Award Winner: jordynsaelor

"Kree Annihilators" -- won second place in the Fanfiction category of SGA in May 2022.

Interviewer: devianmisfit

1) Could you introduce yourself? Tell me how long you've been on WP, and what made you interested to be a WP writer/start writing here?

jordynsaelor: I have been on Wattpad for approximately 9 months--since February 2022. I started writing on Wattpad because in early 2021 I started a blog, but after some experimentation there, that didn't feel like the right place to post long novels. So I made a spontaneous decision to make an account on Wattpad, and now I post stories here.

2) You participated in the Savant Awards in May 2022 and the book you entered "Kree Annihilators", won thisecond place in Fanfiction. How did you feel about it when you heard the announcement? Was this your first time winning a contest?

jordynsaelor: This is the 2nd time I've won an award in a contest, but the first time with Kree Annihilators, so that's pretty exciting. Though to be totally honest, it's been 6 months since I entered Kree Annihilators to these Awards, and I'd basically forgotten about the entire thing (my bad...). So it was a pleasant surprise in November to a) be reminded about these awards and b) find out I got 2nd place in them!

3) How do you think the SG Awards have helped you in your writing journey?

jordynsaelor: Since I submitted Kree Annihilators, I have made numerous changes to the book, including editing and submitting it to the wattys--nothing came of that, but there's always next year, right?--as well as working through some feedback others have given me. So looking back on what I submitted in May has given me a little time capsule to see where my writing was 6 months ago, compared to where it is now. It's made me realize that I've improved (which is a big confidence booster), and also still can improve, which I'm always eager to keep doing.

4) Was there any particular reason for participating in TSG?

jordynsaelor: The obvious, simple answer is that the TSG Awards had slots open in categories I liked, and I found out about the Awards before all of the slots were filled. But then they were well organized and dedicated and followed through with the awards which I really appreciate.

5) How was your experience when writing "Kree Annihilators"? Was it an easy process? Which parts did you struggle with the most?

jordynsaelor: So Kree Annihilators is based on an animated movie called "Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors," telling a story about some Marvel comics characters. I don't think it's a well known movie, but I watched it one night for fun. I enjoyed it; however, mostly I came away with a strong desire to branch into an alternate timeline a quarter way through the movie and make the main villain a) gay and b) interested in one of the side heroes. (Is it insulting to say I think the movie's villain had way more potential then they were giving him?) So that's how Kree Annihilators was born, but that was the easy part. The hard part was translating some of the early scenes from the movie into written text, while also giving hints about Victor's identity within those written scenes, then evolving/expanding the characters into something totally unique beyond the scope of the movie. That was hard, but also a fun challenge I gave myself, and I'm proud with how it turned out.

6) How do you feel about your current book?

jordynsaelor: The book I'm writing right now is as follows: some kid is the chosen one (think Aang from Avatar, Rand from Wheel of Time, Harry Potter, etc.), except instead of being destined to save the world, they are destined to destroy it, and then they actually do so, violently. It's filled with classic dark vs light ideas, combined with some serious revenge, and of course lots of queer characters. I am super excited for it.

7) How do you go about plotting your story? Or maybe you don't plot at all?

jordynsaelor: I am terrible at plotting. The few times I've tried it, I ditched my plans within the first few chapters. It's because for me, I write from a character-driven place, and when I make a plot outline, I don't know enough about my characters or what they will do to make a believable plot for them. I have to start writing to figure out what my characters are like, then from there I make decisions about how they interact with the world and other characters and try to solve problems. Usually that takes the plot in strange, unexpected directions, and seeing where these characters lead me is half the fun of writing honestly. So yeah, I'm 100% a "pantser"

8) What keeps you to continue writing?

jordynsaelor: my emotions--the good ones, the traumatic ones. The hopes I have for a better world. A desire to reach readers and show them they're not alone. But haha my motivations aren't always super deep, there's also this nagging voice in my head that bugs me about reaching my word count for the day and sometimes wanting it to be quiet is what gets me to actually writing anything...

9) What sort of tips/advice do you have to fellow writers out there who are seeking inspiration to write? (:

jordynsaelor: Ooh this is a hard one, because so many people write in different ways... In general, knowing yourself is super important, regardless of how you write. If your mind or heart is telling you something isn't working, listen to it--if they're telling you something is working but you're scared of where it will lead, listen anyway. If you have awesome ideas but doubt yourself, use that doubt to ask better questions to shape your ideas. If your ideas are trash, turn them into fertilizer to grow better ideas. And ultimately, just write something down, because no amount of advice is going to help you figure out how *you* write a story--only actually writing a story will teach you that.

10) Are you comfortable with us posting the interview responses and questions?

jordynsaelor: yes!

(Interview ends)