Howl-oo,

For our next author interview, please welcome Greenwitchwrites 🌙

🐺Can you share your Wattpad username with us and tell us the story behind it, if there is one?

Aside from writing and reading, one of my other passions is anything related to nature. I completed a course in herbalism, and at one point, I made my own skincare products, shampoos, teas, tinctures, and pills. I also love gardening, and before I emigrated from South Africa to the United Kingdom, I had over 150 potted plants (mainly succulents) and a beautiful garden that I spent hours in. I am spiritual rather than religious, and when I came across the term Green Witch and its core focus, it really struck a chord with me. And so the name greenwitchwrites was born.

🐺What led you to Wattpad initially? Did you join to read or write?

Perhaps it is because I am a dreamy Pisces or just a really introverted person, but reading became a safe space for me. To get lost in words and worlds created by someone else's imagination and then reimagine them in your own way is rather extraordinary. So when I heard that there was a platform where people freely shared their stories with the world, no matter the genre or level of skill, I was excited to see what Wattpad offered, especially when it came to my favorite genre, werewolf stories. So, while I initially joined as a reader, through that journey, I became a writer.

🐺How long have you been writing?

I have been writing officially for two and a half years. However, I think it is fair to say I have dabbled in it since I was young, either in a diary or letters to people who would never receive them—a way of expressing myself when the courage to vocalize them failed me. But the first book I wrote and published on Wattpad was Bound, which I started on Friday, the 22nd of ‎April ‎2022, at ‎18:05.

🐺Do you like to write the same genres you read? What are your favorite genres?

I like writing in the same genres I read, which are werewolf, mafia, and dark romance. But really, I just love anything romantic and anything with strong female leads.

🐺Besides reading and/or writing, do you have any other hobbies?

Honestly, I could make things up, but at this point in my life, writing takes up most of my time. If I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing. My husband and son keep me pretty busy with their shenanigans, so there really isn't much time for me to do anything else. But at forty-one years old, I have had so many hobbies in my life that I already know tomorrow, I will find something else I become passionate about, which will consume me until the next thing does. And so on and so forth. So, if you ask me this question in a month's time, my answer may be vastly different!

🐺What does your writing environment look like?

My writing environment is varied and inconsistent. I can write when it is quiet, but I can also write when there is noise. I find music distracting unless it is on an extremely low volume, which then renders it useless lol. I love writing in bed when it is dark and on the sofa during work breaks. I don't generally snack while I write but I do drink lots of tea.

🐺Where do you tend to find the inspiration to write?

From my comments section, where the encouragement I receive is just so beautiful and inspiring, and from other writers. When I see writers on Instagram and Wattpad doing really well, it inspires me to keep on going. It's like a form of healthy competition. Sometimes, I will be in a writing flunk, and then I will see someone somewhere who has just published a book, and the look on their face and the feeling they evoke in me inspires me.

🐺Can you share some of your methodology when it comes to researching and writing in the werewolf genre?

My research in the werewolf genre comes from reading other writers werewolf books. There are some general werewolf structures and terminology that apply, but otherwise, the bits and pieces that make up the story are all up to you. It's not real. Which gives writers in this genre so much wiggle room and creative flexibility. There is a pack. There is a Luna. There is an Alpha. The rest of it you can just build from there. I'm a pantser and so I don't really plan anything. I just write.

🐺Tell us 5 things you like:
1. Liquorice

2. Sleep and waking up naturally rather than being forced out of it

3. The silly things my husband and son say that others would probably find bizarre but make me realize that they are my tribe

4. Playing Helldivers with my brother

5. Being at home

P.S. In no particular order, before I am accused of loving liquorice more than my family :)

🐺Do you have a pet peeve or a guilty pleasure, maybe both?

My pet peeve is when people chew loudly. Liquorice is my guilty pleasure.

🐺What part of the writing process do you find to be the most challenging?

I find writing the climax of the story the most challenging. I always feel so much pressure not to disappoint, especially if readers make it that far. That and fight scenes—I'm really bad at those, lol.

🐺Do you experience writer's block? If yes, how do you beat it?

