About the Author

Q: Do you have a favourite author on Wattpad? If so, who? Which of their stories did you enjoy reading the most?

A: This is a tough question to answer, since there are so many writers I admire on Wattpad!

amelierhys is one of my firm favourites. "Before The Snow Falls" was mesmerising with the narrative that switched between the past and the present. That was when I fell in love with Amelie's work. "Before She Rules" is definitely one of my favourite books on Wattpad! I love the daring Princess Addie, the dashing Duke of Kingfield, and their friends. They're a group I can root for and can't get enough of. "Before She Rules" also just won a Watty in the historical fiction category, with good reason!

juniormint94 is one of the first fantasy writers I met on Wattpad, and her book "Air Born" enchants me to this day. I remember waiting on the edge of my seat for updates every week. Cristina knows how to build anticipation! "Air Born" has since been taken down to be published, but it's one of my all-time favourites on Wattpad. It's everything I love about YA fantasy: a bold MC, a school of magic, muddy loyalties, and just enough secrets to make sure you can't put the book down!

Q: How did you discover and develop your passion for writing?

A: It started with my fascination with my grandmother's bedtime stories. When I was eight, my favourite part of the school day was the last hour, because that was story time! My teacher used to read us tales like "The Princess and the Pea" and a story I vaguely remember being about a troll. I think that's where my love for fairytales and fantasy began.

Soon, I was thinking up my own stories, rushing through the schoolwork that had been assigned so that I could daydream in peace, sometimes even zoning out while the teacher was talking. When the other children were playing tag, I was reading. When they were watching TV, I was writing (or attempting to, anyway). When I was 10, I tried to write a novel, but I didn't have the attention span for it at the time.

Fast forward seven years filled with me reading all the books I could get hold of, writing creative essays for school and spending an hour or two writing (rather bad) short stories every Sunday, and I finally wrote my first novel. It was a lengthy, meandering mess that I'm terrified to revisit, but it was the beginning of my writing journey.

I finished school the next year and went to university, so studying took up most of my time for the next few years. All the same, my dream of being a writer was always in the back of my mind. I didn't have time to write a novel like I wanted to, but I did make plot notes whenever a new idea came to me. I still have them, and I hope to work on those concepts some day!

Before long, my compulsion to write became impossible to ignore. I joined Wattpad and wrote another novel for NaNoWriMo, and the rest, as they say, is history.

My passion for writing was always hidden in my love for reading, but Wattpad was such a big part of me developing that passion. This platform is a hub of talented writers who inspire me to break through what I see as my limitations, be it the length or genre of the story. The wonderful people in the book clubs I've been part of gave me valuable critique that forced me to look closer at my work and think deeper. I'm the writer I am today because of them.

In addition to that, there are so many places to find ideas on Wattpad. The ambassador accounts often run contests with such interesting prompts, and even if I don't always enter, they often spark off an idea that I can use later.

Q: What is your story writing process?

A: I'm always refining and developing my writing process as I learn and grow, but I'll share what's working for me at the moment.

When I get an idea, I start by brain dumping. I usually have some sense of the start, setting, character relationships and dynamics, main conflict and ending. This forms a rough synopsis of sorts but with much less structure than a formal one. I like doing this because it gets me thinking about gaps in the plot and things that don't really make sense as yet. This prepares me to start the proper plot outline.

It's overwhelming how many methods there are to outline a plot. I use the three-act structure or the Save The Cat beat sheet. I find them equally fun and effective, but I feel that the Save The Cat beat sheet can keep stories tighter while the three-act structure leaves more space for side plots and deviation from a "typical" plot structure, at least in my experience.

After that, I do my preliminary research into the world that my story is set in or based on. This involves fun things, like creating Pinterest boards for the aesthetics where possible and watching YouTube videos just so I have enough information to start writing the story.

Next is the most intense stage: the first draft. There's no shortcut to this but to sit down, steel one's nerves and write, pushing past the self-doubt, writer's block and procrastination.

Next comes the most difficult stage, at least to me: taking the diamond in the rough and polishing it to jewel-like perfection. Rewriting and editing is such fun, but it's also really difficult because this is when I need to kill my darlings, reinforce my themes and motifs and ask those difficult questions about the plot. After quite some reworking, I usually have a story I'm prepared to share with the world.

This is my writing process for longer works like novellas and novels. Since short stories require less preparation and effort, I use a compact version of the same process.

Q:Most of your works revolve around the genre of historical fiction and fantasy. How did this specific genre influence you?

