Wattpad Block Party - Summer Edition IV

awkwardxfreak Presents: A Short Interview & New Book Reveal

Hello again, loves! I'm Cassie, and I'm very excited to be a part of the Wattpad Block Party for the second time in a row! A massive THANK YOU! to the beautiful KellyAnneBlount for inviting me again to this amazing event!

Today, I'll be answering writing-related questions as well as introducing the first chapter of one of my WIPs. Let's get started, shall we? :)

~

1. Fave book/books that inspire you?

- Ah, I've got so many favorite books! But if I were to choose my Top Three, it would be:

a. Looking For Alaska - John Green

b. Eleanor and Park - Rainbow Rowell

c. Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell

2. Music/other muses that help you write?

- Aside from listening to music, watching TV series and anime really help inspire me to write. If I want to write something emotional, I watch angst-filled shows that help me feel and connect with the characters' emotions and the overall theme of the show.

3. How and when did you find out that you wanted to be a writer?

- I found out that I wanted to make stories of my own when I was in elementary school. I wrote a lot of essays, short stories, and poetry back then, and one of my teachers even recommended me to join the journalism club at school but I didn't because I thought my work wasn't good enough.

Fast forward to my sophomore year in high school, I attended a seminar and was placed in a group along with my other classmates. Our batch was divided into groups and we were each assigned with a group leader that would help us with the games and activities. Our group leader had a friend who wrote stories on Wattpad, and she asked us to check out her friend's stories if we were interested. I was already a fan of reading stories, so I checked it out later that night.

The first ever Wattpad story I read was The Despicable Guy by shirlengtearjerky. Her works inspired me to try and write my own stories again.

4. Any artists/singers that inspire you or helps set the mood when you're writing?

- Most recently, I listen to a lot of BTS songs to relax and set the mood for my writing. Spoiler alert, I'm actually working on a series of one-shots and short stories that's inspired by their music!

5. Where do you get your story ideas?

- Mostly I write stories that are based on personal experiences. There were certain moments in my life which I couldn't help but think, "What if this happened instead of that?" and from that, I imagine various outcomes of what would've happened to me or to someone else if it went differently.

6. Balancing wattpad life and real life?

- It's important to put your priorities first (i.e. going to school/studying for exams, spending time with your friends and family, etc.) before your hobbies. I know that for most of us, writing is an outlet, an escape from the harsh reality of the world, but we shouldn't forget about all the hard work we're exerting in order for us to have a bright future. But don't stress yourself out too much, remember to take a break every now and then!

Whatever you're trying to accomplish right now, I'm sure that you're doing awesome! Fighting!

7. How do you overcome negative feedback?

- Each of have our own likes and dislikes, and I absolutely respect that. I'm well aware that not everyone who encounters my stories would automatically love them. That's okay with me.