Hey, Lauv here. A warm welcome to the people who decided to take a peak at TalkQuickNotes.
Knowledge is the sexiest trait a person can acquire. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading. And the person who absorb the knowledge and put them into words, to use had taught something to himself along with spreading the wings of wisdom. Today we have Yuehan [ Yuehan_ ], who had stolen my heart with his straightforward language that makes his story easy to read, making comprehension effortless. Let's get into the talk.
➽ Hello Yuehan, Thank you so much for sparing some of your precious time for me and TalkQuickNotes. It's such a honor.
- Thanks for reaching out and providing a platform for many talented Taekook authors out there. I am honoured to be here!
[ Pleasure is all mine. To be honest I started this interview to sate my curios self but on the way I learnt that by this book I'm giving a lot of authors and readers a chance to express their thoughts, a platform to rise their voice out. I'm extremely happy with that. ]
➽ Can you tell me a little about yourself?
- My pen name is Yuehan which is a Chinese translation of my real name that I was given to me by my Chinese teacher. I live in Melbourne, Australia, which has made us getting together a bit of a struggle due to timezones 😂 Thank you for putting up with me there haha.
[ Well kinda, but it's not your fault. We both tried and failed and in the end, we come up with a solution of doing this talk not live, by sending questions at once and you answering when you can ( it's another first for me and TalkQuickNotes.)]
- I’m half Filipino and half Serbian with an aussie accent who loves a good cup of coffee (And can make one cause I used to be a barista (lowkey flex))
[ That's really sexy of you, seriously you should flex that more often because a good cup of coffee is a saviour. I think most of the people can agree with me, ]
➽ When did you realise you wanted to be a writer?
- Well, I started writing back in 2019 instead of studying for my exams 😅 I used to share a dorm at Uni with some Wattpad authors, which inspired me to give it a go. At first I kind of did it as a joke but then I really started to get into it, and I wasn’t expecting Caffeine to blow up the way it did. After that, I’ve started to take writing seriously and it birthed dreams of perhaps one day being a published author ✨ I’ll keep dreaming until it comes true 😂
[ You should, definitely. I'm looking forward to that day. And I'm thankful to those writers for giving us a gem that you are and for your exams being an inspiration 🤭 ]
➽ What was one of the most surprising things you learnt in creating your books?
- Ummm… That’s a hard question. I guess I was surprised that people actually enjoyed reading what I was writing. I still have to pinch myself whenever I think about it. It’s an amazing feeling, especially when people reach out and tell me how much they loved my books. OH! And that’s another thing; I’m still surprised whenever someone messages me and tells me I was their first Taekook book they’ve ever read. Like that right there… It’s so weird to me. In my head, I still feel quite new as a writer, and there are so many other authors out there that have been doing it way before me. I think I kind of rambled away from the question 😂 Sorry~
[ It doesn't matter how many other talented one we have here, everyone has this unique style of portraying every stories even when the trope or genre is the same. And that unique portrayal is what captured me the most. Be ready to pinch yourself more often because you and your writings deserve so much more. ]
➽ What are the key challenges you faced when you started writing here?
- Oh god. I could vomit rereading some of the stuff I put out there originally 😂 It surprises people whenever I say this, but it was the first time I’ve ever written when I started posting here. I’ve constantly been editing and improving, and I definitely think I’m a much better writer now than when I first started, which makes me proud to acknowledge. I’m glad 😂 So, back to the question, I think the most challenging thing is editing. Another key challenge was just learning the ropes. Learning proper grammar, learning how to execute plot points etc. Writing is a never-ending game of learning and challenges to overcome.
[ True that. Learning is like a never-ending process. We'll be learning till our death, our last breath but again looking back, we still have a lot to learn. Knowledge is like a vasr sea. Quoting Michel Legrand, 'The more I live, the more I learn. The more I learn, the more I realise, the less I know.' ]
➽ What in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
- In my opinion, I believe that characters drive the plot and make the story interesting. Characters doing things to other characters and seeing how they interact with each other in all sorts of circumstances to further the plot is an A+ for me. If I don’t care for the characters, how am I meant to care about the plot or what happens to them? So yeah, it might just be a personal preference, but I definitely enjoy character-driven stories more.
[ Your thoughts does reflect on your writings, I'm giving you a A+ for that. ]
➽ How much world building takes place before you start writing?
- World building can be fun. I have a lot of world building for stories I still haven’t had the chance to write yet 😂 But really, I don’t do much since what I’ve posted here has been mainly contemporary romances (World building really do be easier when you have a familiar setting already, though it’s something I do want to improve on). I’m a pantser, so I have a general idea of the world and where I want the plot to go and just wing it. Sometimes the story ends up being something completely different to what I originally had envisioned (for the better)
[ I have been hearing that a lot from authors, that the story became completely different to what they originally planned and as you mentioned for the better. Even when I say that, a small curious part of me wants to know what it was originally planned ( well if our time show some mercy, I'd love to have a talk about it. It's always fascinating to learn and understand the process of writing a book. )]
➽ Writing can be emotionally draining at times. How do you deal with emotional impact of a book ( on yourself ) as you are writing the story?
