interview: andi

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Andi, @mibba
July 16/10, interviewed by Taylor

Taylor: If you could sum your writing up into a few words, what would they be?
Andi: The three words I would use to describe my writing would be authentic, adventurous, and a bit unpredictable. I like to create authentic pieces of literature and explore ideas that writers don't usually explore because it gives me a chance to bring something original to the readers. However, I find that I can't write a simple original story about just romance, or just drama. When I try to put these simple ideas into my writing, I usually start to lose interest after a while. I have to always have an element of adventure in my writing to keep me motivated. If there isn't a fire-breathing dragon, or a mass murderer, or a corrupted government to weave into my plot, I find it really dull to continue the story! As a result, I also like to keep the readers on their toes by creating plots that are not so predictable. I like to think my plot as a labyrinth with a bunch of twists and turns that no one sees coming. Those kinds of unpredictable story lines are the ones I find the most entertaining to write.

T: Since you seem to prefer the mystery, what’s your take on clichés?
A: I find stories containing a lot of clichés and recycled ideas to be very disappointing. It's extremely sad to read a story that's well written (from a stylistic point of view) but is very predictable. Obviously the writer has a talent, but it seems like their wasting it on old ideas. I suppose cliches can't be avoided in the beginning---I confess I had my own blunders with cliche vampire stories when I first started out. But as I developed my writing, I eventually moved away from that and was able to create my own ideas and plot lines. So I don't want to criticize anyone for writing a cliche story, but I would definitely encourage them to explore their own creativity. It's all a part of developing your own writing because I'm sure that every great writer probably started out with a few cliche stories of their own :)

T: How do you go about creating a story out of an ideas? Do you research, build your characters up, or write the beginning or the ending first?
A: Going from a group of ideas to an actual story can be a tricky process for me. For "The Introvert's Guide to World Domination" the only idea I had in my head was that I wanted to write a story about a girl, but also about her country. And as the country changes, she should change also. From there, I started to get inspired by actual historical events, such as political revolutions, extreme politics, the Cold War, etc. I sort of had to let these ideas sit in my head for several weeks before I could see an actual plot line developing. It's almost like growing a flower. First you have to plant the seed (put the idea in your head), water the seed (do some research or look for anything that can inspire you to let that idea grow), and then wait for it to grow (let the ideas sit in your head for a few days or weeks). Finally, after a while, you should have a small plant growing (your story is born!). So that was my totally nerdy explanation of how I turn my ideas into stories. Usually, as the plot develops in my head, the characters do as well. There is often an optimum type of character or group of characters that will work well with the plot and allow it to move forward. It's not until I have a rough idea of the beginning and end of a story and a good idea of the characters involved that I start to write my first draft.

T: I think the flower analogy works well with the creation of a story, because without the right amount of nurturing, the flower will die. Do you have a preferred genre, or does this method work well with all of them?
A: Thank you :) I think the flower analogy can be applied to any story. Although I find that it works better with stories that have more intricate plots or layered characters such as mystery, action, fantasy, or sci-fi.

T: What is your favourite genre to write about?
A: Personally, I seem to like combining the romance genre with another one. For example, romance and mystery or romance and action. I've discovered, from bad past experience, that it's extremely difficult for me to write about romance alone. After a few chapters, I tend to get bored with the ideas and I really don't know how to move the plot forward. I always need the mystery or the action to be woven into the story in some way shape or form so that the the plot can be propelled forward instead of staying stagnant.

T: Are you open to any and all genres, or are there a few that you stay away from? A least favourite, perhaps?
A: I think there is something appealing about pretty much every genre! While romance has some nice elements to it, I absolutely ADORE writing mystery. There's so many possibilities and twists and turns you can incorporate into the story when you're writing it. Other genres like Horror, Crime, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Sci-fi, War (or basically anything where someone's butt gets kicked) are equally appealing. However, I find that I tend to stay away from writing fantasy a lot. I don't know why, but ever since I was little, I've always totally hated reading fantasy novels (with the exception of Harry Potter and LOTR because those masterpieces are too amazing to ignore!). I think that also reflects in my writing because I tend to eschew fantastical plot lines and characters. Writing fantasy is really overwhelming for me because I feel like I have to build a whole world of characters and settings from scratch and I honestly don't think I have the brains to be that creative. In addition, I would never ever write a story about just drama. I generally hate soap operas and writing something purely in that genre would make me feel like Gossip Girl or something. I know there are many stories in the Drama genre out there that have done a mind-blowing job but I really don't think that's something I can do. But no matter what genre I'm writing in, I want to create a story that sends a message, however small.

