Interviewer : _Parthiva_

Interviewee : SpartanCatlord

Interview Questions : Chante_Inge

'23 RGAs Winner - Second Place Overall & Second Place in Action

Let's dive straight into the world of storytelling! Who are you, beyond the name on your profile?

I'm currently a college student in a songwriting program. I just started a band with one of my friends that writes and performs theatrical folk music.

Wattpad is a universe of stories waiting to be explored. What drew you to this platform, and how has your journey been so far?

I discovered Wattpad through my older sister 8 years ago, so it's been a little while. I've gone through phases of using the platform frequently and ignoring it for years, but I still have the same account I made at age 13, which is fun (though it also means there are a lot of really old stories on my profile that are embarrassing to read now).

Creativity is a flame that ignites stories. What sparked your passion for writing, and how do you keep that fire burning?

My sister also got me into writing; she showed me that she was writing a fantasy book, and I decided to try writing one myself. I've had a lot of ideas for books over the years, but have always struggled with finishing them; I still have yet to entirely finish a book, but one is now over 3/4 complete, and I'm hoping to have it finished soon. (That book is called Apocalypse and is written only out of fight scenes.)

Winning the Rose Gold Awards is a remarkable achievement! Could you paint us a picture of the story that captured hearts and minds?

When Legends Cross is an action/romance about a pirate falling in love with a town sheriff in a Western-inspired coastal setting.

Every story has its roots. How did the seed of your award-winning story first sprout in your imagination?

One of the two main characters (the pirate Arrokas) has been floating around in my head for a couple years now, but never really "stuck" in any books I tried to put him in. Around this time last year, I read some really good pirate books and decided to make Arrokas a pirate, and now I can't imagine him as anything else. Last summer, I was fortunate enough to visit the Galapagos Islands, which are a coastal desert and inspired the setting for the story.

A story is like a road trip; it's not just about the destination but the journey. How long have you been on this writing adventure?

I've been working on this book for just over a year now, though the first chapter existed by itself for almost 6 months before I started extending it into a novel.

Characters are the heartbeat of a story. Who is your literary soulmate in your award-winning tale, and what makes them so special?

Arrokas is currently my favorite character. He's a young pirate who left his noble household to pursue adventure. He's very strategically smart and can think his way out of most situations, though he struggles with leadership (both being a leader and following one).

Chapters and scenes are like brushstrokes on a canvas. Which part of your story holds a special place in your heart, and why?

Chapter 1 still has to be my favorite right now, although a few of the upcoming chapters are going to be really fun. Chapter 1 is pretty action-heavy, and introduces the world as well as both main characters.

Your story is a gem in the literary landscape. What shines brightest about your tale, making it a must-read for others?

I'm pretty proud of the worldbuilding and setting. A lot of my other books are much more fantastical, but When Legends Cross combines 4 real-world settings (the Wild West, the Golden Age of Piracy, the Galapagos Islands, and the American Revolutionary War) into one place. I also really like both main characters and am excited to show their relationship developing.

The future is a blank page waiting to be filled. What dreams and aspirations do you have for your story? Will it remain a digital gem, or do you see it on bookshelves one day?

I honestly have no idea where this story could end up. I think I'm scared to consider it because I'm so bad at finishing my work in the first place, but if this one does reach completion (which I hope it does), I could see it moving beyond Wattpad.

Accomplishments are like stars in the sky, each one unique and twinkling brightly. Apart from the Rose Gold Awards, what other milestones have you achieved with your story?

This book is pretty new and I only just started applying for awards with it, but I did place 1st in the Action/ Adventure category of the 2024 Nova Nexus Awards (also on Wattpad).

A writer's mind is a treasure trove of stories. Are there other tales brewing in your creative cauldron? If so, what can you reveal about them?

There are always other stories brewing in my head. Right now I'm trying to avoid starting another novel until I've finished an ongoing one, but there may be a short story on the way soon, told through journal entries in reverse chronological order.

Creativity often blooms from experiences and influences. What life events or authors have shaped your writing style?

I'm a fan of Brandon Sanderson's work and have taken inspiration from him particularly in the magic system department.

