The following interview was compiled based on questions submitted by members and followers. We hope you enjoy getting to know our club admin a little better!

I think that would have to be the Bible. I would be pretty much lost if I could never read that again.

Sheare: If you could sit down and have a conversation with one author (no matter the time period), who would it be?

Well, that's a question that I can take in one of two ways. If I choose to take it literally, which is the way that I first thought of, then a lot of possible writers are eliminated for obvious reasons.

The first would be language barriers, since I only speak English. That eliminates any famous writers who did not speak English, and it also eliminates the likes of Shakespeare and Chaucer, who I would be completely unable to understand due to the differences between modern English and the English of their time period. It's not that I can't understand Shakespeare plays performed by modern actors, but I'm willing to bet that Shakespeare himself would have a thick accent on top of it.

Other factors would come into play in a completely different way. For example, being female, I imagine that many male authors of previous generations would refuse to take me seriously/wonder why I wasn't wearing a dress/want to burn me as a witch. And that would be no fun.

So, in that scenario, I would want to have a conversation with a modern English-speaking author, preferably a reasonably nice one, since a major personality clash would also do a lot to ruin a good conversation. Since I don't know a lot about the personalities of most of the modern authors whose books I read, the name that comes to mind is John Green. I've read a good number of his books and gotten to know a fair amount about him from his Youtube videos, so I know he's a guy I could have a fun and interesting conversation with.

The second way that I could take this question involves sprinkling it with liberal amounts of fairy magic and saying that all dead authors could not only come back to life but also speak modern English and not be sexists/racists/total jerks. In that case, it would make sense to have a conversation with an author whose writing I admire. It's so difficult to decide on an author that way, though. I'm just going to stick with my first interpretation.

Some people would say that writing Pokémon fanfiction is an unusual hobby for someone my age.

Sheare: What is one really popular/critically acclaimed book you don't like?

Well, popular and critically acclaimed are actually two different things in many cases. There are many popular books that I don't like, but the easiest examples that come to mind are ones that I haven't truly read all the way through. Since I prefer not to judge a book unless I have finished it, I'll just use one example. A friend of mine made me read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in junior high, and I thought it was pretty much just awful.

As far as critically acclaimed books, I'm going to use the 1001 list (see my profile for further detail) for the sake of convenience. I believe that the book on the list that has received the lowest rating from me was Lord of the Flies. To be fair, I read it a long time ago, but I thought it was generally just depressing and disturbing, and I completely disagree with the major premise upon which it is built.

Sheare: If you were on death's row and about to be executed the next day, what would be your last meal?

If I was going to be executed the next day, I might prefer not to eat anything at all. Why spend precious minutes eating when I could be doing something else? I'm going to die anyway; it won't be by starvation.

NaivEevee: Do you have a fear of anything?

Yes.

You're very welcome! I'm glad to hear that you've enjoyed all of our reviews.

I think that a great story is a work of art. It's difficult to explain everything that makes up a work of art and what the difference is between a work of art and just a bunch of words on a page or a bunch of paint on a canvass, but I'll try to briefly highlight a few ideas. To me, a work of art engages you on a deeper level, be it emotionally or spiritually. For me, great writing makes me feel and think deeply. It's the kind of writing that makes you stop and take a long pause after you reach the end. It's the kind of writing that stays with you long after you've walked away.

Sheare: Since you don't particularly like reading romances, what makes a romance book tolerable to you?

In all honesty, the thing that would make a romance book tolerable to me would be if it was so dry that it didn't make me feel any emotions at all. For those who know me, it also goes almost without saying that it would also never describe anything too explicit. Obviously that wouldn't be a good romance book, but that wasn't the question, was it?

Sheare: If you could describe yourself as a book title, what would it be?

I would just use my name as the book title. I prefer not to describe myself in too few words because I believe that I am far too complex to be reduced in anything resembling an accurate manner. I could use the analogy of a very high-resolution image that's been shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. It definitely loses something. I fear the dangers of oversimplification.

NaivEevee: Are you into any other fandoms other than Pokémon?

Well, as I answer this question I'm wearing a Doctor Who t-shirt. I wouldn't say that I'm as much a part of that fandom as I am of the Pokémon fandom, though. Truly, I can't say that about any fandom other than Pokémon. Other fandoms are mostly just normal interests, I would say. I enjoy watching certain shows and movies and reading certain books and could legitimately call myself a fan, but I don't get into the fandom to the same degree. I only got into the Pokémon fandom as far as I have by random coincidence and a succession of other factors anyway.

Sheare: Would you rather not use a semi colon ever again or not use an exclamation mark ever again?