T: Do you just dabble in writing fiction? Or have you tried your hand at other kinds of writing (non fiction, journalism, poetry, etc.)?
A: Actually, when I was little, I used to write a lot of poetry before I wrote fiction. But since then, I've hardly written any poetry at all. I don't usually write non-fiction for fun, but I did work for a national newspaper for a year (but I won't say which one because I don't want people to try and find me, haha) as a volunteer reporter. That was really interesting because I got to report a whole bunch of news stories as well as get training in photography to get the right kind of photographs for my articles. That was a really big help, especially considering my lack virtuosity in all things camera-related. Also, I spent some time as an editor for my school newspaper and another newsletter, so I've had a lot of journalism experience. I even thought about making it into a career at one point! However I have to say that writing fiction is by far my favourite kind of writing.

T: Why fiction, then? Why write it?
A: Writing fiction gives me the rare opportunity to play God. While there are many things I can't control (i.e. the weather, my exam results, Barack Obama, etc), I like to indulge in the few things that I can---mainly the fiction that I write. When I'm writing, I can control who my characters are, what they do, what happens to them, etc. This aspect of writing fiction just isn't present when I'm writing articles for the newspaper. As a journalist, you can only report what actually happened; not what you wished had happened. So, as morose as this sounds, writing fiction is really one of the few pleasures of life and one of the few things I can actually control.

Writing fiction also lets me express my creativity and unleash my imagination onto unsuspecting readers. There aren't as many rules when you're writing fiction as there are when you’re reporting a story. The thought of being able to create your own world full of characters, plots, settings, and themes gets me really really excited. It's like having a blank piece of paper in front of you and a pencil in your hand and having the power to sketch whatever your heart desires. Basically I write fiction because I like to pretend I can control everything, even though I can't.

T: Are there any writers that you find inspiring? Internet or real life?
A: Over the years, I think there have been a lot of authors online and offline that have really appealed to my tastes as a reader. Of course, what I liked to read when I was 12 is drastically different from what I like to read now. But I find that as my reading interests change, so does my writing. So many of the stories I read now have often inspired me to improve my own writing.

For online writers, I've always loved reading stories by break.my.bones. Her story "Sunshiner" pretty much made me realize that there's a whole new world of stories out there that can contain much more depth and meaning. In the past, I mostly read stories for my own entertainment. And while I still do that, I find myself reading ones that are more worthwhile and meaningful. For the few months that I've been on Mibba, I've also stumbled upon towers, whose stories are a magical kingdom all on their own! Her stories have been so inspiring as a reader because it reminds me that I've got an imagination and it can be a powerful tool in story-writing and story-reading. This list could also never be complete without Maisweetlove, because I'm obsessed with her story Sentinels. She knows how to create so much suspense and mystery early on to unravel a really good tale. I must also confess that I'm obsessed with xlaura17x. Her characters really come to life and I admire any author who can add an element of realism to their characters. It inspires me to try to do the same with my own stories. I also have to gush about maesaysdance because she comes up with the most interesting and original story ideas that you can't help but fall in love with them immediately and it definitely inspires me to think up ideas that are out of the ordinary.

