Author Interview
Heya everyone. I'm back. So this time it's about the interview of one of my fellow authors. And I'm quite excited about this.
This girl, I read her story when I was a newbie on Wattpad and the title of the story and the whole plot kept me intrigued. I was so sure that I wanted to write like that. And now a few days ago, she followed me on Instagram, it was like a fangirl moment for me. I know you're all thinking, why she's talking so much? So without further ado:
Yes. It'our very own Rameesha, mostly known as Rameesharants. I got a huge demand for this interview. She is our amazing writer, Wattpad star, and a great human being.
And before we dive deep into the interview, I would just like to say, her editing skills are awesome to the peak. Like I just went to her Pinterest board and OH MY GOD.
It was so freaking Awesome, so aesthetically pure. OH MY! Not only that, but her Instagram content is also wonderful too.
Rameesha
1. Firstly tell us a little about yourself. What are you doing? What are your goals?
Rameesha: Well, I'm a simple Pakistani girl currently pursuing a degree in medicine. But due to the lockdown, things are kinda slow so the only two things I'm doing these days are painting and writing. As for goals, I have a whole word document on that. Traveling through Europe, learning new languages, following the path of Illuminati (yes, angels and demons!!)– I have quite a long list of things I wanna do before I die.
2. From when you started writing? Your first book and what pushed you to write it? How did you think about the title, The Glory of a Midnight Sun?
Rameesha: I started writing when I was 16 and glory was my first novel. I read a few Muslim novels on Wattpad which weren't written that well and I really wanted to read a good, English, Muslim romance so I wrote one. As for the title, it came. One day, it just occurred to me and I planned the whole novel around it.
3. What has influenced you the most as a writer?
Rameesha: Reading other novels, definitely. When you read a novel from a writer's perspective rather than a reader's, things look different. You pick new things, learn which mistakes to not make, and overall better yourself.
4. What do you think makes a good story?
Rameesha: A good plot and strong characters – but mostly good plot. Your plot should be strong, convey a message, address some issues, and not just be an everyday life of some characters. That's what makes a good story.
5. Do you follow any writing channel or blog? If so, which one?
Rameesha: Lol, no, was never a blog girl. But for help sometimes, I do read random articles and blogs on the internet but I don't follow a particular one.
6. How do you develop your books? Is there any prior outlining?
Rameesha: I've tried various things and am still not an expert at this plotting thing. With glory, I did the spontaneous thing and planned while writing the chapters. With chaos, I did some hardcore planning beforehand and outlined every little detail. With my current WIP, I plan at least a few chapters ahead but still know where the story will lead and how it will end.
7. How do you balance writing with your personal and work life?
Rameesha: These days, I don't have very active personal and work life, lol. But when times were normal, I always prioritized work and studies over writing but still managed to write at least a few chapters per month and if I'm not writing, I'm planning or researching.
8. Does the seriousness of a particular scene affect you while writing it?
Rameesha: Not really. Whilst I'm writing a heavy scene, I'm still me and my family is pretty funny, they cheer me up and I don't really feel the weight most of the time. The only time I ever cried at my own novel was towards the end of chaos and that too because I was away from home at college.
9. What does literary success look like to you? Have you thought of writing as your future career?
Rameesha: I don't think writing will ever be a career for me. Maybe a side-career if I do intend to publish my work someday, but being a doctor will always take priority over that.
and as for literary success, I think it's different for everyone. Some say publishing your work, some say being featured, but for me, personally, my readers and the comments they leave me is my success. Times when my readers privately message me and go on and on for paragraphs about how my stories moved them, I feel pretty darn successful.
10. Fav time and season to write.
Rameesha: Nights and winters, always.
11. Does writing helps you or exhaust you as a person?
Rameesha: Helps me, for sure. I mean it is tiring work, thinking words and metaphors, researching and all the other stuff but in the end, it's fulfilling, rewarding.
12. Your Wattpad experience.
Rameesha: One word – rewarding. I was lucky enough to call my first novel a success, become a Wattpad star so early, and gain such amazing readers. It wasn't that hard for me, in reality, and i thank god daily for that.
13. What's the most difficult thing about writing characters from the opposite sex?
Rameesha: It's easier to write male characters. They don't demand the complex dialogues formation and deep thought process that women do. Sometimes, it's hard because I can't relate to them but I won't call it hard.
14. What kind of research do you do and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
Rameesha: A lot. really. Tons and tons of research before I even begin to write a chapter. When a plot first hits me, I read related novels, articles, reviews, decide the location, and then search that location. So yeah, extensive research.
15. Hardest scene for you to write?
Rameesha: Conversations between lovers, I manage easily but that between friends, I dread. I don't know why I fear them but I do and am trying to work on it.
So that's all for today. I hope you enjoyed this interview. Tell me in the comments below. Until next time, Keep Writing :D