Interviews

May 2020 - Interview with ESHurricane

Di: It does sound like that. One can give you a break from the other and everything feels fresh in the end! What is, in your opinion, the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?

Em: Ah, this is a loaded question. I think I'd have to say the fact that trad publishing requires so much from authors for so little. Obviously not all publishers are as bad but I've seen some horrific contracts where the authors have to do all of the marketing and make pennies on royalties, while giving away so many rights. Might as well self publish you know?

Di: Following on the publishing topic. To go and self-publish a work one has to believe in themselves. Nothing wrong with that. But do you think a big ego help or hurt writers in general?

Em: Another loaded question. 😂 I think there's definitely a line between being confident in your work and having an ego. In my experience writers are mostly really supportive and excited to grow and learn together, but of course, there are some that don't feel they need improvement and look down on those that do. That kind of behaviour is toxic not only to the community but to themselves, imho. People are always going to need stories to entertain them. There's no sense trying to cut others down to try to get to the 'top'.

Di: Here on Wattpad, we are in an almost daily "personal" contact with other writers. Do they help you become a better writer? If yes, how?

Em: Definitely! Being a writer is kind of a lonely business, because we do it all alone. Being in a community like Wattpad helps counteract that. Not only does reader engagement feel good, it's also really helpful to see just what is resonating with readers. And for me, I've made some amazing friends! Not to mention the amount of skilled editors I've met along the way. Peer critique with other writers is the most constructive thing you can do, especially for early drafts. Learning by accepting critiques and having to give them helps tighten up your writing in the future. We never stop learning and growing and building our craft. And it's way more enriching to do it with others, at least that's how I feel.

Di: You mentioned reader engagement helps a lot as well. What do your fans mean to you?

Em: Oh man so much. It's so humbling when people read my stories. There's nothing like uploading a chapter and then having people comment excitement or anguish at the moments that made me feel that way too. And I'm so so grateful for those that take the time to give good feedback too, asking questions and finding inconsistencies that I didn't know were there. I'd still put my stories into the void without that, but every single reader gives me the warm and fuzzies. 💗

Di: Where is your favorite place to write?

Em: Anywhere quiet, haha! I do a lot of work at home either with kiddos underfoot or having to keep an ear out if they're sleeping. So the rare times that I can be on my own and fully focus is the best. I think my favourite is probably this stone bench by the river if I can go on a bit of a hike. Although I can only sit there for so long before I get uncomfortable, haha!

Di: Talking about the time, how many hours a day do you write?

Em: I try to use words as goals instead of time because it's harder to track if it's a day where I'm typing on my phone for five minutes at a time, haha! I like to hit at least 3500 words per day, on average. I keep a spreadsheet to track, and I use an average so that I'm not too bummed if I can't hit my goal one day. As long as my average per day is over 3500 then I know I'm still on track.

Di: 3500 words per day? Very nice! Also, since you mentioned that quiet time is not a privilege you can really count on, does writing energize or exhaust you?