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 jordynsaelor author of Graveyard of Lullabies. Check out this writer's works and give them a shout out in the comments.
BCM: How did you discover the Bootcamp Mentors and what have you found most valuable about this Wattpad community program?
jordynsaelor: I believe I found out through an announcement on the Wattpad Contests profile page? Funny story, I actually found out about Bootcamp Mentors last year (which is why I don't totally remember how I learned about it), but decided against submitting since I didn't know how busy I'd be. But this year I submitted to the program, and it's been so helpful. It's always easy for me to take discouragements/lack of reads/negative reviews as evidence that my writing doesn't "make it," like there's some imaginary bar I have to pass to be "good enough." But through this mentorship program and the positive feedback and critiques I've received, I've gained more confidence in my writing and what I'm capable of.
BCM: What prompted you to start writing on Wattpad and what do you like most about the platform as a writer?
jordynsaelor: So, I have a blog where I post poems, and I used to post stories there too, but eventually realized a blog was not the best platform for longer-format works. So I went searching for someplace new, and found Wattpad, and decided to make an account and start posting stories here. It's been a really great place to connect with other writers, especially to give and receive feedback, and find opportunities like this Bootcamp Mentors program to hone in on a specific novel.
BCM: What motivated you to write the story you're submitting to the 2023 Wattys?
jordynsaelor: Graveyard of Lullabies began with some vague ideas in my head about a necromancer somewhere icy and something about the ocean, and the first scene I wrote had a lot of emotional weight and loneliness and beauty at its center--it captivated me enough to want to keep peeling back the layers of this character's heart and discover where her journey took me.
BCM:. If you had to describe your story in three words, what would they be?
jordynsaelor: Three words? "Graveyard of Lullabies" (But just saying the title feels like cheating) So...maybe I'll go with "Decimation, dear brain"
BCM: Tell us one thing about your writing process that has helped you the most.
jordynsaelor: I've heard a lot of writing advice that talks about not editing anything in your first draft, like, "just keep writing and don't touch anything until you're done with the first draft" and "keep your momentum moving forward and don't worry about mistakes right now" and "the second draft is where you edit everything once you have the story down." But for me personally, it's a major part of my writing process that I go through and edit the last thing I wrote. Rather than stalling momentum, it reminds me of where I am in the story and what I want to happen next, so I can flow straight from making edits into writing new stuff, as opposed to trying to start from nothing whenever I sit down to write.
Of course, I know this won't work for everyone, but it's something I've found that helps me a lot with my writing.
BCM: Share two Wattpad story recommendations.
jordynsaelor: Devour by TheQueenofGremlins and Lucy in Avalon by ella_rowan These are on total opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of horror vs cozy/wholesome, but I thoroughly enjoyed both.
Thank you, jordynsaelor. We wish you all the best in your writing endeavors.
More BCM spotlight interviews are on the way!
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