- Absolutely. I wish it didn’t. I’m sure my followers have seen my emotional struggle when it comes to keeping up with expectations. I do find it daunting, and it really puts a strain on my productivity, but I can’t help it. I want to do my best, and I’m probably too hard on myself. Doesn’t help that I’m a master at procrastination. I’ve noticed that the times I write the most are when I don’t have time to write, and I’m supposed to be working on something else, but when I do have time to write, I suddenly forget how to 😅
[ Well we all are the same when it comes to that. I want to tell you that please don't be hard on yourself, you are doing great but again, thinking about it, the struggle of being a writer only you understand. I hope you know that you aren't alone during all those struggles. You are doing a lot to let us learn through your thoughts and writings and we are here to support you through all of that. May be we through that we can be your strength to overcome all the stress and strains.]
- On a way that I try to help get myself out of that cycle (I’m still working on it) Is to just remind myself why I write in the first place. I enjoy what I do, and I want to continue to love writing and sharing my world with all of you. An interesting thought is whenever you are reading someone’s writing, you are literally inside their mind. Kind of cool.
[ Definitely <3 it's always fascinating to enter a new world, where things can be unpredictable yet predictable, which make you smile, cry and emotionally constipated. And I'm glad to hear and understand your pov, it's refreshing, to be honest. I wanna say that, you will always have us through the journey. ]
➽ What was your favourite part and least favourite part of the writing journey?
- My favourite part is the community I’ve joined and the mini-communities that I’ve taken part in or helped create. I’ve met so many amazing writers and readers, all that I am forever grateful for. Honestly, reading comments on my stories gives me the goofiest bloody smile LOL, lord help me.
[ I understand, those are really encouraging <3 ]
- My least favourite thing is probably my run-ins with people who steal my writing or other people’s work. It’s disheartening, really. And the worst thing is that most of the time, there’s nothing you can do about it. There’s a dear good friend of mine that you’ve interviewed who lost her account for standing up to plagiarism. All her memories and comments vanished. It broke my heart. However, she prevailed and came back stronger than ever. Love you [ green_mic ]
[ She's a strong woman I must say. I have been following her from that time, when she had her previous account ( with my main, of course ) and I have witnessed everything. It's disheartening to find that people can be happy with only reads and follows, and the recognition here which is not everything, I must say. Writing is an art, sharing knowledge but I don't understand how easily they get happy with the numbers on book or follows by stealing someone's hard work! Like, did you ever feel the rush of adrenaline when you was immersed in writing? Did you ever come across with a struggle of writing a chapter? Did you ever felt the satisfaction when you found the perfect sentence to continue? Then how can you be a writer? Then what's the point of all the recognition, votes, reads and follows ? It means nothing.
Wattpad might be a platform to showcase your talent but stealing isn't a talent. It's you failing yourself. And our life doesn't lies here on this platform, we all have a life outside and this recognition and votes and follows do not feed you but how you show yourself and your hardwork. One can achieve something by stealing but can't stand on their foot forever.
I talk a lot, but can't help it ]
➽ Inspiration comes from different kind of elements. What inspired you to write CODE:JK 97 ?
- 9)Code:JK97 was written in like five days. It was a crazy week. AmlikaQ , green_mic and I were writing for a fanfic fest, and we had a deadline which our crazy selves decided to join last minute 😂 I was given a prompt which I can’t exactly remember who wrote, but basically, the story was inspired by NASA’s Opportunity which was a rover sent to Mars that died on its 15th year. The prompt was literally a quote from the rover itself, which is “My battery is low and it’s getting dark.” So I wrote about the events leading up to the rover’s last words. Angst is something I hadn’t tackled until this story, so really, this was a debut for angsty Yuehan haha. Also, I didn’t know that a rover could be so adorably cute 😭
Bringing it back to the world building question, I actually did do a lot of research when it came to this story, and I hope people notice. A lot of readers have told me that it’s my best work which at first came as a surprise, but hey, I’ll take it! I love CODE:JK97 with all my heart.
