(I stole the name for this from @brieflyinfatuated because I saw it and was instantly in love. Anyway)
After quite the overwhelming response from people, I have decided I will start posting interviews with writeblrs. The decision came while I was deliberating how to celebrate my latest follower milestone.
HOW IT WORKS:
As I get responses, I will make posts with the information I've gathered. The "interview" is broken up into sections, going over the writer as a person, what they write, and their thoughts on the writeblr community as a whole. Due to the volume of responses and general interest, I have elected to do it this way for the sake of consistency and also to make this easier on myself.
This will be a long-term activity unlike my last milestone celebration. I aim to post one interview a day until I run out of interviews to post, and will be routinely checking the form for responses. Additionally, I have added a page to my site which will serve as a "hub" for all the interviews conducted--though, tracking the #iwaw tag should serve just as well.
HOW TO BE INVOLVED:
Go to this form and answer as much or as little as you want. You don't have to worry about following me--this is an event for all of writeblr, after all! This is my attempt to give back to the larger community.
Also,,, share this post! I'm going to be doing this for a very long time, so the more the merrier!
My new piece of art called ”the positive Corona, Quit Smoking” 🚭💨, I have thought to do this idea when I saw my husband quit smoking after a long time struggling to quit, I am so pleased to see him being healthy again. Therefore there are always positive things coming from any crises, share your positives during #COVID19.
Hello! I'm a queer horror novelist and friend to cats from South Australia! I spend my time making art of all sorts, especially relating to my experiences of queerness and psychosis.
What You Write:
What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?
Comedy, fantasy, horror, and sci-fi. Young adult and adult.
What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?
Horror! There's such rich ground to explore in stories of horror and psychosis when you're not an ableist prick about it! There are unique and valuable stories to be told in the overlap here and I'm having a wonderful time weaving my own experiences of schizotypal personality disorder into my horror writing. It's the closest I've come to being able to share my inner world with others :)
What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?
Historial fiction! I don't have anything against the genre, but it's just not my cup of tea. I'd never feel like I'm nailing the time period due to the sheer amount of nuance and detail that I'd need to have on hand… major props to historical fiction writers, you are stronger and more organised writers than I
Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?
My target audience ranged from YA to adult, depending on the work in question. I want to speak to primarily people who are feeling disconnected and alone… I guess you could say my target audience is just myself of the past? I'm writing the stuff I needed to read, the stuff that would have made me feel seen and loved and understood. Anyone else is welcome along for the ride though ^.^ I hope others who don't see themselves in my work would catch a glimpse of a different way of understanding the world and be able to empathise and understand, and maybe have a lot of fun with it, too!
What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?
I love all that cheesy goodness about the power of friendship and the human capacity for kindness and connection! My stories, however otherwise horrifying or heavy, tend to come back to these at their core. My works all focus heavily on mental illness, neurodivergence and disability. I also have a soft spot for bendy realities, body horror, paranoia and hiveminds.
What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?
I cannot stand "the whole thing was just a delusion all along! none of it was ever real!" or "ooh they thought it was psychosis but it turns out it was ~magic~! see, our protagonist isn't CRAZY like those actually crazy people!" style plot twists. They're lazy and ableist! In general, I have zero tolerance for anything that demonises psychosis or uses psychosis only as an edgy plot twist.
What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?
I have two main projects, "All the Doors are Open", a YA fantasy/horror about the collapse of reality, and "A Rental Car Takes a Left Down Rake Street and Disappears" a paranormal horror about a vampire hivemind. I've been working on some variation of ATDAO for eight years, and Rental Car is a baby by comparison, and was only created last year.
Why do you write? What keeps you writing?
I write for fun! As much as I love to connect with others and allow them a glimpse into my understanding of the world, I primarily write because I just like to have a good time hahaha. It's something I love to dabble in and explore, something I love to wander through, something I keep coming back to over and over. I just feel a pull to it :D
How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?
I've been writing since I was around six years old! Growing up as a kid with undiagnosed psychosis and delusions, I had a lot of funky weird ideas about reality. I quickly found my reality didn't match with those around me and often turned to fiction writing as a means to express myself in a way others found more "palatable". It's a way for me to open the door to communication!
Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?
All kinds of places! Songs, dreams, daydreams, personal experience, conversations… I have a very chaotic brain, I take in a lot of odd information and it all lays the foundation for odd ideas to grow!
What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?
