Lost in Words: The Journey from Fan-fiction to Original Fiction

Lost in Words: The Journey from Fan-fiction to Original Fiction

‘reading is a very important step for you to write something that satisfies not only you but the reader within you as well.‘

– What was the first book you read that left a mark on you?

My reading journey started with a lot of books I read from here and there. I can’t even remember half of them. However, the first book to have an impact on me was Sarah J. Mass’ A Court of Thorns and Roses. This particular series made me feel like a book is not just some words written by an author but it’s a whole different world in itself. I felt different emotions, learned new things about myself as a reader and as a human being too. I found myself engrossed in it such that I couldn’t keep it down once I started reading it. It taught me a great deal of things.

– Is there a particular writer that you’ve come to try and mirror their writing style?

There’s no particular writer whose writing style I’ve come to mirror, but I have read multiple authors and my writing style has changed immensely with time. You can say, through the words that I read written by others, I used hit and trial to find a writing style that suits me perfectly.

– How did the idea for ‘Her secret’ come about?

I had been reading a fan-fiction when suddenly I wanted to change the course of the story. So, I decided that writing it would be the best. Slowly through the passage of time, as I read more books, as my knowledge expanded, the idea of Her Secret build up and now it is, the first draft about halfway done!

– Your book sounds like a revenge romance, was this the original idea or has it shifted away from the first thought?

The first plot-line of this story was way different from what it is now. Yes, the book has shifted away from the original idea but it is for the better. As I came to write the different plotlines, my writing grew, along with the story and I came to realise a lot of mistakes and plot holes that I had to correct. This ended up changing the original thought I had in mind but seeing as this is my first project, I’m satisfied enough with the way things turned out to be.

– Why did you want to write this book in the first place?

I have always been interested in writing stories and poems as a child, having been passed on this talent from my mother who’s good at poetry herself. I believe the inspiration to write this book came from the subconscious part of my mind. I have always wanted every book I read have a different ending. I think about a hundred possibilities for every little thing.

Maybe that made me consider writing something of my own. The final nail in the coffin was when I started reading fan-fictions of a show I really liked. That moment I decided that I too will write a fan-fiction. Although it turned out as my writing journey progressed, I wanted to write something that’s all of my own creation.

Hence, came this book. Something that’s been edited and re-edited multiple times but still something that’s wholly mine.

– Do you think you tend to mirror your personal experiences in your writing?

Sometimes. I realised once when I had a very bad day and decided to write something to lift up my mood that I wrote a very depressing chapter. Sometimes when I’m spiralling, writing keeps me grounded. In fact, some of my poems are too personal that I feel shy sharing them. However much I try that as an author my feelings shouldn’t interfere in my book, sometimes that’s the only thing that helps me grow.

– How would you describe your writing process?

Writing for me was fun in the start. I tried writing in various styles, experimenting with things and so on. However, as I progressed I found myself having a lot of writer’s block. From there on, I started doing some research. Writing a book is not easy. I came up with a lot of plot holes and sometimes some scenes didn’t match the flow of the story.

So I decided to write it all down first. I gathered my thoughts and then made a timeline for the story. My writing process is based on that only. I use my chapter outlines that I wrote beforehand and then plot each scene individually. After that only do I add the dialogues and write the actual scene. It’s a long process but it’s efficient and this way I can go through the story again and again as I also log in any change I made in the outlines.

It makes it easy for me to catch any plot holes and improve the overall book.

– As a writer, would you say reading is important for you?

Reading is the first step in writing. You read certain things and your mind processes them. You learn a lot. I read a lot and it has helped me a lot to improve myself. The type of things you read affect your thought process and in turn, your writing.

So I think reading is a very important step for you to write something that satisfies not only you but the reader within you as well.

– Is there a distinction, or perhaps a balance, between reading for pleasure and reading as a writer?

I haven’t tried as such. However I have noticed myself go over some things again when I’m reading because I think it’ll be helpful for me during writing my own book. Overall I never differentiate between reading for pleasure and as a writer. I read when I want to and if something I read helps me or affects me a writer is completely natural and not intentional.

– Last but not least, do you think the glass is half full, half empty, or just twice as big as needed?

If I be honest, I am not a glass is half full kind of person. I tend to look at the negative side of things more, however, I do have people in my life who make me remember the already half full part of the glass. So in the end, I do make do with the half full glass, working hard to fill the rest of it too.

ManicWorld Magazine

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