I think just bc their love story is so open and anyone can interpret it however they want. There's so many different ways to tell it and I like being able to share my versions of their story to people who would be willing to read it !!

Your book No Homo is written in a very light-hearted tone and casual texting style. Why this format?

I think I like writing in this format bc it's easier for me to slip in the humor. It may be just me, but I find it more difficult to be funny while writing in the traditional format of paragraphs and sentences and blah blah blah. In texting format, I don't have to use proper grammar or spelling and I feel more free with my own humor. Humor is meant to be the main focus of No Homo after all, so I may as well write in a format where I can be more humorous.

Your story is AU. As a reader, do you also prefer alternate universe, or do you enjoy 'real-life' fanfiction?

I DEFINITELY PREFER AU. Alternate universe fan fics just seem so much more (I can't think of a word smh Leanne) open I guess??? When reading 'real life' fics, the story tends to feel limited. Since it's real life, u have to stay true to the character's personality, career, relationships, and timeline. Little to nothing is open to altercation. However, when reading AU's, I'm given two totally different people and a completely new setting and it's very exciting for me. With AU's, it isn't just fan fiction anymore!!

How do you handle writers block? Any tips for your fellow writers?

I'm the worst at handling writers block and my readers know that better than anyone :-( I have an absolutely horrible habit of just leaving my computer for a month or two when I have writers block and I hate when I allow myself to do that. I think I'm the one who needs the tips from fellow authors :/

What's the weirdest idea for a story that you NEVER wrote. Why didn't you proceed with it?

OK so I had this idea for a 'real life' fic once and idk how I feel about it. It takes place in the summer of 2015, the seemingly most difficult time for the One Direction fandom. Zayn has left the band, he and Louis aren't on good terms at all, Louis and Harry are distant af, and Liam and Niall are just doing their thang but basically the band is FALLING APART. A certain group of One Direction fans have noticed this and just want the band to be coolio again so they do what they OBVIOUSLY only could do!!! They kidnap the boys and trap them in a house until they all become friends again. Granted, not the best idea they could've come up with, but hey it was worth a shot :-) The entire story is about the boys, who are living in a surprisingly amazing home that their kidnappers set up for them, and how they struggle with escaping, forgiving each other, and getting used to being watched 24/7 by like six fan girls. It's basically like a reality show but idk. I'm not sure why I never wrote it, I think I could have a lot of fun with it. It also has LARRY so I mean what could go wrong ?? I guess maybe I'll get into more once I have enough time and inspiration !

What was your fav chapter of No Homo and why? What was your readers' reaction and did it differ to what you expected?

I'm not entirely sure what my favorite chapter is. Maybe chapter thirty four bc I somehow manage to make myself laugh while reading that chapter lmao. My readers really liked that chapter too considering it featured an ALMOST larry kiss + Niall is dorky af :-D

What are some of your most memorable comments from readers?

Okay I LOVE my comments but one of my favorites is this girl who asked "what does no homo even mean?" and another girl responded, and I quote, "IT'S LIKE WHEN A GUY SAYS "DUDE I WOULD TOTALLY PUT MY 7 INCH C*CK SO FAR UP YOUR ASS WHILE YOUR HANDS ARE GRIPPING MY HAIR AND YOUR MOANING IS SO LOUD IT WOULD BE HEARD FROM 27376 MILES AWAY-" BUT THEN THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER LIKE DUDE AND THEN ONE OF THEMS LIKE DUDE NO HOMO THO BRO AND THEN THEYRE LIKE OH OK LOL" - webblewabble, the girl with the best comment ever.

Who are some of your fav writers of fanfic and why?

Definitely JeddieJay (Jayme) !! I've been a fan of Confessions since the first book and I definitely aspire to be like him. He's been so kind to me and has even referenced my book in his and I love everything about his writing choices. He's one of the most clever authors I've ever seen and I really believe he's going places with his writing.

Finally, tell us something interesting about you that your readers and our followers may not know.

I've been binge watching Total Drama Island for the past week and a half D-:

OK but SERIOUSLY, something interesting about me is that, if this whole author thing doesn't work out, I'm definitely going into the field of criminal law. I've taken tons of law classes like intro to law, mock trial, criminal law, environmental law, and I watch how to get away with murder so I'm SET y'all.

Something that I would say is interesting is my kind of absurd interest in the theatre aspect of fine arts. I'm sure that it is clear that I enjoy writing, in all forms, but I also love to act. It's honestly kind of weird to me, and I've never really thought much of it until the eighth grade. From then on, it's definitely become something that I take very seriously. And I mean, apparently I'm pretty good, I got on my school's varsity team. Crockett Varsity Theatre Team represent amirite y'all !!!

Thanks to Leanne for answering our questions! Make sure you cast a vote and leave some comments for her to read!