Author of the Week | Darcy

Science-fiction is a genre of books that can be enjoyed by every age group, for children, it’s a wonder, for young adults it’s an inspiration and for everyone, it’s a great getaway from their monotonous lives. 

The next theme is going to be a trip to your childhood, a beautiful dreamy world that will captivate you in its magic.

This Week’s Author is from a family of literature enthusiasts, their childhood has been full of reading and creating stories. Darcy is active on Wattpad as fragmented- and on Instagram as fragmented_wp .

So, what was the first book you ever read? How old were you then?

The kindergarten I went to, gave us these reading assignments with the ‘Peter and Jane’ books – I don’t know if they still exist. All the other kids hated it; I was the only one who enjoyed reading them, and well I think that’s how my reading habit started. I was five then. 

How many Books/Short Stories/Poems have you written? Which is your favorite? Are there any that ended up getting shelved for the time being?

I have written quite a few short stories over the years, books about six or seven, and poems, I used to write them but I didn’t think they were any good, so I stopped writing them. And ah, no favorites, it’s hard to choose. I tend to just delete my drafts instead of putting them off to be written later if I lose inspiration or am in a bad mood or something (which is a bad habit, I agree) so no, I don’t have any impending works. 

Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

Yes, I do! And they make my day every single time. So far I’ve only gotten positive, very much encouraging messages from them and I couldn’t be any more grateful! 

When did you write your first Book/Short Story/Poem and how old were you?

Do essays written for school count? Those were my first short stories. And that’s how I even actually found that I liked writing. One of my teachers even encouraged me to write more and told me that I had potential :’) And so I started writing. I think I was like seven or eight then. 

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t want to be a writer. I mean it’d be cool if I could become one, but that’s not like my ultimate goal or anything. I like writing, and I like putting my works out there. And if my works somehow get discovered by someone and I get a publishing deal, yay! But if not, that’s cool too. I just would like to keep writing, that’s all. 

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t think I have one.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your Books/Short Stories/Poems?

Information, mostly I get them from the Internet or other books. Ideas, are mostly from my dreams (I get the weirdest dreams, don’t ask), or sometimes from my own experiences or of those around me. 

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your Books/Short Stories/Poems?

Well, it is surprising that people do like to read my books – I still find it hard to believe that. Another surprising thing – I do know that I like writing but that doesn’t necessarily have to mean that I was going to be any good at it, but then it turned out that I am somewhat a good or at least a decent writer. That’s cool. 

What does your process of writing look like? What is the hardest part?

I don’t have a fixed process or anything. I just try to write something every day. But I am a big procrastinator, so that is the hardest part too for me – getting myself to sit down and write. 

What do your family and friends feel about your work?

Not a lot of people know that I have put out some of my works. My sisters know and they are my biggest supporters, always hyping me up. I told my mom recently – she’s proud as well. Only a few of my friends know (but also they don’t exactly know because I didn’t tell them which were my stories haha) and they’re happy for me too that I am doing something I like. 

What is your advice for aspiring writers?

I don’t think I’m in any position to give advice, so I’m just going to give like suggestions. Do not expect anything when you start writing. Write for yourself, enjoy the process. And if you have a passion for writing, never stop writing no matter what. 

Who is your inspiration in the field of writing?

This is going to sound like a cliche but I kind of like and have mad respect for everyone who writes. Just seeing people who write, or like various authors’ names on books, it inspires me. 

Has your writing style changed since you first started writing? If yes, in what ways has it changed?

Yes! A lot. I like to think that it has changed positively. I started writing from a young age, so obviously I didn’t know much back then and most of my writings were childish; now they’re more sensible, I would say. And English is not my first language, so I would say grammatically I have improved as well.  

What attracted you to the genre(s) you write in?

Mostly the novels I read. I read all kinds of genres, but the ones I’d prefer to read the most are of YA, and so that’s the genre I write most in. Also, I’m a young adult myself, so it’s easier for me to just stick to that genre. 

Would you consider yourself a planner or a pantser? Or both? Is your current system working for you?

Both – it’s called plantser, I think. So far, it has been working (lucky me)

What do you love the most about your writing process?

I don’t have a process, so I can’t say… Maybe the writing part???

Does music help or halt your writing process?

It depends – sometimes it helps, sometimes I am easily distracted.

Are your characters often inspired by real people?

Yes, but not wholly, just like part of the personality. 

Are there any specific ways that help you out of your reader’s/writer’s block?

I try to not force myself to keep writing and take a step back and try to just chill. Usually, I read other books or watch shows. It helps for me – can’t say it works for everyone though. Different people function differently. 

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?

For crying out loud, do not delete your drafts. It’s good the way it is, and there’s a good chance you might be inspired to continue writing it. And don’t criticize yourself so much.