A: I've always gravitated to these genres. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because they take me to a time and place where there was magic in the world, and my modern life always felt too mundane to me. It's nice to think that there might be fairies in those woods or gods who control the wind. I've always felt drawn to the past, whether the great civilisations like ancient Egypt or Greece or periods nearer to ours on the timeline, like Elizabethan England, the Golden Age of Piracy or the World Wars.

Either way, it always made sense to me that I studied fantasy and historical stories so closely and eventually tried my hand at writing my own. Times may change, but I believe human nature is immortal. That's a huge part of why these tales fascinate me so.

There are always different versions of historical events, and I enjoy exploring the alternatives. That's where fantasy comes into play: when you start asking what-ifs that deviate from the established history and add some magic and intrigue.

Q: Were any of you short stories or novels inspired by real-life experiences? If so, which story do you feel relates the most to your experience?

A: Most of my stories and main characters carry some aspects from my life or personality or character. To answer your question though, I'd say "A Sprinkle of Stardust", which is interesting since it's my most fantastical story on Wattpad.

The main characters, Lyrani and Nash, both face family difficulties similar to what I have experienced. I pantsed the first draft of the story during the ONC in 2020, and maybe it was that element of spontaneity that caused so many elements of my life to bleed into the narrative. Their challenges are more severe than what I have faced, of course, but they are rooted in my experience.

Writing Lyrani and Nash played a role in me processing my family conflicts. I wouldn't say I've healed yet, but I understand my experience a lot better now. Writing in a fantasy setting was especially cathartic, since it didn't have the harshness of reality.

That's why, while "A Sprinkle of Stardust" is my least-known novel, it still has a special place in my heart.

Q: What advice would you give to a fellow writer who is finding it challenging to compile a historical fictional novel?

A: I'm quite new to writing the genre myself, but one piece of advice I would give is: if there are any movies set in the relevant time period, watch them and take notes! It's food for the imagination and a fun way to get immersed in the world. Yes, I know movies aren't always as historically accurate as you'd like to be in your story, but I find them helpful for picturing what the society and setting might've looked like (instead of just trying to imagine it from words you read in an article online) and also getting into the zone of the story. You could also watch documentaries, which are more accurate even though they aren't as entertaining. They can also give you an image of the world you're writing about.

Fleshing out the setting can be intimidating and overwhelming in historical fiction. There's less left to your imagination than with fantasy or science fiction because this was a real period of time, but there isn't always much known about the era in question, so there will be situations where you have to improvise based on your knowledge.

Develop your historical world gradually. Use different sources to make sure you're getting the most accurate portrayal of the time period. As you write the first draft, remember nobody else is seeing it. Take your time to explore and understand the world. It's only when you reach the final draft that everything must be in place, and by then you will be so intimately acquainted with your story world that it'll be a piece of cake! 

In the Author's Words

The pandemic caused me to rethink my stance on quite a few things. I have come to realise that, as important as it is to set my sights on the next goal, it's equally necessary to appreciate where I am and everyone who has gotten me here. I don't think I have the words to do my gratitude justice, but I'm going to try.

I don't believe any great undertaking can be done alone, and writing is no different.

I will forever be grateful to the few teachers from school who looked at my writing and said "this is good". It was the fuel I needed to realise and pursue my passion. My grade 3 teacher told me that a story I had written about two caterpillars in love should be published. I think that's when I thought I could be a writer some day. The bug bit me again when I was in grade 10 and had an English teacher who enjoyed my work. That's when I seriously started considering it. Without them, I would've never taken the first step of this journey.

I must also thank all the friends and family who helped me get here. My brother is my super supportive beta reader and unbiased eyes that are so useful when I get too attached to a story. I've lost touch with my best friend from high school, but I'll forever be grateful for how she saw something worth reading in my first ever (absolutely hideous) manuscript. My university friends are my rocks: the first people I go to when something good or bad happens, the people who give me graphics and writing feedback, the people who remind me why I shouldn't give up even when I really want to.

My biggest thanks goes to my readers, of course. My first readers, some of whom have since left Wattpad and will never see this message. Regardless, I will put it out into the universe that I appreciate you. My loyal readers, whether you binged one of my stories or all of them. My silent readers, who I never hear from but only see in the rising read counts on my works. My encouraging readers, who have sent me such lovely messages about what my stories mean to you. My attentive readers, who pick up my careful clues in the story and solve the mystery beside my protagonist. You guys kept me writing when I felt invisible, before I knew any love for my work. It's hard to believe that was about a year ago!

Special thanks to my book club readers. You've all taught me so much, both through your own stories and your critique of mine.

Thank you all, because I wouldn't be where I am in writing or on Wattpad without you.