Why are you making me give up one of these? It is far too painful. Unfortunately, though, I have to say good bye to the exclamation marks. It would make it a lot more difficult to indicate characters shouting, and it would also be a lot more difficult to indicate excitement in casual chat-based conversations, but I love semicolons far too much. If I lost my semicolons, I would lose a large chunk of my writing style. That would be unacceptable.

NaivEevee: Besides Chikorita, what are five other Pokémon you consider your favorites?

Well, it's difficult to pick just five because, beyond Chikorita, there are a lot of Pokémon that I love more or less equally. I like Cyndaquil, Eevee, Skitty, and Ho-oh all for reasons similar to the reason that I first developed an affinity for Chikorita. Of course, you didn't say that I had to leave out the rest of the Chikorita evolutionary line, so I want to include Bayleef and Meganium as well. Mega Absol is awesome due to the combination of amazing backstory and gorgeous angel wings. I've always been sympathetic to Magikarp as the overlooked underdog who gets no respect. Porygon's backstory has fascinated me more in recent years. I've also developed a soft spot for Finneon since writing a particularly emotional one shot surrounding it. Basically, there are far too many great Pokémon.

Sheare: What Pokémon would you find most difficult to describe in words?

I tend to think of myself as being good at describing things, and it's especially easy when the thing being described is a concrete visual rather than an abstract idea. The only way that I can imagine myself having significant difficulty would be with Pokémon whose true appearance is unknown according to canon, such as Tangela or Mimikyu, neither of which has been seen beneath an outer "shell", so to speak. Describing the inner part would then be a challenge because I would worry about whether readers would accept my ideas.

Sheare: What's your favorite character archetype?

Since I don't tend to think in terms of character archetypes, I don't think I have a favorite. I prefer to just make up my characters as realistic people, and I think it works out well.

Sheare: Which fictional world would you want to live in? (Besides Pokémon)

That's a difficult question because too many fictional worlds have the obvious flaw of being the same world in which the main plot of the book is taking place. You could say the world of Harry Potter, for example, but then you have to deal with a lot of seriously evil wizards like Voldemort. Really, then, the best fictional world to live in might come from the kind of book that most people aren't truly reading for fun, like a dry Utopia. Of course, I read a Utopia book once where the author's idea of Utopia didn't align with mine at all, so that's another thing to be careful of. Perhaps we should go with children's literature where the stakes aren't quite as high? Of course, in that case, I would fear the world being too simple and without challenges. Honestly, when it comes right down to it, I just can't believe that any world created by a human author can truly measure up to this world in which we are living.

Sheare: Would you rather get rid of all your Pokémon games or all your books?

Why do you do this to me, Kat? I would get rid of the games, and I would be very sad.

Sheare: If you were a gym leader, what kind of gym would you have?

It would almost certainly be a Grass type gym. That's always been my favorite Pokémon type. I would have a huge indoor garden, like Erica's gym from the anime, with trees and flowers and grass and every lovely plant imaginable that the Pokémon would help me care for.

NaivEevee: What was your dream career?

When I was a little kid, I wanted to be an artist. When I was older, I wanted to be a writer. With more experience, I decided that the best thing would be to balance writing with another job that I would enjoy doing and that would ensure that I get at least some form of regular interaction with other human beings.

NaivEevee: Favorite word?

I don't have one. I don't see much purpose in making the decision, either, as different words are useful for different purposes.

NaivEevee: What is your biggest obstacle in writing?

My biggest obstacle is not being in the proper mood to write. If I'm not in the right mood, the writing isn't as good, and, if I'm in the completely wrong mood, I can't write at all.

NaivEevee: Is there a place you'd like to visit someday?

I'm not very into travel, but, under the right circumstances, it might be pretty amazing to go to the Vatican.

NaivEevee: What is your ideal Pokémon fanfic?

I'd rather not narrow it down to just one. I think one of the best things about fanfic is that there's a good variety so that you don't get bored with just one thing.

Reference Kat's question above about authors that I would theoretically speak to. I don't want to be burned at the stake! Seriously, though, the only time period I would want to live in is the present. Every part of the past is worse in terms of sexism, racism, medicine, and many other areas that are absolutely essential. I could say the future, but that would require a level of optimism that I'm not willing to risk.

LogicalCabbage: What's more pivotal in a story: plot or characterization?

I believe that I've been asked this question on Wattpad once before. Hopefully I agree with myself when I say that both are important, but that I believe that characters should drive the plot rather than the plot driving the characters.

LogicalCabbage: If you could rewrite any book into your style, what would it be and why?

