It's been a long time coming, but it's finally that time again! I've been so incredibly lucky to find these next three featured authors. When going to contact them, I was so nervous that the long wait to find out if they'd been picked would have deterred them from the contest. To my surprise, I've found three of the most understand, and talented writers to feature for February, March, and April! Continue reading to find out who our featured author for March is, and head back to the blog's homepage to find out who our two fellow authors are!
For those who are unfamiliar, I have a monthly contest - one that includes the opportunity for all of my readers, both new and old, to be featured on my website, and multiple social media accounts!
That is why, with great pleasure, I am pleased to announce March's featured author, Brit (@britbrat747!)
For those who don't know, Brit knows her way around Wattpad, to put it mildly. Not only has she written in well over half of the available genres on Wattpad, but she's got four years on the platform to prove just how far she's come.
Since starting on this particular Wattpad profile a year and a half ago she's written 8 books, one of which being her mind boggling mystery-thriller, The Hipster Tipster. Though seeing hipster in the title may deter a few of you, I can assure you that this author brings the unexpected to the table. Not only will this novel draw you in within the first chapter, but it will leave you wondering 'what the hell did I just read and when can I get more?'.
Since getting to know BritBrat, I can tell you that she is one to never shy away from a challenge. With every obstacle she's faced, she's found a way to overcome it, and being experimental with her writing seems to be the perfect way to do it. From werewolf to chick-lit, then back to the original thriller's she concocted, Brit has a new and exciting approach to every story. As I'm sure you'll pick up on from our interview below, she's got a great humor to her that only makes her stories more relatable. Then there's also the fact that this author has the talent to really take her places - but don't just take my word for it! Just as with the other author's I've featured, BritBrat is one that's worth your time. Make sure to add The Hipster Tipster to your libraries today!
I would like to give a personal congratulations to this amazing author! You will be featured both here, and on my Wattpad!
For anyone that would like to get to know her better, check out the interview on my Wattpad, or down below!
SS: How long have you been on Wattpad?
BRIT: I have been on Wattpad for 4 years now. Wow. Now that I think about it...that's a REALLY long time. I've had three accounts so far, but only two remain active. I joined Wattpad when I was 13 and it has honestly transformed me. There are people who never existed in my life 4 years ago, but now, I can't imagine living a day without them. I have grown as an individual and a writer. If you read my books four years ago...I should stop. I am literally cringing as I type this. But suffice to say that my writing has improved. Drastically.
SS: How long have you been writing?
BRIT: I've been writing for (roughly) around the same period that I have been on Wattpad - 4 years. On my first account, I wrote my first book...then I deleted it. I'd be lying if I said that it was not an absolute disaster. I wrote two more, before I took them down as well. It was then that I decided to explore into a different genre of writing because my books revolved around the 'Teen Fiction' genre. So, I created a new account. To start fresh, I guess. I decided to dab a little in the 'Fanfiction' genre because I was (and still am, and will forever be) a huge fan of anime, cartoons and TV shows like iCarly and Victorious (these shows pretty much summed up my entire childhood). It was with this account that I completed my very first book (I had never really finished the other three). After that, I continued doing Fanfiction books. I loved writing them, but I felt discontent. It took me a long time to figure it out but I learned that the reason that I was unhappy was because I wanted to write (and complete) my own book, created by me and solely me. Fanfictions are amazing to write, but the characters weren't really mine. So, like I did before, I created a new account - this account. I really got into Mystery animes and TV shows a while back (like CSI and all that jazz) so the first book I wrote here was under the Mystery-Thriller category. I'm happy to say that I actually completed this book, even though there were times when I really wanted to delete it because I thought the plot was trashy. Writing has really opened up my mind. I now know how difficult it can be to come up with captivating plots to keep your reader engaged and give your book an authentic touch. People who come up with great animes, TV shows, dramas...I learned to appreciate them more. Because thanks to this app, I was able to step into their shoes and see what they see.
SS: When did you first realize you wanted to write?
BRIT: I realized that I wanted to write when I was 12 or 13 years old. I've always been an avid reader and I had read plenty of books at that time, but I was always unsatisfied with the endings of the books or the choices made by the characters. I know that the author intends for the characters to make smart/stupid choices for plenty of reasons, such as to build the character themselves or reveal something in the book that we, the audience, had not seen before. I wanted to write to give an alternate approach to what the author had done with their story, thus, why I joined Wattpad.
SS: What do you like to do when you're not writing?
BRIT: That's a tough question, haha xD When I am not writing (and not suffocating from my school work and school in general), I am either painting, doing photography or playing piano. I really love Art (and all its forms) so that's why these activities sound really artsy. However, I am not saying that I am actually GOOD at doing them. Maybe the piano, because my piano teacher would twist my ears whenever I hit the wrong key which is not a very pleasant experience.
SS: Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say when you do?
BRIT: I do hear from my readers from time to time. Whenever I hear from them, they usually ask about how I am and whether I am alright which is awfully sweet of them. There are times when they would talk to me about my book and we'd just talk about how silly or kind the characters are. The comments they leave always make my day and there are times when I would have a terrible day at school and their remarks would turn my entire day around, even if they are just a sentence or two. Some would make me laugh and I would burst out laughing and wheezing like a retarded seal. And there are others who give me constructive criticism, which I always welcome. They help me better my book and without their helpful advice, my books would not be where they are right now. I am eternally grateful for my readers. I know it sounds cliché but words cannot really describe what they mean to me. They have a special place in my heart <3
SS: What do you think makes a good story?