About the Story

Congratulations on your win in the Wattys 2021 historical fiction - you deserved it! You can find 'In Fair Verona' on our Featured reading list.

Q: ' In Fair Verona' appears to employ mediaeval aspects. With regards to describing the clothing, the people and various historic items, how do you come to know of these elements? Could it be through research?

A: "In Fair Verona" takes place in the Elizabethan period, some years after the medieval period (a distinction I only learned of when I was researching for this story!). In preparation for tackling this story, I reread "Romeo and Juliet", rewatched Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" and watched "Shakespeare In Love" (all in the name of research, of course!).

Shakespeare's works themselves and my English lessons in school also gave me a good basis to understand the fascinating world in which the Bard lived. While not all of Shakespeare's plays are set in Elizabethan England, they were written to be performed for an Elizabethan audience, so they often betray insight into the society and beliefs of the time.

In addition to that, I did A LOT of research! At any time while I was writing IFV, I had about ten tabs open on my iPad, all about Elizabethan clothing, hair and accessories, the play "Romeo and Juliet", Elizabethan grammar and theatres. Some of those tabs haven't been cleared yet. I guess I've kind of gotten attached to them...

But essentially, yes, when writing "In Fair Verona", research was a close friend of mine.

Q: The book mentions Shakespeare numerous times. Tell us, why was Shakespeares an impact?

A: The study of Shakespeare's plays was, for me, one of the fun compulsory things about high school. Sometimes my teacher would read our assigned play to us. Sometimes she chose people from the class to voice each character. Sometimes we got to act out scenes and write letters to other characters. It was such fun, and it really helped me engage with Shakespeare's works.

Since I had to study his plays and their symbolism and structure, I developed an admiration of his talent for storytelling. When I saw the prompt that started "In Fair Verona" in the 2021 Open Novella Contest, I knew it was the one.

Shakespeare is arguably one of the most masterful storytellers of all time. Of course, many of his works are based on earlier tales, but as a modern writer, I find this relatable. It's nearly impossible to write a story that's completely original, but there are always ways to make a story your own, and Shakespeare did it so well that years later all these stories are attributed to him.

Shakespeare's timeless plays inspire me, as they inspire Kenna in "In Fair Verona". In addition to that, I really admire him for his impact on the English language (did you know he coined the phrases "It's Greek to me" and "All that glitters isn't gold"?).

Since he is one of the writers who influenced me the most, it felt only right that I write a tribute to him in some way. That's why my decision to write "In Fair Verona" was less a choice and more a compulsion.

Q: Which character stands out the most in this book and why?

A: Ooh, this is a hard question! Every character has their role in the plot, of course, but going off reader feedback, it's hard to choose whether Kenna or Luke stands out more!

Many people really feel for Kenna, both at the beginning of the story, when she's going through her devastating breakup, and throughout her journey, a lot of readers being aspiring authors or knowing love and heartbreak themselves. Kenna is (mostly) level-headed and quick on her feet. She's just an average modern girl, trying to make the best of her circumstances and save her favourite play, and I think many readers can relate to her tenacity arising from her love for a work of fiction.

Many readers adore Luke almost instantly for his charm, chivalry and general cuteness. The fact that he's a talented actor and as passionate as you'd expect a hero in Shakespeare's most famous romantic play to be doesn't hurt his case. He's got his flaws, as all people do, but I think his gentle and understanding nature has endeared him to many.

Q: Aside from the book being an excellent story to enjoy, did you want the book to convey any important messages? If so, what was the most important message you wanted readers to perceive?

A: Follow your dreams, and never stop fighting for them. No matter what anyone else has told you, everything you need to attain whatever you want for yourself lies within you. Sometimes you just need the right people to help you see that. Not all of us have a Shakespeare or a Luke, but maybe a Gloria or a Dahlia can help us on our way.

Kenna has been through so many breakups. Add to that the number of times she's had manuscripts rejected by agents, and she's just about ready to give up on herself.

While I haven't gotten to the querying stage with any of my manuscripts yet, I have faced similar difficulties on Wattpad. I've experienced some cutting criticism from book club members and judges in awards. I have felt so invisible that I nearly stopped writing, and "In Fair Verona" draws on some of my feelings. I'm glad I didn't give up though, because then I would've never won a Watty, which is something I've dreamed of since joining Wattpad but never thought would be possible.

Failure only gets you down if you let it. Yes, of course you can cry and scream and grieve when you need to, but failure is a necessary part of success.

As Kenna discovers her inner magic in spite of the heartbreak and rejection she faces in "In Fair Verona", I hope at least a few readers will too.