Writing is a journey of discovery. What surprising twists or turns has your story taken as you've developed it?

I don't want to spoil the book since it's still pretty early in the story, but some side characters that were thrown in throughout the writing of the first few chapters ended up being way more important to the plot than I originally intended.

Every writer has a unique process. Can you walk us through how you plan and write your stories?

My process really depends on the story. Sometimes-as with When Legends Cross-l write pretty much front to back, starting with an overarching plot idea and filling in the details as I go. Two of my books started as collections of short stories which then connected into a single universe (Apocalypse and Seven Twisted Stars). In those cases, the plot forms from trying to figure out how all the existing short stories could work together.

The writing community on Wattpad is vibrant and supportive. How has being part of this community influenced your writing journey?

I've been on Wattpad for as long as I've been writing, so the two are very connected in my mind. I went years without a single reader besides my sister and my best friend, but kept posting my work because it felt good to get it out somewhere where someone could hypothetically run across it. As I've explored the platform more, I've really enjoyed things like book clubs and awards, which get me feedback on my writing and expose me to other people's books that I may not have found otherwise.

Feedback is crucial for growth. How do you handle criticism, and how has it helped you improve your writing?

I like to think I take criticism pretty well. I really appreciate constructive feedback and always try to incorporate it into my writing.

Beyond writing, what other creative outlets do you explore? How do they influence your storytelling?

I've been writing songs for a few years, though not as long as I've been writing books. Songwriting is fun because you have to condense a story into way fewer words than you do when writing a novel or even a short story. I think it's helped me with pacing and with cutting out parts of a story that really aren't needed. I've also gotten into graphic design recently and have been making my own book covers.

Themes can add depth to a story. What themes or messages do you hope readers take away from your work?

To be honest, I'm still working on the overarching themes for When Legends Cross. A lot of it centers around the ways that reputations and legends form, and how that affects the people those legends are about.

The future of storytelling is constantly evolving. How do you see the role of platforms like Wattpad shaping the future of literature?

I think platforms like Wattpad give a much wider variety of stories opportunities to shine and find their audience. For example, stories that don't conform to linguistic norms (whether it's a dialect or language that isn't as favored by standard publishing, or the book just has a lot of grammatical errors but the plot is still understandable and enjoyable). I have my fair share of complaints about Wattpad, but overall I think the concept is great.

Collaboration can spark new ideas. Have you ever considered collaborating with other writers or artists? If so, what would be your dream collaboration?

Absolutely! I've started co-written books with a few people, my sister and my best friend included.

As a writer, you have the power to create worlds. If you could live in any of the worlds you've created, which one would it be and why?

To be honest, a lot of my worlds wouldn't be very fun to live in. Cool stuff happens, but a lot of scary stuff happens too. If I had to pick a world of mine to live in, it might be the one from Zericho, because at least that one doesn't end and I could have a cool mechanical spirit animal.

Writers often draw inspiration from the world around them. Are there any real-life places or experiences that have directly influenced your storytelling?

Several real-world places influenced When Legends Cross, and I'm sure my other worlds have real-world influences too, although they may be harder to spot.

The journey of a writer is filled with highs and lows. Can you share a particularly challenging moment in your writing journey and how you overcame it?

Recently I've been struggling a lot with motivation. I still love writing, but with other things taking precedence in my life I haven't been wanting to sit down and actually do it. What helps the most in that case is reading; when I read a really cool book, it gives me ideas to put in my own writing, and then I want to go write them down, and then suddenly I feel like doing it again.

Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring writers who are just starting their own storytelling adventures?

Your writing isn't going to be perfect. I often fall into the trap of writing one chapter and then going back and editing all the previous ones before writing another. The thing is, you are always improving, because you're always practicing just by writing another chapter. By the time you've finished your book, the writing of the beginning won't be as good as the writing at the end. If you're halfway through your book and realize the first chapter sucks, I'd still advise you to keep going forward, and then go back and work on editing once the whole thing is complete. Also, don't delete your old work. It may be embarrassing now, but later there may be something you want to pull out of it and reuse, or it can just be evidence of how much you've grown.