This month, we will have the chance to talk with Dante_Greywolf about their writing journey and their ONC 2021 winner story - "The Last Werewolf"!

Let's learn more about his writing style, inspiration, and also his life as an ESL author on Wattpad! Additional, here is a glimpse of his winning story, The Last Werewolf:

After the events of Ragnarök, the God Vidar has settled in the nice and quiet city of Antwerp where he keeps an eye on the local paranormal community. Nearly a millennium later, Vidar is a grumbling bookstore owner by day and a lazy paranormal detective by night (albeit a slightly furry one during a full moon).

The morning after a particularly rough transition, the young teenage girl who normally wastes her days on the skatepark across the street enters his shop, fervently looking for a book on the legend of Brabo and Antigonus. As she struggles to pay, she reveals that the bronze giant has disappeared from the statue on the town square.

At the foot of the fountain now lies a body that has been dead for three hundred years.

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0. 

The languages that Dante is fluent in:

Dutch and English.

1. 

How did you start writing on Wattpad? And what is your favorite moment on this orange land so far? 

I started writing on Wattpad in 2016, after someone recommended me this website as the place to be for amateur writers to gain feedback. Best moment is a tie between placing in fantasy for a week (or so) back in 2018 and winning ONC last year. The first moment showed me readers loved my work, and the second one that I'm pretty decent at it too. 

2. 

What is the inspiration behind "The Last Werewolf"? What are your favorite details/scenes in this story?

I've always wanted to write about the Norse Gods post-Ragnarök. I've always wanted to incorporate Flemish folklore into a story. And write about my own city: Antwerp. And I wanted to bring the legend of the werewolf back to its essence. So instead of writing one story for each of these ideas, I combined them. I have 3 favourite scenes: the scene when Vidar meets the mysterious Kludde in the sewers beneath the city. Then him befriending another creature called Lange Wapper. And I'm also a big fan of the finale when all the puzzle pieces come together and Vidar is wrapped into another adventure. 

3. 

"The Last Werewolf" is an ONC Winner entry, which means you have to write this book in a very short time. Did you face any troubles like time management or writer's block at that time?

I had no issue with writer's block, because I knew exactly where I was heading, and which scenes I wanted to incorporate. It was more a matter of keeping it short (under 40k words) which is not my strong suit. Anyone reading my epic high fantasy series knows I like to take my time to set the scene and flesh out characters. Time Management was also a tricky one, since I work full-time and have quite a busy social life. A well-timed week off from work did help me to complete my goal in time. 

4. 

"The Last Werewolf" is the first book of your "Vidar" series. What can we expect to see in the second book? Also, what are your future writing plans?

There are plans for a second Vidar book, but, unfortunately, time is not on my side. I switched jobs and am working more hours than before. Post-pandemic, my life outside of work is also busier than ever. I first want to finish my high fantasy series before starting on Vidar Who knows... maybe during ONC 2023...

5. 

Do you face any difficulty in writing as an ESL writer? Which aspect of English that you find it hard when writing (e.g. grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, etc...)? 

Because my mother tongue, Dutch, is also a Germanic language, I often assume that some sentence structures or idioms are exactly the same. But, nope, they're not. I can sometimes get away with it because I write fantasy, but if it sounds too clunky, someone sooner or later points it out and I fix it. When I write, I also sometimes doublecheck the meaning of a word or a certain grammar rule. Google is my best friend and a thesaurus my second best friend. 

6. 

If you could offer a single bit of guidance to an ESL writer, what would it be?

Keep writing as practice makes perfect. But also, invest time in editing your chapters when native speakers point out mistakes. A smoother read draws in more readers. And when in doubt about something e.g. a preposition (walking toward or walking towards), google it. Any question you have, someone else has had it before you. And if you have the money, invest in Grammarly or Prowritingaid. 

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Thank you for having a chat with us, Dante. Good luck with your writing journey! Support this ESL author at his account. 

More to come.