Coffee Talks

With Gaby Cabezut

Hi, Gaby, 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.

Thank you so much for having me here! The contest looks amazing!

Thank you, 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 your fiction?

I've been on Wattpad for about six years now, and my life has changed so drastically since I joined the platform, it's insane. In a good way. In the best way, actually! 😊
I write romance, in any form and shape. I love writing humorous situations for my characters, and I'm prone to make them suffer too. But they always have a happy ending, so they like me, I guess. And I always, always, write the stories that I'd love to read.

We are sure people fall in love with your writing. But, 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'm a total pantser. If you know writing terms, it means that I don't plan. At all. Usually what I plan is what never makes it into the story.
However, I am trying to outline my stories a bit so I don't get stuck in the middle and freak out for a whole week because I don't know what to write (yeah, it has happened too many times!).

When I feel blocked, I usually take a break. When I'm really focused on writing, I try not to watch TV because I feel like the thing drains any creativity from me, but when I'm really tired and blocked, watching Netflix is one of my fixes to destress.

Pantser or not, you still create amazing stories, so what top tips would you advise for getting 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?

You need to have an overall concept. For me, to start a story, I need to have the first idea and the end. The middle, I can work out with, but I need to know where the story is going to start writing.
Talking about that starting line, it's one of the hardest things for me. I always feel like the first paragraph can make or kill the story. So, take some time to plan those first words, you want to hook readers from the start, so they keep wanting more.

I'm sort of evil and I love making cliffhangers (sorry, guys!) but leaving the reader wanting to know more after every chapter is also important, for me, at least.

We adore evil of that sort! It makes reading that much fun! But how much of your story do you edit on the fly? Or do you prefer to edit after you've finished the initial draft?

Uhm. I don't edit until after I finish (and I still need to edit most of my stories). Yet, I am using software programs like Grammarly and ProWritingAid to help me out a little and at least catch those first typos that I have.

Since you like Romance, we already have an idea... But, Personally what kind of novella -- be it any style, theme, or genre -- would you like to see emerge from the Open Novella Contest?

Hahaha. Well, I'm a sucker for anything involving Romance. I love action-packed stories but there must be a love interest. Or a mystery-thriller. With a love interest. Or a Horror story. With a love interest.
Ha! You get the point 😉

Oh yes, we do! Romance it is for you! Lastly, because we're always curious... What was your ever first experience with the power of the written language?

I typed (like, literally, in one of those old typing machines that use paper) my first story when I was eight, I think. I remember that it was a one-page story that took me hours to type, about Halloween and a scary witch. I even made a cover!
(And shocker, there was no Romance!)

I also remember reading it out loud to my mom and feeling like the best author out there.

I don't know where that story ended up, but it would be hilarious to find it.

It's been great hearing from you, Gaby, and thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge in storytelling.

Again, it's been an honor to have been asked to do this.

Best of luck to everyone entering this Contest!

Remember that the best prize is that you've created a new story, and that's a huge thing itself. Feel proud of you! 😊

Best wishes for your future endeavours from Coffee Community.

Our goal is to bring you many more exclusive interviews with people who aren't just Wattpad Stars or Staff, but also some pretty awesome authors.
In that quest, next we will be talking to Lindsey Clarke, so stick around for more fun!