I had the pleasure to be interviewed by an amazing and very talented editor - Emma O'Connell from Emma's Edit. She asked me some interesting questions that I'm sharing below.
1. What do you do when you're not writing?
I’m a fitness freak, so you can find me in the gym when I’m taking a break from writing. Another hobby of mine is experimenting in the kitchen. When I let my imagination take over while preparing healthy meals, I always come up with something one of a kind that I can’t recreate later on.
2. What are your three top tips for aspiring writers?
I’ve learned a lot over the past several years, but if I were to choose only three most valuable pieces of advice, I’d say: one, don’t give up, two, reach out to other authors/people in the industry for advice, and three take breaks when you need - not writing for a day isn’t going to kill your progress.
3. What makes you/your stories different from other writers?
Since my novel is a paranormal romance, supernatural beings are an intrinsic part of it. However, I decided to take an unconventional approach and instead of writing about vampires, werewolves, etc., I created my own creatures. They’re quite a blend of different entities of an otherworldly nature that you’re familiar with.
4. What are your goals as a writer?
I have plenty of goals, the most current one is to publish the entire Enthrallment series over the next few years. I also have one standalone contemporary romance that I’d like to publish in 2021. As for the more distant future, I’ve been dreaming about joining the New York Times bestselling author list. Hopefully, I’ll make it a reality one day.
5. What's your typical writing process?
I enjoy writing in the evenings or at night the most. Over the course of the day, I allow my thoughts to roam freely, letting the universe inspire me. I often take notes when an unexpected yet riveting idea crosses my mind. When I’m finally ready to tackle some words, first, I have to ground myself and remove any distractions. An intrinsic element of my writing process is playing some inspiring music that gets me in the creative zone. I also light up a candle or use an essential oil diffuser. Scents help me focus better. Once all these steps are achieved, I let my characters take over and guide me. I give in to them.
6. When did you first realize writing was something you wanted to do?
I had known that writing was going to be an inseparable part of my life since I was about eight years old. However, I decided to take my writing to the next level when I turned twenty-two. At that time, I became confident enough to share my manuscript with a bunch of friends who got astounded by it. They convinced me that the story I had written deserved to be published and reach multiple readers. With no hesitation, I listened to their advice, and that’s how I ended up where I am today.
7. What do you enjoy most about writing?
Creating plot twists that surprise even me. I usually have the story arc created before I start writing. But ideas pop into my mind as I go and sometimes I change the course of action one hundred and eighty degrees. I like this element of surprise.
8. What’s your book about?
In a nutshell, my book is about young Zara who’s living an ordinary life - school, work, friends, occasional crush. Everything changes with the arrival of a new neighbor who is handsome, sexy, and has an irresistible appeal, but… he also has a closely guarded secret, which Zara is tempted to uncover.
9. What Hogwarts house(s) would your main character(s) be in?
I feel that Zara is somewhat in between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff because she’s a kind-hearted, dedicated, and loyal person, but at the same time, she can be hot-headed, and act recklessly as Harry would. Dorian, on the other hand, qualifies for Slytherin since he’s a cunning natural leader.
10. (No spoilers!) What’s something your protagonist learns during the book?
Zara learns in a hard way that lying doesn’t pay off. Even though she thinks that she’s doing the right thing by keeping the truth to herself, eventually she realizes that it has caused a plethora of misunderstandings, and really complicated her life as well as negatively impacted her relationships with the closest ones. To make matters worst, it has even lead to a tragedy at the end.
11. What are you reading at the moment?
I’m reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. It’s mind-blowing to realize why we do what we do in life!
12. What’s something you’ve learned during the writing/publication process?
I’ve learned that every writer has their own journey to becoming a published author, but no journey is without obstacles. To achieve success in writing, one needs to stay persistent and never quit. Someone has once told me that the difference between a successful author and a writer is that the former one kept going regardless of the obstacles.
13. What’s your favorite cake or dessert?
I don’t have a sweet tooth at all, but if I were to choose one dessert that I’d kill for, it would be my mom’s cheesecake. It’s just the best.
14. What's something that no one would expect about you?
I used to be a pro volleyball player. Good times!
15. Describe yourself in three words!
Bubbly, go-getter, dreamer.
To find out more about Emma and her editing services, visit her website.
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