I'm most proud of Rental Car at the moment! It was my first foray into proper full-on horror and my first time writing a specifically schizotypal protagonist like myself, and people have responded with enthusiasm to both! It's become a passion project I really adore and I'm proud of myself for taking the plunge and starting it :D
Have you published anything? Do you want to?
I'd love to publish in the future!
What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?
I'm not sure what appeals to me the most, but marketing appeald to me least hahaha. I'm not really a big presence on social media and I hate promoting myself. I just want to be a hermit. I'm not cut out for marketing myself :P
What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?
I love editing! I love revision! I love wandering through this little garden I've written and pruning and polishing it. It's my favourite part of the process :D I don't have a least favourite part, at least not off the top of my head.
Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.
I have no setup! No schedule! I write when I feel like it and stop the moment I'm not having fun anymore. This has increased my productivity and enjoyment tenfold, as well as improve the quality of my work!
Your Thoughts on Writeblr:
How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?
Around 8 years! I don't remember what initially inspired me to join.
Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?
@tracle0, a friend and pal, who has some of my favourite worldbuilding of all time and such incredible characters! I've been following them for a long time now and love hearing their thoughts :D
What is your favorite part about writeblr?
I love the creativity and enthusiasm! People have such wonderful brains and I love being able to hear people talk about their work with such passion and adoration!
What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?
I think… remembering that writeblr itself is not a hivemind! I see a lot of folks lamenting that they feel ignored by "the community" or that the community is dying, and I think a lot of people see writeblr as a huge monolith. It's not! People gotta focus more on finding a few good friends and a handful of works to be genuinely invested in, rather than trying to interact with the whole of the (ginormous!) community, and expecting the whole community to interact with them. Writeblr is a description of a type of blog, and it's incredibly diverse and complicated and broad! You won't vibe with everyone and it's not so much like an official club you join but a shared experience.
How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?
Man, I'm just vibing. I'm invested in a collection of works I try to keep up with, and I try to keep up with the little circle of writeblrs I'm involved with! Reblogging and getting excited. I'm also often that person who gets bored and goes "heyyyy I'm bored, does anyone have an oc I can draw"… I love doing art for people! Could I be doing more? Probably! But also, I'm not meant to be everything to everyone.
What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?
I don't have a preference!
What kind of posts do you most like to make?
Rambles, excerpts and art!
Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?
I'm just here, babey! And albatris on NaNoWriMo, too. And I guess if you like you can hit me up for my discord, I help run a small writing server!
I'm a relentlessly optimistic affectionate creative who will impart love to the world through whatever means possible, and this includes my writing. And it shows, because all my kids are either full of love or in desperate need of it.
What You Write:
What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?
Action, Adventure, Contemporary, Fanfic, Fantasy, Poetry. Young and New Adult.
What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?
Fantasy, it's always been fantasy. Even my contemporary pieces have trace elements of fantasy in them. I like having rules in my worlds, but ones that I made up instead of science or society.
What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?
Romance. I sometimes think about trying it, but I quickly turn away. There's nothing about romance that is fulfilling in a way that I couldn't find elsewhere. It's just not enough for me. I want everything else, everything in the wider love spectrum, all the kinds I personally treasure in my own life.
Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?
Anybody, but especially people who have emotions that refuse to be processed. I'm hoping to help them process those emotions through the lens of character. If a reader isn't ready for striking combinations of whimsy and weight, or unexpected feelings, then they might not jive with my stories.
What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?
Mental illness, friendship, hurt/comfort, the mortifying ordeal of being known, purpose, trauma, personal choices, siblings, raw depths of emotions, and shenanigans. One of these is not like the other. I like to put relatable qualities in fantastical realms and make it intimate. I want you to indulge, and I want you to think.
What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?
Romanticized abuse or toxic relationships, romanticized mental illness or disabilities, fake redemption arcs, poorly realized characters or cheap twists, and sex. I'm entirely uninterested in sex. There are too many things I dislike to think of them now that I've been asked, but they're just preference. Don't backtrack on character growth for the sake of drama, please.
What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?
That's a trick question. I work on multiple projects at once because that's what my brain prefers. My longest wip is 10 months old and my oldest is almost 7 years.
Why do you write? What keeps you writing?
I've always talked my thoughts aloud to make them make sense - my adhd doesn't think in sentences, so it can get very jumbled in my brain - and stories are an additional way of explaining the world or people to myself, or explaining myself to other people, or of explaining nothing but exploring the unnamed. I write because I feel these things anyway. Might as well share them.
