On a personal level, I've got some major life changes coming up. I can't share anything with you yet, but once I can, I will. It's pretty huge. But has absolutely nothing to do with writing. So there you go.
Next up on our Aspiring Writers Series is Padmini Muraletharen. Check back here tomorrow for our third interview. Again, if you're a writer and want a unique way to promote your work, email me at heather.myers@ymail.com with the subject INTERVIEW and I'd be happy to interview you for this series!
Please
tell us a little about yourself (if you can provide a picture, feel free to do
so).
My name is Padmini. I’m turning 18 soon and I’m going to be a senior. I’m a total Florida child, never even seen snow. I’ve been writing since I was about 14 years old. I love learning anything new. I’m not sure what I want to study in college. I was sure I wanted to study medicine since I was little, and now in the last year of high school, I’m not so sure anymore. So many things interest me and want to do a lot of different things. My list of dreams and careers I wish I could have is crazy. I love talking a lot and I do debate. I like to think I'm the typical Sagittarius. I like deep thinking, I love learning and understanding, storytelling thrills me, I love adventure, and I'm brutally honest.
What
type of books do you like to read? What type if books do you like to write?
My favorite type of book to read and
write is romance. It can be from any genre but there has to be some kind of
romance. Anything I write will always have romance and that’s what I look for
to read too. I won’t ever read horror books or anything sad. I love cliché
plots as long as the author makes it very distinct and interesting with a stand
out style of writing. I read fantasy and suspense too. I’m pretty picky with
what I read. The writing itself has to be great and I have to fall in love with
the characters mainly.
What
are your top 3 books? What are your top 3 authors?
No matter what books I love –and I
can love them a lot- but Harry Potter will always be at the top.
I just absolutely love everything about it. I grew up with it, and that’ll
always be the favorite in the background. J.K. Rowling is my favorite author.
It blows my mind that she wrote this huge intricate series with its own
universe and all the planning she put into it that’s not even mentioned in the
books. It was pretty amazing that she kept track of all of that and tied
everything up so perfectly in the end. I don’t think I’ve ever been so attached
to a set of characters since Harry
Potter. My other favorite author is L.J. Smith who wrote the Night World series and The Vampire Diaries series. Night World is one of my favorites
because it’s also so extensive and has a lot of awesome well developed
characters. Then there are a lot of different authors and books I love on
Wattpad.
What
inspires you to write?
Reading epic kind of stories like
the Harry Potter series really
inspires me. It’s always astounded me that authors can create such well thought
out elaborate and detailed worlds for their characters. I’ve wished since I was
little that someday, I can write something of that caliber too. The main thing that
inspires me is characters kind of forming in my head. The things they would do
or say, their personalities and attitudes, and their stories. Once a character,
an idea for a story, or even a few words pop up in my head, I have to write
them down and develop them. That usually inspires the rest.
Are
you a plotter or a pantser? Why?
I wasn’t sure what a pantser was,
but based on what I looked up, I would be more of a pantser. I come up with a
few things and run on that. I’m a bit of a planner too, even though I don’t
plan a lot. I think of different plot lines and I really plan characters, their
pasts, and possible scenes, but I don’t make outlines or anything.
What
time of day do you write?
I usually write really late at night
after everyone has gone to bed. I stay up pretty late, and I always feel most
creative after midnight. It’s easier to think when I’m alone and it’s pretty
relaxing to just sit down and write after a long day. If I’m doing something
during the day that makes me think of a good scene or just a few words, I’ll write
them down.
What
tool do you normally write with? (A pen, computer, phone, etc.)
Most of my writing is done on my
computer because it’s more convenient. I have Dropbox on my computers and
tablet, so I can continue writing anywhere. I also have a few documents meant
for just small bits and pieces of writing that don’t necessarily belong to any
story yet. So if I feel inspired and just have to write, I can add to those
wherever I am, even if it’s just one sentence at a time. Sometimes I’ll write a
memo on my phone or scribble something on scratch paper that I’ll add in when I
can. Then, when I’m writing, I can go back and stick the little excerpts in
where they fit.
Have
you ever dealt with writer's block? If so, how did you combat it?
I’ve had a lot of writer’s block in
the past. I come up with characters and concepts to base stories off of. I can
write descriptively, so I don’t have a problem with writing scenes as much as I
do with filling the blanks in a plot. I don’t write linearly. I know the idea
of the story, characters and what they go through as people, and where they end
up. So, I can write the beginning, the end, and lots of scenes throughout that
develop the story and characters. Sometimes, I don’t even know the whole plot
or exactly what happens to the characters in between. To handle it, I usually
just wait until something comes to me or I may throw around ideas with my best
friends to come up with something.
What
challenges have you faced with writing this story?
The biggest challenge was coming up
with the plot. No plot or adventure for the characters seemed big enough or
just right. I’m a big perfectionist so I wasn’t satisfied with a lot of parts.
I write scenes and dialogue that I have to work around. I had a lot of trouble
writing the middle and connecting the scenes.
Who
is your favorite character to write?
The guys are always my favorite to
write. Ash, the CIA agent and Alex, the horrible boss are my favorite. Both are
guys that start out as jerks and then you get to find out that they’re really
good people. They’re the kind of guys that are a little damaged and have all
these layers, and when they actually do something nice, it’s really fun to
write.
What
type of romantic relationship do you like to read? (Hate/love, best friend,
forbidden, etc.) is it the same type you like to write? Why or why not?
I love any romantic relationship
where the guy and girl have a lot of really witty banter and don’t get along in
the beginning. Love hate relationships are the best because the reader can see
the characters fall for each other. Heroes or anti-heroes that change into a
nice guy in the end are the best kinds. The longer the hero and heroine take to
get together, the better the story because tension and excitement build
up. I love the forbidden romance stories
too.
What
draws you to a book (to read)?
A plot that sounds really
interesting and a description that’s intriguing gets my attention. When I first
start reading, the way it’s written and if it’s well told draws me in. The
author has to have a great style of writing. Very well written, life like
characters also draw me to books. Characters that are very witty and clever.
What
characteristics do you look for in your ideal heroine? Your ideal hero? Are
they the same characteristics you employ when you write your heroine and your
hero? Why or why not?
I like heroines that are very witty
and clever. Ones that can stand up to other characters and are strong and brave
but a little clumsy and unsure at the same time. The hero should be cool and
indifferent at first, interesting, brave, daring, and protective. He can be
very rude, confident, and rough around the edges but has to be caring,
thoughtful, and deep at heart. I try to make most of my characters fit these
qualities because it’s always fun to unravel these conflicting contradicting
traits in a character.
What
are you currently reading?
I’m reading a bunch of different
books on Wattpad right now. The one I look forward to reading most is the Death is my BFF series by katrocks247
which is about this girl Faith and the grim reaper, and Saving Elliot by northbynorth.
Finally,
what are the ingredients to your favorite book? (A dose of action, a splash of
romance, etc.)
Definitely romance, adventure, lots
of action, banter, really ingenious diction, and charming attractive
characters.
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