Well, as I was reading War and Peace, it crossed my mind that it could be a really great hit enjoyed by far more people if it were rewritten in modern language and style. I could even do that, since the book's copyright has expired, but, you know, leading literary critics would basically hate me forever.

LogicalCabbage: How insightful was a bachelor's degree towards your writing (from a critic's perspective or an author's one)?

I think that getting the degree was very helpful to me in both regards. In my college classes, I went through a lot of workshops in which we took turns critiquing and being critiqued. That meant that we all learned how to write and deliver a good critique and how to receive a critique. It also meant that we got a lot of practical experience with both in a room full of peers possessing equal or greater skill in writing and critiquing and a professor who provided a great example for the rest of us to emulate. I also took a lot of literature classes in which I read and analyzed books by some of the greatest authors and did a lot of writing assignments for which I received, at the very least, feedback from a professor. It gave me a lot of experiences that I never would have had otherwise, and I do think it made me grow a lot as both a writer and a critic.

LogicalCabbage: If you could give people the ideal trait when writing, what would it be and why?

I'm not sure whether I understand the question. Are you asking what the one best trait for a character to have is? I'm not sure if there is just one trait that is better than any other. You really need a combination.

LogicalCabbage: Would you rather read a book with a teenager as a protagonist or an adult?

It doesn't matter to me very much. Both types of protagonist are interesting. What truly matters is the quality of the writing.

LogicalCabbage: What is your process when researching a topic you want to write about?

It depends on what the topic is, how much I know about it, and what sort of writing it's for. When it comes to Pokémon fanfic, most of the research I do is done through sites like Bulbapedia, along with occasionally playing a certain game to fly to a certain location or watching a certain episode of the anime. When the topic is something from the real world, like Mary Ann's sign language, I looked into several different articles and websites and watched videos of people signing. I made sure that I had a fairly good understanding of the syntax and a complete understanding of every sign that I described in detail. It's far more important to accurately reflect ASL than to accurately depict the canonical details of fictional Pokémon. When it comes to serious writing outside of Wattpad, I might throw in real world research, like going places or talking to people who have different knowledge and experiences than myself. Again, that's all in the interest of making sure that I get the facts right when it matters.

LogicalCabbage: What type of themes would you like books to address more of?

I don't really have an opinion on that. I think that books already address a good variety of themes, and, if there are any that I would like to see more of, I usually want to be the one writing about them and so am glad that I have that chance to be original while doing it.

I suppose the only possible exception is that I wish there were more themes of friendship and family and platonic love as compared to themes of romantic love. I think that our culture is overly saturated with stories of romantic love, and, indeed, with the false notion that it is superior to all other forms of love and even all other things in life.

LogicalCabbage: What is one particular advice you'd give to authors of the new generation?

I'm the type of person who doesn't believe that there is any significant differences in people from generation to generation. If you're really trying to ask about advice for authors given the current state of technology and the publishing industry, then that is a good question, but I'm not certain whether I'm the most qualified person to answer. I do know that a lot of literary journals that used to be printed on paper have moved, partially or completely, to the internet, and that there are differences between submitting to a printed journal and submitting to an online one. Truly, though, the best strategy for submitting to a literary journal is finding their guidelines on their website and following them to the letter. I suppose that might be a piece of advice in itself – do an internet search for some literary journals and find one with work similar to yours that you might like to try submitting to. Building up small publications really helps with your professional resume when you want to submit something larger like a novel, and it's really easy when you can simply email copies of your short story.

Writers used to have to worry about things like mailing copies of their work along with self addressed envelopes so that it could be returned to them if rejected. This was, of course, important in the days of the typewriter, when a writer would probably be typing out each and every copy from scratch. Be thankful for your technology!

LogicalCabbage: If you could be a Pokémon for a day, which one would it be and why?

Maybe a Magikarp. I would get to explore all kinds of underwater areas that I would never get the opportunity to see otherwise, and I wouldn't have to worry about a single trainer trying to capture me.

LogicalCabbage: What is one mechanism from Pokémon you'd like to see in the actual world?

If they could make a Pokémon Center that would work for people, healing every kind of injury in mere seconds for absolutely no charge, I think we can all agree that would change the world.

I believe that writer's block is the common name for a collection of problems. The first step in overcoming it is identifying the true cause of the inability to write.

Masked_Umbreon: What's the most important thing to do when writing?

I want to say save your work. If you lose it, then you've got nothing.

Masked_Umbreon: What's the most important part in characterization?

I think the most important thing is to ensure that the characters are well-rounded, unless you're purposely trying to use flat characters for a particular effect.

