These are the voices of our mentors and mentees from past and present. They've provided their insight about the program, their processes, the Wattys, and have shared their favorite Wattpad stories. Grab a cuppa and sit down with us as we get to know...
The Bootcamp Mentors are proud to present a spotlight interview with OwlieCat Check out this writer's work and give them a shout out in the comments.
BCM: What motivated you to become a Bootcamp Mentor and what have you found most valuable about the program?
SG: I was motivated to join by the hope that I might help another writer, while learning along the way. I've never mentored or helped someone with a manuscript before, so it's a learning experience for me as well!
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what do you like most about the platform?
SG: I stumbled upon Wattpad in 2019, when I was looking for a writing website where I could post my NaNoWriMo story. I Googled "best writing websites" and Wattpad came up in the results. I discovered I'd already made an account several years before, but I'd never used it or posted anything, and had forgotten all about it. I signed back in, started posting my story as I wrote it, and thirty days later I had my first-ever novel! Then I kept writing.
BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that you've incorporated into your mentoring.
SG: Mapping my story to the 'Save the Cat' beat sheet by word count or percentage really helps ground me in the narrative arc. I use it like guideposts to help me see where I am, how much further I have to go, and what needs to happen next. It's also proving to be a good editorial tool, helping me grasp the structure of my mentee's story and see what's working well and where to focus more attention.
BCM: If you had to describe your mentee's story in three words, what would they be?
SG: Cold, love, and zombies.
BCM: Will you be entering a story into the 2022 Wattys? If so, what motivated you to write the story?
SG: I haven't decided, but I might. If I do, it will probably be Stolen Sign. It started from a randomly chosen Open Novella Contest prompt, and grew into a trilogy (book three as yet unwritten!)
BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.
SG: Human Bait by my mentee Spelunkadunk will appeal to those who like love-against-the-odds, boyxboy romance, a zombie-apocalypse with a twist, and strong characters. Similarly, check out Zombie Soap by Kaiddance for a Watty-Winning horror tale with as much humor and relatable characters as killer ferrets and gore.
~ 2023 Spotlight Interview with SG Gardner ~
BCM: What is the username of your 2023 mentee and the title of their story? If you had to describe your mentee's story in three words, what would they be?
SG: I am mentoring pixelmum on her book Something Wicked. The story has so many facets, it's hard to describe in just three words! With the help of a few hyphens, I'd describe it as a multicultural crime-thriller lgbt-romance.
BCM: Will you be entering a story into the 2023 Wattys? If so, what motivated you to write the story? If not, can you share what you're working on?
SG: One book I'd like to enter this year is Healer of Sakkara. It was partly inspired by my love for open-world fantasy video games like Oblivion and Skyrim.
BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.
SG: For those who like action, adventure, sci-fi or dystopian stories with a sprinkle of romance, I recommend Go For The Gap by Dante_Greywolf and The Undergrounders by Kaiddance.
Thank you, SG. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.
Don't go away, folks. There are more spotlights to come.
ओह! यह छवि हमारे सामग्री दिशानिर्देशों का पालन नहीं करती है। प्रकाशन जारी रखने के लिए, कृपया इसे हटा दें या कोई भिन्न छवि अपलोड करें।