In terms of authors in real life, it's been a while since I've read an actual book, haha. But I grew up with the Harry Potter fever and I have to point the finger at J.K. Rowling for inspiring me to write in the first place! Her magical world was so real and captivating, I decided I wanted to write something like that. And even though my first story was far from involving witches and wizards, I found a past-time that I grew to love and enjoy. Other inspiring authors that I absolutley bow down and worship include Anthony Burgess, Aldous Huxley, Issac Asimov, John Wyndham, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Mary Higgins Clark, and Kurt Vonnegut. I think all these authors have been able to create a whole new world of ideas, characters, places, and messages and I could probably read their books a million times and never get bored. Reading books from the sci-fi/mystery genre has really inspired me to create more suspense or plot twists in my own writing. Also, I just love a good book with lots of blood and guts :)

T: What is the best piece of advice that anyone – writer or friend/family alike – has ever given you? And what advice would you give to the struggling writer?
A: I think the best piece of advice that someone has given me about writing is that you must be passionate about what you write. That's really the only way you are going to be able to bring your story to life. I know for me, sometimes I come up with a few story ideas that I'm not actually all that enthusiastic about I usually end up deleting them or not finishing them. You have to find something that you are really really in love with and write about it. For the struggling writers, if you have a story that you are finding very difficult to write, sometimes it helps to take a break from it for a few days or weeks. When you come back, you might be inspired by a new idea or a new style that you can incorporate into your story. But if you come back to your story after that break and nothing is really clicking than maybe that story is just not worth writing. I would just set it aside and move on to something else that can really spark my interest.

Toni Morrison once said that "If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it". I think this quote pretty much sums up my motivation for writing and I find that it really helps me choose story lines that I am passionate about. And I would advise every writer to go out and find what it is that makes them tick and then just put it in words. Write the first draft with your heart. But edit your work with your head!

T: How do you take on writer’s block?
A: Basically, I ditch my story for a couple days or weeks until I feel like writing it again. More often than not, I get writer's block when I get to a certain chapter that's super boring or difficult to write. So sometimes, I'll skip that chapter and write another chapter that I'm more excited about and hope that writing another part will jog something loose in my creativity.

I also tend to have a (somewhat bad) habit of starting new stories when I'm stuck on other ones. But this usually helps me refocus my energy on new ideas and stops my brain from exploding when I'm frustrated with an older story.

T: So writing more than one story at a time doesn’t disturb your focus from the others?
A: I've discovered that writing many stories simultaneously is really the only way I can move forward with a story. Most of the time, when I'm focusing on one story in particular, I'll get bored with it and update another story. It keeps the momentum going. Otherwise, I think I'd just stop writing altogether for a really long time! Also, I must confess that I only write when I feel like it or when I'm in the mood. If I feel like writing about blood and guts, I'll update Where Truth Lies. Or if I'm in the mood for romance, I'll add a chapter to The Wanderer.

I suppose it's sort of funny that it worked out that way because I'm actually quite terrible at multitasking. But it helps me keep my interest in writing stories and allows me to experiment with a lot of different ideas at once instead of being tied down to one plot line or one set of characters. If I have a new story idea while I'm working on another story, I just won't be able to focus on writing it until I get the new one out of my head and onto a Word document! The characters will haunt me in my nightmares and the plot will start to tangle with my other plots and sometimes I even jolt awake at night because a new story is terrorizing my dreams and telling me to "Write me! Write me, Andi! You know you want to!" in a creepy zombie voice. So, really, I have no choice if I want some peace of mind and story-free dreams.

T: Do you ever find yourself taking on more stories than you can handle at once, especially with the constant attack of new ideas?
A: In the beginning, yes :). When I first started on Mibba (which was only a few months ago in March), I had a lot of ideas I wanted to start with – like 8. But I soon came to realize that out of those 8 stories I wanted to write there was only 1 that I really cared about and truly wanted to finish writing. So I just deleted the other 7. And since then, I've only really took on stories that I'm excited about because those are the only stories that will ever really move forward. Once I have those stories out of my head, I don't find that I'm having any new story ideas anymore--or at least, ideas that I would really care about. However, if I am working with a lot of stories that I'm excited about, I usually can move forward with each one. Updates might be slower, but it's just how I do things.