How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?
Since I was 9, so 20 years ago. The same reason as above, and also my mom said I was talented. I was decidedly untalented in various other areas, so I jumped on that talent and went for it. I do still think I'm talented but I'm a good writer because I kept at it. I have the skills now to back up the talent. It’s very gratifying.
Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?
Anywhere, and I really mean it. I can't tell you how many times I've been sitting at a stoplight, or cleaning, or watch Chicago Med with my mom bemoaning the horrible writing and poof! Idea. It just comes to me. Little bit gift, little bit curse, really.
What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?
Hard to say. Everything. The ones that barely exist and the ones that don't make sense anymore. The poetry from 2010 that is simply terrible. The ones from 2020 that are full of grief. The stories that change form but won't leave me alone. The ones I just invented. I'm proud of of it for impacting me, the audience I write for first.
Have you published anything? Do you want to?
No. Yes? It's not the only end goal like when I was 14. It's an idea I like to entertain. I'm currently happy just to be writing along with work.
What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?
I'd like to self-publish first, and that means learning and doing new things, which I hate. I'm 29 and I still hate it. The upside would be more control, the downside would be more control.
What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?
Least appealing is finishing. Most appealing is starting and middling. I'm also afraid of worldbuilding because it tends to squash my writing drive for some reason? I'm working on it.
Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.
It's pure chaos. I rubber duck until sentences settle like dew in the morning, and then I sometimes collect it to make tea, and sometimes I just watch it evaporate. Both activities are important. I write until I find a plot, and if I cannot find one, I will let the tea sit and grow mold. Sometimes I have to throw it out. Sometimes I recycle, plant flowers, and grow new stories. It's chaos. I love it.
Your Thoughts on Writeblr:
How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?
2018 - I converted from a kpop blog - I wanted to get back into writing original fiction again, and I wanted my writeblr to be my main. So. I did that.
Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?
How. Am I supposed to pick. Some?
I found everybody from following a few people and seeing who they followed. I usually follow on a whim, and then make friends after.
@zmwrites, @akindofmagictoo, @blind-the-winds, @oh-no-another-idea, @ink-fireplace-coffee, @avrablake, @chayscribbles, @mel-writes-with-her-dragons, @artbyeloquent, @writing-is-a-martial-art, @ashen-crest, I have at least 80 more people I could mention
What is your favorite part about writeblr?
Making friends and adopting each other's blorbos! And reading some truly excellent stories, obviously.
What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?
Initiate interaction. If you want asks, send some, if you want tags, tag people, if you want readers, read stuff. There's no guarantee of reciprocity - I'm often too tired to respond enthusiastically even when I'm happy to see a post - but the more we engage, the more we are engaging. Wow, I'm a writer.
How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?
I try to send asks whenever I see people asking, I post prompts lists and invent tags. I start conversations and make friends that way. I could be doing more, but it’s a balance between doing more and not breaking my boundaries. I talk to people all day at work and expend social energy. As an introvert, I have to not overreach or I get anxiety and burnout. Life's a balancing act, and writeblr is no exception.
What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?
Tag games? It liberally depends on the day. I struggle the most with reblogging others' writing. But I'm getting better!
What kind of posts do you most like to make?
Writing memes or relatability, or new tag games.
Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?
Born and raised in a town in Catalonia, Spain. I always had an interest for stories and storytelling, and art in general, as well as math. I wrote my first book at 17 as my project to graduate high school. I'm currently majoring in math, translating said book, and plotting another one.
What You Write:
What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?
Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Tragedy. Young and New Adult
What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?
fantasy, mainly because i love worldbuilding and i often focus on religions or magic systems
What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?
i don't think i could ever write a purely romance book. my aroaceness makes it very hard for me to write romance in general.
Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?
i'm not really sure. i write mostly for me. probably just soft fantasy readers? i think people that enjoy worldbuilding and lore might enjoy my stories too. i think anyone could get something out of my books. the setting is just an excuse to write about other things at the end of the day
What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?
grief and circular time appeal the most to me, also main characters struggling with mental health, feeling displaced and out of place. as for tropes, found family and people who dislike each other forced to work together. i don't know why grief comes up that much in my stories. i am obsessed with thinking about circular time, tho. and the mental health issues of my main characters is mostly projecting. as for the tropes, it's all about finding your people whom you feel like yourself with.