BRIT: I think the perfect ingredients to a great story are: Dylan O'Brien, Extra sauce, ...and a whole lot of drama. Okay, I'm kidding. I think what makes a great story is authenticity and originality. There are stories that you will read here on Wattpad that have the same overused plot-line, but only a few of them stand out. I believe that the reason as to why they stand out was because the writer made their story theirs. They incorporated a part of themselves in order to complete their masterpiece. And by putting yourself (not necessarily literally) in the book, I think that's what makes a story great. You know why? Because you are great (it is really cheesy, but it's true).
SS: How do you go about writing a chapter?
BRIT: I don't know about other people, but I am sort of a middleman whenever it comes to writing a chapter. When I say 'middleman', I mean that I plan the beginning, the conflict and the ending of the book. I actually sit down and write it down or type it out. But whatever comes in between...now, that's where I freestyle. However, I make sure that my chapters (one way or another) are relevant to the position of the book. For example, if I am getting to the main conflict of the book, the chapters that I will write have to build up the drama and heighten the tension in the book. That's why I used the term 'middleman'. There are some people who plan everything right from the beginning to the end in detail, and there are others who have a vague idea of what their book will be about and they improvise the rest. I somehow do both. Please keep in mind that there are many, many ways to write a chapter and that there is no 'correct' way. We are all different, therefore, we will have different ways of writing a chapter.
SS: What gives you inspiration?
BRIT: To be honest, just about anything can give me inspiration. I could be sitting in a car, passing by a shopping mall and that would inspire me. I could see a bird flying and get inspiration from that. I could be in class with my teacher droning on and on about the history of yarn, and believe it or not, I'd get inspired from that. I don't think I need to go on. However, my biggest inspiration is from listening to music. Somehow, it just opens my mind up and a million ideas start streaming into my mind. Aside from the bass/tune of the song, the lyrics could also be really powerful and help me come up with something if I am ever experiencing Writers Block.
SS: Who influences your writing?
BRIT: There are three people who influence my writing: First, there is James Patterson. If you haven't read his books, stop what you are doing right now and go pick up one of his books as soon as possible. He is an incredible writer and his writing style definitely intrigued me when I first started to read his books. Each chapter he writes switches POVs without any given warning, and it really makes his mystery books even more alluring. Second, there is @TahliePurvis who is my all-time female favourite author on Wattpad. Her writing style is descriptive, but very enthralling and if I could I would (re)read all of her books in one sitting. She inspired me to work on her descriptions because every time I would read her books, I would literally feel like I was immersed into a new world. Everything the character would smell, I could smell. Everything they could see, I see. And so on and so forth. Last but certainly not least, there is @RobThier who is my absolute favourite male author on Wattpad. His writing style is always humorous and light, yet he is able to perfectly capture the historical periods that his characters are living in so reading his work is never a bore. I thoroughly enjoy his work and like @TahliePurvis, I would willingly stay up all night just to read his work.
SS: How would you describe yourself as a writer?
BRIT: I would describe myself as unexpectedly real. I know it's odd, but it really is how I would describe myself. I enjoy Thriller books, especially with twisted endings that leave me absolutely mind-blown. Those type of books, the ones that make me sit down and recompose myself after reading them...those are the types of books that I would love to write, regardless of the genre. I also want to be real when I am writing. They say that a writer can fully omit themselves from their work, but I don't believe that. In every work we write, there is an aspect of ourselves reflected in our books through one of our characters, whether they are the protagonist or they are a secondary character. An aspect of myself that I would like for others to see...is being real. I don't know if that makes sense. I really can't explain it in any other way.
SS: What's your favorite genre to write under?
BRIT: I've written under Teen Fiction, Fanfiction, Werewolf, Adventure, Romance, Poetry, Mystery-Thriller and Chicklit. As fascinating as it was to write under all these genres, my favourite genre to write under is definitely Mystery-Thriller. There's something about messing with people's minds that really amuses me. Not in a cynical way, though. I know it's what they all say, but I am not crazy!
SS: What's one of your favorite stories on Wattpad?
BRIT: I don't have a favourite book on Wattpad. I have SEVERAL favourite books. I'll only mention my top five (in no particular order): 1) Awake by @autheras 2) Storm and Silence by @RobThier 3) #AskAmy by @TahliePurvis 4) Once Upon a One Night Stand by @simonesaidwhat 5) 7:23 am by @bateaux If you are looking for a good book, I would recommend these five. I promise, they are not a waste of your time!
The book I would pick out of the five, though, would be Awake by @autheras I read that book in one go. And when I finished it, a part of me died. It was beyond incredible!
SS: And finally, what's one of your favorite stories you've written on Wattpad?
BRIT: My favorite story that I have written on Wattpad is 'The Hipster Tipster' under this account. It is a Mystery-Thriller book about a man named Johnson, who is a famous investigator. In the area he lives in, a series of crimes start to arise from the same group of misfits and in the end, it turns out that his step-daughter was the ringleader of this group. I liked it the most because the criminal of the story turned out to be a teenager. It is something unusual and unexpected which is what I like to aim for whenever I write a book/prompt.
There you have it - our lovely featured author for March of 2018! Head back over to the main Featured Page to check out our other two featured authors for the month!
And if you would like to enter, check out the contests book on my Wattpad profile for more information! The next featured author could be you...