Welcome to a conversation with SardonicBeauty. Today, SGM's admin and Writing 101 writer joins us to talk about the challenges of writing Dark Romance and her experience on Wattpad.

Interviewer: CoffeeAndSilverInk

Astrid: Hi, Nadia.

Nadia: Hiya.

Astrid: How are you? Ready to start?

Nadia: Yes, I am ready to start.

Astrid: So, to start, I wanted to ask you if I can address you as Floofy Floff from now on?

Nadia: This made me laugh bad 🤣 Ah, I don't know maybe some other version of it? But this name is given by...someone, and I wanna keep it for them.

Astrid: That's alright. Do you think it suits you?

Nadia: It oddly does, not always, but I am a softy, so in more ways than one it does.

Astrid: *inserts :sip_02:*

How did you come up with your username?

Nadia: I was going through my odd emo era, and wanted to stand out and show my cynic-ness and beauty. Both of which are nonexistent at the moment. But yeah, I was trying to be different, and me. So that's how I came up with it. Now that I look back, it's very funny to me, lol. But either way, I have grown to like it.

Astrid: So you outgrown it?

If you had to come up with one today, would it be very different?

Nadia: I outgrew my phase, yes. If I had to come up with any today, I'd probably just stick to something with Nadia. But somehow, I do feel proud of the name I came up with. It has an ominous tone to it, or at least I think so.

Astrid: How's your Wattpad experience been so far?

Nadia: It's been a roller coaster, I made friends, lost them, made few again and somehow they are still my friends. I published my first story, got amazing feedback, deleted my account, started this new one, and it's been going well. Not much drama, which I am thankful for, but yeah to sum up, there have been ups and downs, but now, it's good.

Astrid: You're participating in ONC. What have been the struggles and what have you enjoyed the most?

Nadia: Struggle: I can't write, like I did the first 2k and left ONC like a toxic ex. It's not that I can't write, I just don't find the time and mood to do it.

I honestly enjoy looking through the prompts and imagining new worlds, characters, and how the characters would deal with it, new drama, some love and spice, it's all very enjoyable.

Astrid: Managing life and writing is quite the struggle.

The book you were writing for ONC, Sins of the Sinner, is about a girl who kills herself and chooses to go to hell. That's quite the unexpected premise. How did you come up with it? What was the thought process?

Nadia: Oh no, she doesn't kill herself, or I think I did not word everything right. But she was murdered. I wanted to write a story where the girl gets her revenge after death but also meets her soulmate. I saw the prompt and wanted to write a version of Satan and other demons who are sassy and how the whole possessing someone goes. The idea came after reading the prompts to be honest. A thriller with mature scenes, which are my usual go to

Though, her killing herself would be more emotionally taxing, maybe I will use this idea for a different story. But this one was more of a light-hearted one, if I ever continue.

Astrid: Sounds like a really interesting story.

As a dark romance writer, what's your perspective on writing this genre? And is this a genre you like to read?

Nadia: Okay, this might get long, lol. This is one of the genres which is written in the most wrong way. People think writing about bad boys, mafia kidnapping a naive girl, treating her like trash and then suddenly having a change of heart is dark romance. While it is an aspect, the emotional part of the characters is what makes the story truly dark. The flaws in a character and how they view themselves, how they deal with it, is what makes a dark romance truly dark. I love to explore that, going over the grey areas, and questioning what is right and wrong, without a character being an a-hole.

Oh yes, I like reading this genre, a bit too much. But only if it's written well. And after reading Haunting Adeline, let's just say I am still haunted. So not reading any book that says it's a dark romance.

Astrid: As a dark romance writer, and as a writer in general, what would you say are your biggest struggles?

Nadia: Sitting and writing. Getting grammar right sometimes is an issue too, mostly because I just type out whatever is in my head. But sitting and getting words out are the biggest struggle of mine.

Astrid: Grammar can be an editing problem *inserts :kannasip:* I totally relate to the getting the words out part and I'm sure a lot of writers do too.

What's your favourite thing about writing?

Nadia: Creating flawed characters, writing out my emotions, and creating situations where my characters mature, redeem themselves. It doesn't happen in a single chapter, but the continuous process of it. I enjoy it a lot.

Astrid: I have to agree with this. The characterization process is also one of my favourite things. I think well crafted characters are the most important part of a story.