What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?
i can deal with pretty much any trope as long as it's entertaining. certain styles of writing is what ultimately turn me off when reading.
What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?
i'm currently translating and posting púlsar, i book i wrote when i was 17. i've been translating for three months, and posting for one. i'm also working on untitled project (that's the actual name for the wip), figuring out plot details and that kinda things. i've been doing that since 2019, when UP was born
Why do you write? What keeps you writing?
i write because i am my own target audience, and because i want to tell my ocs' stories. that's what keeps me going too. i can't just be rid of them, they live rent free in my brain
How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?
since forever, i guess. i remember writing stories as a kid. i was also an avid reader, and a lonely only child that was left alone to their own devices too often, so i found ways to entertain myself
Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?
from my daily life, i guess. púlsar doesn't have that many sources of inspiration that i'm aware of, but UP has lots of influences from my philosophy classes from back in high school. in general, music helps a lot with how i approach my writing.
What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?
some short stories i wrote in high school. they are all writing assignments, but i went so hard on them they are still one of the bests things i've ever written. also my answer to a question in my philosophy final, which i later turned into a short story. circular time, man, i told you
Have you published anything? Do you want to?
i haven't, but i'd like to. i just want to share my worlds and characters with other people
What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?
the sharing, but i also think it's very stressful
What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?
putting it all together. i love finding out how i've unintentionally set up scenes i hadn't even thought about, or how unimportant details turn vital when i add a new scene
Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.
oh boy. my writing process is a mess. it's mostly non linear, and i sit with my stories for a long long time before ever starting to write. i also pull from my drawings. sometimes i'll randomly draw one oc doing something completely arbitrary, and then see that it actually fits with the plot so why not add it.
generally, i have a very rough direction of where i want to go, 2 or 3 key scenes i know for sure have to happen, then i put the characters in A Situation and let them take the reins from there. because i've sit with them for so long before actually writing, i'm confident enough in my knowledge of them so i never doubt where they are going, they just go.
usually i plan ahead for two or three chapters, mostly a bullet point summary or an explanation of events
for UP it's been way more complicated because of the nature of the story and its non linearity
Your Thoughts on Writeblr:
How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?
i joined four months ago. i just wanted to share my work with other like minded people, and i'm honestly glad i did. i've met so many wonderful people in such a short amount of time, and the community is wonderful
Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?
i recently started following @mjjune. i simply fell in love with their now betaing twtr and their general vibes
@moondust-bard has also created a bunch of writblr initiatives like a tag game list, and other ongoing projects
and i have to mention @my-cursed-prince. she asked me a lot of questions about circular time, and then i checked out her wips and adopted her ocs on the spot
What is your favorite part about writeblr?
tag/asks games, and in general the community. i like sharing, sure, but it's also nice to be able to talk about worlbuilding and lore and how annoying ocs sometimes are with people that get it
What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?
huh, i'm not sure. more interaction with actual written stuff would be great, but everyone's busy with their lives outside of here so we can't ask of everyone to read everything that comes across their dashboards every day. it'd be great to have an easy to access place to check old and new writing without having to go to an individual blog every time, but that's also a time consuming project to manage
How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?
if i see someone asking for asks i always send one. i also try to be encouraging of others as much as i can. i do think i could be doing much more. for starters, i'd like to engage more with written content from other writblrs more, but i can't due to time constraints
What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?
anything that strikes my fancy. i enjoy posts about the writing process struggles people have, or little thoughts they have as they write or plot
What kind of posts do you most like to make?
i love rambling when someone asks me a question. and also posting púlsar
Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?
i have a half abandoned instagram art account with the same handle (vsnotresponding), and my main tumblr blog @iwrotemyowndeliverancesblog (i talk about maths and complain about life)
I'm Sparrow Aiden, I'm genderfluid/a trans guy & bi & mixed. My current favorite book is Flesh Eater by Travis Riddle
What You Write:
What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?
Fantasy, horror, and sci-fi. Young adult.
What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?
Probably like fantasy. I just think it's really fun & you can make your own rules for the whole universe [which you can do for others ofc but still-]
What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?
Romance. I write romance in my stories, but I don't think I could do that as the main focus, especially not smut [I respect it though, just very much not for me writing wise-]
Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?
Queer people & queer POC. I think people outside those groups would still enjoy it, at least I hope !!!
What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?