T: Do you worry about losing readers because of slow updates? And do you think that is an important factor to worry about as a young writer on Mibba, let alone any other writing site?
A: I usually try not to obsess over the number of readers or subscribers I have. I think every writer gets a spasm of joy when they realize two more people are reading their stories. I mean, we put a lot of effort into writing our stories and we hope that people will appreciate that. Right now, I think I'm at a place where I don't really care how many people are reading my work because as long as they are giving me useful feedback, that's all I really need. But I have to confess that when I was first starting out on this site, I used to want a million readers at once ;)

As a young writer on Mibba, it can be hard NOT to fuss over whether your story is popular or not. However, you have to keep in mind that there are lot of different types of readers your story can attract. I don't think the quantity of readers is nearly as important as the quality of them. And I know that sounds super cheesy but I remember when I wrote stories on Quizilla, the story lines and characters were pretty stupid and juvenile. I had a lot of readers though because they really liked the ideas I was exploring. They always wrote me messages asking me to update every day. What's unfortunate about these types of readers is that they don't really care how badly the story is actually written. They won't really pay attention to the syntax, the grammar, character development, plot originality, etc. They just want to read the story and sometimes, unfortunately, they treat you like an update machine that just pisses out another update all the time because you apparently have no life. Having a million readers like this is not worth it. They won't do anything to help you improve your writing or encourage you with your talents.

On the other hand, just one or two supportive readers that really look at your writing in-depth can make such a HUGE difference on your writing. The style, the presentation, organization, development, etc all changes for the better and these are the types of readers that are totally worth having. They're like free editors :) So in essence, although I admit it is hard at first to not worry about how many people are reading your story, the important thing to remember is that if you're writing is improving, then you're well on your way. Soon, with enough time, people will really take notice of your talent and your stories can be well-known for all the right reasons.

T: Have you ever had a run-in with a bad case of feedback? And how do you handle a so-called ‘flamer’ – someone who finds pleasure in downsizing you to their best ability, without trying the least bit to be constructive?
A: I have gotten bad feedback a couple times, but usually it has to do with spelling and grammar because I'm just terrible at catching my own mistakes when I'm writing! For the most part, I get positive feedback and although I like to suck up all those compliments like a sponge and pretend I'm the most awesome writer in the world, it's actually more helpful to get the constructive criticism I need! However, people who belittle your writing or insult you personally are really not worth my time. Fortunately, I've never had to deal with anyone like that on Mibba. I'm often tempted to just ignore them if they do pop up because in all honesty, they have no idea how immature they sound and I don't want to be the one to enlighten them about manners. Someone who insults a writer's ability in a non-constructive way really doesn't deserve any attention. They clearly only want to see what kind of a reaction they can get more than anything else. I wouldn't give them that satisfaction by lashing out or being moody. I think the best thing to do is to tell them to stop politely and if they have something constructive to offer, then to contribute in a mature way. If they don't take the advice, then I would just ignore them completely. It's not worth your time at all!

T: Going into a little more detail about your work, I really want to know about ‘Where Truth Lies’. When writing that, do you feel your dark side coming out a bit more when dealing with a crime/murder story?
A: Definitely! I was actually quite surprised at myself with the level of violence and the morbid way the murder is carried out. I suppose I've just spent way too much time watching Se7en or The Silence of the Lambs. I tend to sway towards creepy films and my morbid sense of humor usually doesn't help alleviate the gruesomeness in my stories. I simply love to write mystery and I find that although my dark side can be kind of disturbing at times, it really helps to add the effect and atmosphere I'm aiming for. I think what shocks me the most about writing such a grotesque story is my nonchalance towards it. I don't feel personally repulsed but rather strangely detached from the events. I'm sure if any of those things happened to me in real life, the way I deal with the violence would be very different. However, the distant narrative has been written that way for a very specific reason (which you'll find out at the end!) and I hope I don't ever have to experience any of that first hand.

T: Unfortunately this is the end of the interview, one I have enjoyed thoroughly, and as a last opportunity, is there anything you would like to say to your readers and the readers of Chalk?
A: I just want all my readers to know that I love them from the very bottom of my heart and if polygamy was legal, I would marry all of them at once! They have been so encouraging and motivating. As a writer, getting lovely feedback and love is really one of the main reasons I'm able to continue writing. They have such a big impact and I love them all to death! I would like to thank each and every one of them personally for being so amazing!

I hope that each writer knows that they are a part of something magical. They are creators of magical worlds and timeless characters. They've built a teleporting machine with just their words and their imaginations. Being part of this creative process is really quite mind-blowing when you think about it. Put your heart between every metaphor and every hyperbole and keep writing!