Nadia: Exactly! I love when characters are real and flawed and they improve through chapters.

Astrid: Would you say you're more of a plotter or a pantser? Or plantser?

Nadia: Oh, I am a plantser, 100%.

Astrid: Do you have any advice for writers?

Nadia: Write for yourself. Don't feel saddened by lack of reads and/or followers. Post it, but at the end of the day, your story is yours. Enjoy the story and enjoy the process. Listen to constructive criticism, edit, rewrite however you wish. But remember your story is yours.

Astrid: Definitely something lots of writers should know. The writing world can be scary, especially when you're dying to have an audience. People will easily write what is popular for the sake of being popular rather than what they want, and it's easy to lose all purpose in the process.

Nadia: I have seen people worry about it, heck I have been in that position too, but now I just write for myself and when I feel like it. And in today's time, usually the popular ones are...questionable.

Astrid: As an influencer said a while ago, some books are just for entertainment. They know the plot is not good, but it's entertaining enough, and that's what they're looking for.

Nadia: Ah, this is so true.

Astrid: You've been in SG for quite some time. What's your experience here been like?

Nadia: I joined on Oct 16, 2022. And it's been more than a year now, and this is one of the best communities I have been in, which is not mine. I absolutely adore and respect the friendship and bond everyone has, and to be a part of that? It feels amazing. This place is so positive, kind and refreshing. People listen before putting up their judgement, even then everyone is so kind. Kindness in today's time is rare, and I have found few of the kindest, loveliest, funny people in SG. I am so glad adretaRyder had sent me the invite to this server. And in truth? I want to be here forever. This feels like home.

Astrid: You meant it's the best community you've been in, including your comms. I know you got a little confused for a second, it's fine. And yes, I am all of those things.

Nadia: Nah, Project Athena tops 😌 But then it's SG, no doubt.

Astrid: I'm gonna scratch that from the interview.

Nadia: *inserts :kannasip:* That's cheating.

Astrid: What do you think of your role in Writing 101? And what do you think of the column as a whole? Do you find it helpful? Do you think the work you're doing is important?

Nadia: I started out as the Admin, so I used to see through the edits once more, and make sure others did what they were supposed to do, and now suddenly I am writing too. So, do I find it helpful? Very. It is written from facts, gives examples over what is written, and gives a direction to writers. I mean, I don't know if what I do is important, but the column is important, yes. And this column is fun, helpful, and a really good place to show how much the writers of our community know about certain stuff and express their views on it.

Astrid: For the final question before I open the floor. How do you feel about eating raw onions

Nadia: Unless it's in salad, I am not eating it-

Astrid: *inserts :chaos:* I WIN ONCE AGAIN

Thank you very much for chatting with me! It's been great.

Inventor Questions

Devian: Other than grammar, and writer's ruts, what are other difficulties you faced writing Dark Romance? I mean I know that there's a psychological aspect to it since it's how your MC deals with the situation and how they react which forms the entire story plot, but doesn't that part come like challenging?

Usually it's difficult to write Dark Romance unless personally we've been through things like the vicious cycle of negative thoughts or maybe episodes of downs.

Nadia: Well, one thing I faced while writing one of my stories was reliving the incidents that happened with me. I try to keep the emotional aspect of the story real, and that makes it very hard. Because essentially I get into the whole mindset, and it's a very dark place. It's not difficult for me to write dark romance because every story has some aspect of what I have faced. Except for Wicked Hues. But it's revisiting those thoughts that is very difficult.

But also, it's very challenging to do justice to the story, to the characters and to the emotions I want to portray.

Haize: Your characters are...unique to say the least 👀 Where do you get inspiration for them

Nadia: Thank you 🤣

Most characters are inspired from experiences I have felt, or in short me. Then the male characters are inspired from people I know, not everything, but a few aspects which helped me build them. Once I know about my character I think about the traits, mannerisms, etc.

Devian: So as a computer engineering pre-grad, what got you interested in writing books in general? Also, would you be incorporating things you learned in your degree into your books

Nadia: I have been writing books before I got into this field. I have been writing poems since I was 14, and when I was 18, I started writing my first novel, which was very cringy. Writing for me has always been a way of expressing myself, so that got me into writing.

Oh yes, I definitely will be, but currently I haven't learned anything worth adding to my stories

(Interview Ends)