I don't really normally have a theme in mind - maybe death is inevitable & we can't prevent it no matter how much power we have. Also friendship & shit.
What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?
The one character that's always bullied for no reason ??? Like Meg from Family Guy or Jerry from Parks & Rec. It's just needlessly mean, & at least in Jerry's case he is simply trying to be nice & not doing anything :(
What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?
A lot of things, but mostly Deaths Diner. I've been working on it since like 8th grade [so like 7ish years ??] & I'm still not close to done 😮💨. Second main WIP is The River By The Hotel & a few years but idk how many exactly. Not near as long as Deaths Diner though.
Why do you write? What keeps you writing?
I really enjoy writing !!! & I've always wanted to be published - not for money or anything [though money would be nice] but because it's one thing to sew it in a document, but a whole different thing to be able to hold it & have it impact other people. Plus I've always wanted to give people joy & if people get that from my writing that'd be very cool - even if it's only one person
How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?
Since I was little. But the first time I knew I WANTED to be a writer was when I was watching Doctor Who w/ my family & after the intro it said "Written by [whoever wrote that episode]" & I thought that was so cool !! Like someone wrote that & my family & I are interacting w/ it & enjoy it !! [& being a screenwriter would be cool, but it wasn't really for me environment wise so I turned towards writing stories/books & I liked reading anyway so-]
Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?
It mostly comes randomly, but anything tbh. Sometimes its from a movie or show, sometimes it's from a book, sometimes it's just a "Hey, wouldn’t a story about [X] be interesting haha… Wait that's actually amazing-".
The inspiration for Deaths Diner actually came about through the latter. My brother jokingly said "Haha, we should have our own show" & me being a dumb 8th grader was like "WE SHOULD !!!" So I started scripting it. Then I realized our lives aren't interesting enough to have a show based off us, so I added ghosts, then one thing lead to another & long story short it's absolutely nothing like our lives [But I think it's still really cool-].
The inspiration for The River By The Hotel is also [very loosely] based off my life too. Basically as a kid my brother & I WOULD go to hotels to visit our mom & at one there were two kids. My brother & I did go over to the river area w/ them. The stuff that didn't happen was all thr paranormal monster stuff. [But that was brought on because when we went home my little brother told me he almost fell in, so I was like "What if he did & the river was actually a portal to another world ?"]
What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?
Probably Deaths Diner. I'm still on the first draft & while it's nowhere near done, I've worked so hard & long on it, it's like my baby. I can't wait to be finished w/ it though so I can start the second book in the series
Have you published anything? Do you want to?
I haven't yet. But I really want to !! Hoping to publish something this year or next year
What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?
Most appealing is being able to get a physical copy of my book, because it's like "Yooo I did it !! I actually did it !!!". Least appealing is probably the critics. I know even the best books & the books I love have people that don't like them, but still. It's daunting publishing something you spent so much time on because of the thought people might despise it.
What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?
The actual writing is most appealing, because its fun to write, the editing is least appealing. Mostly because I get in my head about the quality & get stuck trying to fix everything - even when there's nothing to fix [or nothing major]
Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.
Kinda chaos. I just write when I feel like it & I'm a bit of a pantser [maybe more like a plantser though] sometimes, especially w/ a series, I know the majors stops [like we start here, then this happens in the middle, then the end happens. But how I get there I don't know & even w/ the stuff I do know its like a loose idea.] but w/ stand-alones I normally don't know that. I have some scenes planned, but other than that I have zero idea how the book will end
Your Thoughts on Writeblr:
How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?
A few years now. I wanted to join to have a place to share my writing & to make friends w/ other writers
Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?
Aaaa this is so hard I really like all my writeblr mutuals/friends it's hard to pick but Uuuuuuhhh- @jezifster, @daisywords, @writing-is-a-martial-art, @athena-anna-rose, @penspiration-writing, @caligraphyzev, @writingpotato07, @writewithfire, @pen-of-roses, @e-lisard, @ashen-crest, @the-finch-address, @cryptid-s-wips, @chrismerle, & so many others !!! I don't know how I stumbled onto all of them, but they're all cool people & cool writers
What is your favorite part about writeblr?
The community & event
What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?
I don't know tbh
How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?
I think I could interact more. I'm very forgetful so sometimes I forget to reply to stuff or post things. I try to share others writing & stuff
What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?
All kinds, other people's writing & short stories, peoples replies to tag games, etc
What kind of posts do you most like to make?