Masked_Umbreon: Is everything in the writing process important?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "the writing process". As I see it, every person has a different writing process that works best for them. Depending on the person, it's possible that some part isn't truly important because they're still developing that process. For example, if part of a person's process is to start by drinking a cup of coffee, perhaps they simply think that it's something that they need. Wouldn't it be better if they found that they could eliminate this and thus enable themselves to write at times when it would be unwise to become caffeinated?

Masked_Umbreon: What do you like about Pokémon?

For the purposes of fanfiction, what I like best about it is the world itself. The games and anime provide just enough material to form a solid backdrop while also allowing for a good amount of creativity.

I can look at maps of Kanto and move my character in-game through all of the locations in Fuchsia City, for example, and have a solid setting. On the other hand, the number of wooded and mountainous areas that the game renders unreachable provide opportunities for new locations to be created from my imagination.

The very structure of the video game ensures that the battling operates by a standard set of rules that I can seek to emulate. If I were writing Harry Potter fanfiction, I would have no way of knowing every single spell that is possible, and there is much that is unknown about the nitty gritty of how spells themselves work. In the Pokémon world, there are lists of every possible battle move, along with which Pokémon can learn them, when, how, and what their power and accuracy are. I can use my imagination to portray what they would look like in a realistic setting alongside creating unique combinations of move sets and strategies for my characters.

The Pokédex provides basic stats and character designs for every Pokémon in existence, but it sometimes makes no sense and even contradicts itself so that my imagination has to get to work to make decisions and fill in the gaps.

Essentially, it's like a lattice upon which creativity can blossom.

Masked_Umbreon: What's the best and worst thing about writing?

The best thing about writing is the impact that it can have on people's lives. The worst thing is that it's underappreciated by our society, such that many people don't read and many writers either struggle to make a living or are forced to abandon writing in whole or in part.

Masked_Umbreon: What are the elements of good writing?

It's difficult to pinpoint, but I think the answer would be fairly boring, anyway, as I would only list out all of the things you already know. Good writing needs to be grammatically and structurally correct. It needs to accurately reflect the usage of the language in which it is written while also taking advantage of every available word and phrase to its fullest. Good fiction writing needs a good plot, good characters... I could go on, but you get the point.

Masked_Umbreon: A world without literacy and literature or a world without motivation and creativity?

Well, I think that literature couldn't exist in a world without creativity. A world without motivation would probably look much like the island of the lotus eaters (see either The Odyssey or "The Lotos-eaters" by Tennyson), and that wouldn't do at all.

Incidentally, you can also see The Odyssey for an example of a work of fiction that functioned perfectly well in a world without literacy. It's unfortunate that I think it still counts as literature because, if I could simply suggest the return of oral storytelling, this question would be even easier.

Masked_Umbreon: What does a good plotline contain?

Rising action, a climax, falling action, and a denouement.

Yes, I realize I'm being obvious in some of these questions. The reason is that a "good plotline", just like "good writing", can take on so many different forms that I have no wish to pigeonhole either one. Truly, I almost feel uncomfortable with even saying this much because some works have little to no falling action and are made better for it and some works have an introduction that precedes the rising action and are also made better for it. It may not be a satisfying answer, but the only true answer is that it depends.

Masked_Umbreon: What's the best way to improve one's writing?

The best way to improve your writing is to pair liberal amounts of practice with liberal amounts of reading. You can't get better at writing unless you get used to doing it, but you also can't get better without having examples to learn from and emulate. Reading is a vitally important aspect of learning how to write that is too often unknown or overlooked.

Masked_Umbreon: What's your greatest achievement?

That's a difficult question. I suppose graduating from college was the culmination of many years of effort, from working to be able to get into college in the first place to the many hours of classes and studies and homework. Having been out of college for a comparatively short time, I don't suppose I can say that I've spent as much time or effort on anything other than that, at least at this point in my life.

Masked_Umbreon: What are the most common errors that amateur writers make?

It honestly depends on the amateur writer, but I'll use myself as an example, along with other writers I've seen on Wattpad. One common error is telling rather than showing, by which I mean overuse of telling. Another common error is a failure to understand how your words will be read from a reader's point of view, which may be partially caused by young age but which also must be overcome through carefully developing the ability to see from other perspectives. Incidentally, a lack in the ability to see from other perspectives also results in a limited variety of characters and a tendency to be more or less autobiographical. Other common mistakes stem from ignorance of grammar, sentence structure, or necessary conventions. All of these are discussed in detail in my Writing Tips and Tricks book, which you can read for further explanation.

Thanks for asking so many great questions! I enjoyed answering them all.