My Favorite Conversations (Interviews)

stoplightglow

This is my interview with stoplightglow

They have 1.29k followers at the moment and 12 published works including The Scene Is Dead which is a Frerard and Gay Club which has 152k reads.

1. Why did you decide to first make your Wattpad account?

I had this idea for a story that I couldn't get out of my head and figured that if I was going to write it, I may as well find somewhere to put it. This site turned out to be a great place to do so. In retrospect, that story wasn't any good, but I'll always be glad it brought me here.

2. Do you like reading on this site as well or mostly writing?

I pretty much only write on here — I prefer to read over on AO3 where it's less commercialized.

3. Do you have a book of yours that you would recommend for people not sure where to start?

I'd recommend To Solve a Paradox. It's my most in-depth exploration of all sorts of relationships (platonic, romantic, parental, etc.) that I've written so far, and it has so much time, energy, and love poured into it. Also, it's got psychics!

4. What is the hardest part about writing for you?

I struggle a lot with the feeling of stagnating, and that sometimes gets to me and hinders my writing. I want everything I write to be better than the thing I wrote before that, but creative development isn't linear — I have to constantly remind myself that first drafts aren't going to be perfect and that the goal isn't perfection, it's progress.

5. What did it feel like to hit 1k followers?

It was amazing! I will admit that it snuck up on me, though. For me, this site has always been more about the people I have the opportunity to meet and interact with rather than how many people are physically following my profile, so when I looked up and saw that number, it was a nice surprise.

6. If you could be one of the characters you have written for a day who would you choose and why?

I'd be Frank from Truth on the Airwaves, hands down. He's a bit reckless but always well-intentioned, and the way he stands up for what he believes in even in the face of oppression is really admirable. Plus, it's a Desolation Row AU, so I'd get to wear that awesome leather jacket.

7. You mostly write Frerard, so how did you first get into that ship?

It's funny, because years ago, I specifically told myself that I wouldn't. I had a bad impression of real person fiction — I didn't understand that fictionalizing real people can be an interesting way to explore character archetypes and different personality traits, so long as you don't shove it in anyone's face. In the end, my love for the band won out, and I started reading Frank/Gerard fic just because it's what was most abundant. You could say it's grown on me.

8. How do you juggle writing and your personal life?

Honestly, it's hard, but I try my best. Right now, I'm the busiest I've ever been, and I love writing so much that I frequently have to force myself to step away from it and go work on things with actual deadlines instead. The key has been focusing on shorter things, like oneshots or poetry (quick plug: I post poetry over at stoplightglow.tumblr.com), so that I don't get overwhelmed. I think it's always better to be creatively productive in little ways than to give it up entirely, because that only ever makes me miserable.

9. Would you like to one day work on getting a book published or do you write more for fun?

Even if it's not my full-time job, I really hope to carry on writing in some professional capacity when I'm older, whether that be through novels, chapbooks, or just literary magazines. Art has always been a part of my life, and I've found too much of myself in this craft to ever imagine giving it up.

10. What has been your best moment on Wattpad so far?

It's less of a specific moment and more a collection of memories, but I've loved getting to meet and talk to all the wonderful people I have so far. They all know who they are. (Thanks for putting up with me. You're the best.)

I hope you enjoyed my interview with the lovely stoplightglow

Don't forget to comment suggestions for other authors I should feature next.

Love you all xxx

- starr