Updates about progress
Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?
On twitter: @WriterGlitch & on Instagram: @TheGlitchyWriter [though I'm most active on tumblr]
I'm a 23 year old aspiring author who loves to write stories exploring grief, trauma, and mental illness! I love horror and anything spooky that makes you think and leaves a lasting impact on you.
What You Write:
What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?
Adventure, comedy, fanfic, fantasy, horror, paranormal, psychological, romance, thriller, and tragedy. Young and new adult, and adult.
What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?
I would love to write horror forever honestly. Horror appeals to me because it examines what scares us and why, and I feel like horror gives us a real look into what makes us who we are like no other genres do. My favorite stories are ones that explore humanity through having it face The Horrors.
What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?
I'm really not a fan of realistic, slice-of-life type works. Sometimes it can be fun, but I don't like works that are purely realistic without anything funky going on. I do have one WIP that comes close to slice-of-life, but that's probably the one exception haha!
Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?
My target audience is honestly myself. I write the kinds of stories that I wish I could've had growing up, and if anyone else gets anything out of them, then that's just a bonus.
What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?
I focus a lot on grief and trauma and how they impact people. I love to explore the psyche of a character that's gone through hell and how they come with it, and I love recovery narratives. I don't really know how to explain what keeps me coming back to those sorts of stories again and again.
What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?
One thing I really dislike is when stories make a character's trauma an afterthought or otherwise don't acknowledge or explore it. I understand that not every story has the place for that, but at the end of the day, I think more of them should explore how their characters are affected. I also really dislike recovery narratives that treat it as a linear process with no bumps in the road or pitfalls. Recovery is messy, non-linear, and difficult, and I want to see that reflected more.
What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?
I'm working on quite a few things, haha! I like to joke that I have a very short attention span, and I do genuinely struggle to focus on one WIP for an extended period of time. One that I keep coming back to is called For We Are Both Fragile Things--a romance story featuring themes around mental health, grief, and trauma, ultimately ending in tragedy.
Why do you write? What keeps you writing?
Sometimes I feel like I have all these stories in my heart that I'm just bursting at the seams to release, and if I don't write them, then they'll rot away inside me forever. I have to write, because I don't know what else to do.
How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?
I've been writing stories since I was about six! What first drew me to it was a desire to tell my own stories and share them with the world, even if "the world" was just my friends and family.
Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?
I get inspiration from a wide variety of sources! Admittedly, I get a lot of inspiration from the media I consume and enjoy. For We Are Both Fragile Things is inspired by a few different things, but a big inspiration was my desire to tell a story that the reader knows will end in tragedy but still keeps them invested anyway. I think it's impressive when writers can pull that off, and I want to give it a shot!
What work of yours are you most proud of? Why?
Gosh, that's a hard choice! I think… one thing I'm really proud of is Vultures Are Holy Creatures, a character study centering around my OC Roach. It's incredibly personal to me in many ways, but more than that I think it's one of my most emotional pieces of writing.
Have you published anything? Do you want to?
I have had a couple of short stories published in school literary magazines, but nothing more official than that. I'd certainly like to, but I've been making my peace with the idea that not everything needs to be traditionally published.
What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?
I honestly just love the idea of holding a physical copy of one of my books in my hands someday. I think that would be a really good feeling. However, I hate the idea of trying to interact with a traditional publisher and being forced to tone down aspects of my work, especially how queer my characters are.
What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?
I just love to write! I love to write and see where things go. Not that big a fan of planning, though, if I'm honest. It can be fun, but outlining especially tends to bore me and make me lose interest in a project if I spend too much time on it.
Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.
My writing process is messy. I struggle to find motivation to sit down and write most days, and when I do, it's usually when I actually can't for one reason or another. Something that's been helping me, though, is roleplaying! I've done quite a lot of that over the years, but recently it's been helping me a ton with finding the energy to write my personal projects. In terms of my actual process, I suppose I'm a bit of a plantser--I don't do well with no plan, but planning is hard and I prefer to go with the flow.
Your Thoughts on Writeblr:
How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?
I've been a writeblr for about a year! I actually tried to join the community in the past, but I was too nervous to reach out to anyone! I'm a lot more comfortable now, though. I was inspired to join because I wanted to not only share my own work, but see others' as well!
Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?
