1. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Me? Hmm... My name is Chelsea, I'm 16 years old, I live in North Carolina. I write and stuff. I also do theatre. I have obsessions with the following: Pretty Little Liars (duh), Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (it's bad), Alice in Wonderland (1951 version), books, Chihuahuas, Unicorns, Genies, Aladdin, Rubber Ducks, Duke College Basketball, and anything Disney. And, of course, Wattpad. I can also be very random...
2. What inspired you to write?
I don't know if there's any particular inspiration originally. I've just always been writing and telling stories. Literally, since I was three. I used to lay in bed with my grandparents and just tell them stories that I would make up off the top of my head. In first grade, I used to get in trouble for writing too much because I couldn't fit a 'picture' in. I didn't really realize that I loved it, though, until the second grade. I've been writing ever since.
3. How did you discover wattpad?
Well, Inkpop closed down I think two years ago. Everyone made an account of either Wattpad or Figment. I made an account on both, but originally went to Figment for about eight months. Until my best friend started getting on here for fanfics and encouraged me to try it. I've been obsessed ever since...
4. Where do you come up with your ideas?
Hahaha, I really don't know how to answer that question. I can literally get my ideas ANYWHERE and from the MOST RANDOM things. For example, Santa's Not Fat came from staring at a picture of a guy with abs wearing a Santa hat... And Out Of The Bottle came from a science video my teacher was having us watch about atomic bombs. The video kept saying 'the evil genie had been let out of the bottle.' And so my mind wondered...
5. Which one of your characters is your favorite?
I have to pick a favorite?! Omg... Hmm... I guess probably Sasha. She isn't weak and needy - like most of the characters on wattpad. Even after everything she has been through, she's still holding her head up high. I admire that about her. I know if I was in her place, I probably wouldn't ever be able to do that.
6. What is the hardest part about writing?
Personally, I think it is not letting people and comments influence what you do. I know how I want my stories to go, and most of the time, I have them planned before I even start on them. Then I get comments and stuff about what should happen and what they want - and naturally, I want to please them. For example, in How To Whip A Guy Makayla has three love interests. I know who she's going to end up with, but it's hard not to listen to what everyone else wants. It's always hard not to let other people influence what happens.
7. Imagine your characters are on survivor. Who will they vote out of the book?
I think Sasha would be the first voted out, haha. Everyone's still mad at her for that picture thing... ;) Arnab would use his genie powers to keep him and Kylie in the game, so they would probably have nothing to worry about. And Makayla probably would be safe to the end, too, since Hunter, Chase, and Noah aren't going to vote against her... I think Kristina would be safe for a while, because it's kind of hard not to love her. Besides, Porter would totally sacrifice himself for her.
8. What are some things you like to do when you’re not writing?
I usually listen to music a lot. It puts me in the mood to write.
9. Who are your favorite authors? Who influences you?
Sara Shepard is my all time favorite writer. In order, I also love Susane Colasanti, Sarah Dessen, and Abbi Glines. I would say they all influence me in a way. Although Sara Shepard doesn't really write the same genre as me - I write romance - you NEVER can predict what is going to happen in her books, and I try to make mine like that some. Also, Susane Colasanti and Abbi Glines writing is very similar to mine, and it helps reassure me that I really can be published one day.
10. Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?
Well, I'm 16 now, so in five years I'll be 21. Probably drunk off my ass doing who knows what... Haha, just kidding. I'm too much of a goody-too-shoes for that. I hope to be attending Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina, majoring in English and minoring in Creative Writing. I hope to be on my way to getting my very first book published by either Harper Collins or Speak publishing :)
11. What is your favorite movie and why?
Uh... One? Well, I couldn't pick one movie to save my life. We'll just go with Dead Poets Society for now. Most people probably haven't heard of it, and if you have, you probably don't understand it. Most of the people I know who have seen it either hate it or don't understand it. But it's wonderful. Everything about it is perfect. By far the best movie Robin Williams has ever done.
12. What advice would you give to your younger self?
I probably wouldn't give myself any advice. I believe everything happens for a reason. If I gave myself any advice, I wouldn't have made the mistakes I have, and I wouldn't have been able to learn from them.
13. Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
Uh, Sasha Pieterse, duh :) Because she's freaking amazing and gorgeous and the most perfect person in the world and omg I want to be her.
14. If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Pretty Little Liars because then I would be Sara Shepard and then I would be the most perfect and wonderful person on the face of this earth.
15. Do you see writing as a career or a hobby?
I see writing as my life. It's everything to me. I don't know what I would do without it, and I hope and wish more than anything that one day I can be a famous, successful author one day.
16. Will you have a new story coming out soon? If so can you tell us about it?
Actually, yes, I do :) I know I have started two new stories recently, but I also will be starting a new one very soon. It will be called The Walgreens Bet, so be looking out for it!! :) And as for telling anything about it, the only think I will disclose is it is all about a box of banana flavored condoms...
17. What was your favorite part about writing?
Being able to create and execute my own story. Creating a new reality, new characters, and everything being my own. I just... Love it.
18.Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?
Which book...? Haha, I've learned a lot whole writing. For starters, originality is a thing. Just because everyone else is writing about something - bad boys, nerds, best friends turned lovers - doesn't mean you need to. In fact, it means you need to stray away from those kind of topic. It's over-used, and people and publishers don't want to read the same old thing over and over again. Create something new and different.
19.Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?
Hi! Haha... Well, okay, I know a bunch of you think I'm a total bitch, but I promise I'm really not. I can be a bitch sometimes, but I'm actually really friendly :) I promise...
20. Do you have any advice for other writers?
Refer back to 18. Originality is a thing. Don't write about the typical thing just because everyone else is. Come up with something new and different. I promise you won't regret it... :)