Yes, absolutely. Firstly, I try not to be so hard on myself. Secondly, I hop onto social media and look at other authors out there who are publishing their works and succeeding in life. And then I let that inspire me, reminding me of my dream. I think remembering why I write is important. Is it to become famous? Is it to inspire others? Is it to just do something I love? Whatever it is and however big and bold the reason and dream is, I use that as fuel. One word is a brick helping me get where I want to be. And so I go write. A word. A sentence. Even if I think it is terrible. I just write something. I can always change it later, and often, it leads me to the next part of the story or a new one. I also think that if a chapter is the block I am experiencing, then writing an entirely new one might be the answer. It may seem like a lot of extra work, but the block might just be my intuition telling me that the story does not flow. The same time the block takes for me to get over is probably going to be the same time re-writing a chapter could take.

🐺Do you have any favorites or least favorite topes when it comes to werewolf stories? Please tell us why you like or dislike them =)

I love the trope where the underdog female lead shunned by her pack is mated to the Alpha or Alpha King. Even though it is just a werewolf story, I think every person longs to be seen, to feel special. And these tropes, when written correctly, give the reader a sort of voyeuristic opportunity to experience that. Wrapped up in a blanket on your couch or sitting on a train, you get to experience that feeling. Where the person everyone has looked down on is made powerful by being noticed, by being an exception. It's dreamy.

🐺Are you a native English speaker? If not, what are some language obstacles you have faced when writing in English?

I am a native English speaker.

🐺If you had an extra hour each day, how would you spend it?

Writing or gaming with my brother.

🐺Can you share some of your greatest writing achievements or highlights with us?

It may sound strange, but having my book The Alpha Kings Queen stolen and published on Amazon and Apple Books was and still is the highlight of my writing journey so far. The highest form of flattery, some say. Let me explain. While it was absolutely terrible, it was a necessary catalyst, as it forced me to send the book for editing, get a cover made, and publish it myself (which I hope to do by the end of October 2024). That truly horrible experience is overshadowed by the excitement it has inadvertently created, and I have managed to turn that situation into something positive and something that will form part of one of the biggest highlights of my writing journey so far. To fulfill my dream of becoming an Indie author.

🐺If you could experience something for the first time again, what would it be?

Reading the book After by Anna Todd for the first time again.

🐺If you could add a new word to the dictionary what would it be and what would it mean?

Urumugwaffi - the little ball of fluff that gathers in men's belly buttons.

🐺What's the best advice you ever received?

I am in control of my emotions, not someone else. This means I can choose whether to allow someone else to impact me and that I do not bear the responsibility of what someone else thinks of me.

🐺 If you could meet any character from a story, who would you meet and why?

I should probably name a character from another writer's book, but I'm not. I would love to meet Braiden from my book, The Alpha Kings Queen. He is so dreamy, and I would love to see how he looks in real life. I would also like to meet him as the different versions created by my readers' minds just to see how our imaginations vary.

🐺Have you ever pulled from your own experiences to write a scene?

Yes, definitely. The book The Last Legion is filled with ideas and concepts created by my life experiences. I think adding a personal touch to a story makes it relatable—even for werewolf books.

🐺Do you find that listening to music or making graphics help the creative process?

For me, no. I rarely create graphics during the creative process, and listening to music distracts me. But my writing process is ever-changing, and that's not to say that in the future, these won't come into play. I know for some these are really useful tools.

🐺Planner or Pantser?

Pantser. Definitely. It is not easy but I know no other way lol.

🐺Do you have a special message or shoutout for anyone you would like to share?

To my readers, you inspire me daily. Thank you. To my husband and son. Thank you for putting up with my peculiarities, which I know are not few and far between. You support me in ways you don't even know. To my brother, you are my soulmate. Period. To my mother, thank you for giving me the building blocks to be the best version of myself I can be. *Oscar speech over*

🐺Anything else you would like to share with us?

To anyone who has made it this far, my final piece of advice is to start working towards that dream in your mind so that it becomes a reality. Do one thing a day that feeds its attainment. And don't be afraid. The worst thing that could happen is that you're dead, with things left to do. If you are reading this, then that isn't the case. Anything other than this is manageable—even failure.

🐺We are so happy to have this great interview with you, Greenwitchwrites.🐺

You can start binge-reading The Alpha Kings Queen here!