Oh, I have so many favorite writeblrs that I don't think I can list them all here! Off the top of my head… @writeouswriter, @albatris, @nicola-writes, @wherearetheplants, @jezifster, @kingkendrick7, @gailynovelry, and @funky-writer-man are all absolutely delightful!!! I'm sure I'm forgetting people unfortunately, but if we interact regularly on writeblr then trust me, I'm a big fan of yours. (I also want to give a shoutout to my lovely partner @skitzo-kero, who may not be strictly a writeblr on their main but has absolutely incredible work!!)
What is your favorite part about writeblr?
I love the community that people have built and how much people support each other. It warms my heart to see people sharing their work and lifting each other up.
What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?
I think writeblr has quite a few problems it needs to reckon with. Namely, ableism and racism are huge issues that I feel too many people on writeblr are content to sweep under the rug and ignore rather than address directly. I'm white so I don't want to speak over any people of color, but I think the issue late last year with a particular user who refused to write people of color spoke volumes about how prevalent this issue is. Discussing racism in good faith is not "petty drama," and I think there are conversations that need to be had. On a similar note, I feel like ableism in writeblr is massively under-recognized. Many people don't take accessibility into account with their posts and rely on ableist tropes and language, and once again it's considered "petty drama" to bring it up. In general, I think people on writeblr should be more mindful and listen to each other--don't be afraid to ask questions to those who have said they're willing to answer, and be willing to accept good-faith criticism about your work and depictions of marginalized characters. I also think writeblr should have more of a focus on uplifting disabled writers, writers of color, queer writers, and other marginalized groups rather than complaining about drama.
How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?
I try my best to contribute to the writeblr community by uplifting those around me and supporting their work! I may not be super big or active in the community, but I love to support people and share their incredible work around.
What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?
I love interacting with anything people post, but I love seeing excerpts especially!!! Any amount of writing people are willing to share, I am there for it.
What kind of posts do you most like to make?
I like to make silly in-universe jokes about my WIPs, most of which make no sense out of context.
Finally, anywhere else online we may be able to find you?
You can find me on ao3 and deviantart as multilefaiye! :D I use that username or variations of it basically everywhere.
I'm a fantasy enjoyer about to graduate from university with a degree in editing. In addition to writing, I like to draw/paint and play the piano. Also interested in linguistics and bookbinding
What You Write:
What genres do you write in? What age ranges do you write for?
Fantasy and Sci-Fi. Young and New Adult, Adult.
What genre would you write in for the rest of your life, if you could? What about that genre appeals to you?
I love specfic in general, fantasy in particular (but the line between fantasy and scifi is blurrier than one might think). I particularly like the potential of alternate worlds to set up situations and character dynamics that simply couldn't exist in a historical or contemporary novel
What genre/s will you not write unless you HAVE to? What about that genre turns you off?
I don't read or write smut/erotica but other than that everything else is potentially on the table. I couldn't see myself doing straight historical fiction, either, honestly, just because I probably wouldn't be able to resist adding some specfic elements and/or unanchoring it from time (Fantasy is freedom to me, whereas historical accuracy is something extra to adhere to.)
Who is your target audience? Do you think anyone outside of that would get anything out of your works?
You mean other than myself?? Ok but actually it's pretty broadly just people who like fantasy. I have one wip that's technically YA just based on the age of the characters, but it could definitely be enjoyed by adults. My other wip is adult/NA but could also definitely be enjoyed by teenagers.
What kind of themes do you tend to focus on? What kinds of tropes? What about them appeals to you?
hmmm….something about the juxtaposition of violence and tenderness? Guilt/responsibility and free will/predestination a la the Chosen One trope. Memory loss trope (so juicy)
What themes or tropes can you not stand? What about them turn you off?
I personally am not a fan of immortal love interests. sorry everyone.
What are you currently working on? How long have you been working on it?
My current main wip is called Deep and Dark, Beautiful and Bright. I started it in November 2020. I also have a back burner project called Fear Me, which has been ship-of-Theseus-ing since I was like 10 lol. And I'm working on two short stories that are being more trouble than they're worth
How long have you been writing? What do you think first drew you to it?
I've been making up stories since I knew what stories were. Mostly started out playing elaborate pretend games with my sister. In second grade my best friend suggested we "write a book" together since our teacher would give out blank spiral-bound paper packets. (I think she was mostly interested in my illustration abilities tbh) Anyway we created a series centered around a character named Natalie (who was basically a ripoff of Ramona/Junie B. Jones.) But anyway I think around then is when I actually became interested in writing books as an outlet for making up stories. I didn't actually do a ton of writing as a kid, but I always collected story ideas and had a ton of ocs that I would draw in my secret sketchbook.