[ I can agree with everyone who said that. To be honest, my knowledge about things were lesser than a person of my age should have in my opinion because of the lack of resources I had growing up. Finding Wattpad was a game changer for me. Not everyone can afford to buy and read books and here, the research and dedication you guys put on a fanfiction or a fiction is greater than what I can ask for. My sincere thanks for all of your efforts. Thank you. ]
➽ What's most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
[ I'm such a dumb interviewer to be honest. I send the whole questions by order and forget to check and change the questions according to authors but after reading his responses, I'm glad I didn't change the question. ]
- I wouldn’t really be able to answer that question. I’m a gay guy writing about Taekook, which I feel gives me an advantage when it comes to authenticity. Being surrounded by a predominantly female community at first felt alienating, but now I feel more confident knowing that a lot of things that I’m writing about I’ve experienced myself in some way or form (but not all! 😅 Can’t say I’ve created a humanoid rover or worked at an erotic call centre LOL) But at the end of the day, I don’t think writing has anything to do with gender. Yes, it does help that I’m a guy, but there are many works of art written by women that execute writing same-sex couples so immaculately✨
[ I agree with you so much <3 as a reader who had read a lot of books written by man and woman, characters take over gender roles most of the time.
And are you sure you haven't created a humanoid rover or worked at an erotic call center? We should have that serious conversation someday, lol...
You are right it's always an advantage to talk about or write about the things that we gone through. May be it a tragic event or a happy one, or something that taught you a lesson. Writing give us a opportunity to bleed out thoughts raw and beautifully.]
➽ Has writing books changed the way you see yourself?
- I guess? I like to think I’ve become more creatively aligned with my true self. Writing is a form of expression, and I get to express myself in many ways through the worlds I create. It also exercises my brain, which I think makes me feel like an intellectual 😂
[ You are.]
➽ What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
- So many. So so many. Honestly, I could write an endless list of inspirations (which I will not do). I’m inspired by so many amazing creatives here on this platform. Inspiration can come in many forms, and the people who inspire me the most are the authors I’ve luckily created bonds with. All my friends are such amazing and inspiring people, and in some way or form, all of them influence and encourage me to be a better writer. A few I want to mention off the top of my head are;
- AmlikaQ who always lifts me up and inspires me with her endless amount of ideas and enthusiasm. She is the queen of creating amazing ambience with her writing, and I LOVE that she writes in the present tense.
- green_mic who is one of the first people I’ve read here on Wattpad and have been lucky enough to become friends with. Still to this day, her writing brings me so much joy, and we motivate each other whenever we can!
- ThaFantasticFoursome Who is undeniably an icon. Someone who can captivate you so easily and effortlessly with her writing. A beacon for most TK writers here on Wattpad.
- caomeii is like my first author crush. Her writing is so 😍😍😍 She’s one of the first authors I looked up to (still do) on wattpad. After reading her work, it made me feel so incompetent LOL. It made me want to improve and strive to be amazing like her. She’s also the reason why I met a lot of my author friends that I have now.
- An author that I’m reading right now is tenderkoo. I’m reading Sinners Like Us, which is wow✨ I recommend it 100%. It’s a historical fiction piece based just before WWII in 1939, and the way she writes is just immaculate. And I love love loveee her character writing. She’s not afraid to write morally grey characters. A perfect example of what I said before about characters driving the plot forward rather than the plot happening to the characters.
[ Thank you so much for sharing with me, I can clearly see how much you adore them by your words.]
➽ Taekook and their pure bond has been inspiring a lot of people nowadays. What advice would you give a new writer. Someone just starting out?
- Yes. We love Taekook always 💜 Advice I would give to new writers is to just start writing. No more excuses, no more brainstorming, just head deep into writing. Sure, it will probably be bad at first, but you’re already ahead of a huge percentage of the people out there just by having something down on paper. You can always go back and edit or cut whatever you write and rearrange, but I promise you, once you get the flow and you’re in the zone, you’ll be unstoppable.
- You can keep saying you have amazing ideas, cause sure, anyone can. What differentiates you from others is how you execute those ideas in the form of writing. And also, once you finish a story, be proud because you’re ahead of 99% of people who never push through with their ideas. Just having a finished book makes you part of that 1%. (Don’t quote me on those percentages LMAO) New writers out there, I’m cheering for you! We’ve all been where you are right now, so you’re not alone.
[ Wise words ❣️ your words would be a great push to someone. Thank you. ]
➽ And that bring us to the end of this interview. Thank you so much for accepting my invite
- Thank you again for having me 💜
◄►
It's my first time having a chat with Yuehan_, I have been a reader since forever who admire his writing a lot. Now that I got a chance, our timezones became a villian along with my work. Because of that our little chat wasn't how I normally did with authors, I couldn't be a live participant. Even so, we had managed and i think it would have been great if we were chatting than sending questions and answers but again, if it was live chat, I'd never get to talk a lot [ I know I talk a lot but it's not the same. ] I get to find what I wanted to reply here but during other times, I have to reply fast not wanting to keep authors waiting, and the same time I had to say my thoughts aloud.
I'm glad we could do it even with all the struggles of timezone. Thank you so much for putting up with me. It was great learning and understanding your pov.
Thank you so much <3