Where do you get your inspiration from? Is that how you got your inspiration for your current project? If not, where did the inspiration come from?
Honestly I get inspiration from everywhere. My brain is a very productive idea factory (but not a productive draft finisher, sadly). Other media (for example taking one specific concept or plot point form a move and running in the opposite direction with it), dreams, songs, historical events, offhand comments from friends, etc. Sometimes justt out of nowhere I swear.
Have you published anything? Do you want to?
Not yet and yes eventually
What part of the publishing process most appeals to you? What part least appeals to you?
I want my projects to have a final form and I want other people to read them. I don't want anyone I know irl (or anyone else for that matter) to psychoanalyze me about them. I'm not looking forward to anything to do with marketing, writing to market, tight deadlines, adhering to standardized formats/lengths, etc. but so it goes…
What part of the writing process most appeals to you? What part is least appealing?
I love coming up with ideas and characters and scenes. I love rambling in my notes doc. I love drafting in the rare moments when I actually do it. I really struggle with getting all the pieces of my plot to fit together. I like editing (I'm literally an editor). I cannot do project management to save my life.
Do you have a writing process? Do you have an ideal setup? Do you write in pure chaos? Talk about your process a bit.
Right now what's working fro me is to have three distinct documents. One goes strictly in order. Another is to put all of the scenes I want to write that don't fit into that order yet. The third one is for me to yell about it all (notes). When I'm lucky, scenes form the chaos doc (scene bank) eventually find their way into the order doc.
Your Thoughts on Writeblr:
How long have you been a writeblr? What inspired you to join the community?
I joined tumblr predominantly for the writeblr community in 2018 (don't remember the specifics but I remember seeing writing posts on pinterest and was like hm well might as well go directly to the source)
Shout out some of your favorite writeblrs. How did you find them and what made you want to follow them?
in no particular order and not an exclusive list: @aohendo @mecharose @scarvenartist @woodhousejay @baroquesse @tracle0 @klywrites @garthcelyn @incandescent-creativity @zmwrites @ashen-crest @ambiguouspuzuma @ettawritesnstudies @megarywrites @magic-is-something-we-create @pinespittinink @isherwoodj just a few of the many excellent people here
What is your favorite part about writeblr?
I just love the community aspect of interacting with other writers, or even just seeing what everyone's working on and how it's going. Even if someone's wip isn't my exact cup of tea I still like seeing posts about their work and people encouraging each other.
What do you think writeblr could improve on? How do you think we can go about doing so?
A lot of people say that interaction is dead etc. but I don't really think that's true. I think focusing less on reblogs and more on comments/asks as a form of interaction would strengthen the feeling of community. Not everyone is obligated to reblog everything and comments and asks can be more personal anyway. I like knowing other people are seeing what I put out there, and I especially love getting comments on my work, but that doesn't mean I need everyone to share it. I'd rather have 5 followers that interact with me than 1000 who don't. Quality over quantity, you know?
How do you contribute to the writeblr community? Do you think you could be doing more?
Of course everyone could always be doing more. I like to read other's snippets when I'm in the headspace for it, but sometimes I'm just here to mindlessly scroll and that's okay too. If I read something and I think it's cool or interesting or well-written or anything I try to either leave a reply or reblog with something in the tags. If I can't think of anything to say just quoting a line that I liked will suffice (I like when people do that to me). I do want to try sending more asks to people—I try to always send one when I see someone's reblogged an ask game, but I think everyone would appreciate some out-of-the-blue asks as well :)
What kinds of posts do you most like to interact with?
All kinds but I am most likely to interact with shorter posts about peoples' process or something about their characters. @klywrites will post about tiny interactions between her characters and I literally love them just from seeing tiny scenes on my dash every so often. I really like to read longer snippets and short stories too (there's some amazing writers here y'all) but I'm more likely to scroll past those if I can't spare the focus. Also I love seeing art! even from people who don't consider themselves artists like aww you drew your little guy and I love them now
What kind of posts do you most like to make?
idk I end up just vagueposting about my process most of the time. I love to infodump about my characters/worldbuilding but I don't do it too often. I also like to post about writing things in general, but I don't consider myself an expert or anything so I'm not putting out a ton of advice—just what works for me
