Pokémon Book Reviews

Interview with DachshundPiano

As promised, here is the interview to accompany our review of Underdog. Thanks to Abby (abbert21) for conducting the interview, DachshundPiano for responding, and d_s_t_e for publishing the article.

How did you find Wattpad?

When I was in middle school, a bunch of online friends and I starting writing stories for fun. One of them found Wattpad and I joined so that I'd have a place to share my work.

How do you avoid cliches when writing?

I struggled a lot with this when I was younger, but now I try to learn from my mistakes. I look at what sounds cheesy or cliche in my writing and avoid that in future stories.

Do you find it difficult to write (writer's block, school gets in the way, etc.)?

Definitely. I actually don't write very much nowadays, between lack of time and motivation. Writer's block doesn't want to leave me alone.

Where do you get story ideas?

From pretty much anywhere. Places I visit, encounters with other people, dreams I have, things I see, you name it. I don't always go through with writing something about it, but I do have a lot of half-formed ideas in my head.

What inspires you?

Other people's writing, mostly! When I read a book that I really love, it inspires me to keep creating my own stories.

Who's your favorite YouTuber?

I don't really watch YouTube very much, but I guess ilonqueen because she's an amazing singer.

If you had to write your book all over again, what would you change in it?

Oh man...so much. I'd honestly probably trash half the stuff in Underog and rewrite it to make more sense and flow smoothly. I actually plan to do that eventually when I have the time! In particular though I'd get rid of the whole love triangle thing...when I look back on it, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

What makes you smile?

 Hm...music, art, funny videos, messages from friends, that sort of thing. It's cliche, but I can't help it! I'm kind of a sap.

How committed are you to writing and/or Wattpad?

Not very. I don't write as much as I used to, and even when I do, I usually don't post any of it on Wattpad. I'm just not as involved here as I used to be.

Are there any songs that inspire you?

Yes, but it would take forever to list them all. Music in general inspires me, and there are dozens of songs I like to listen to while writing. But when writing emotional scenes, I try to pick songs that match the tone of the writing I'm going for (sad, dramatic, happy, etc).

If there is any place in the world that you could go, where would it be and why?

Ireland, I think. I really want to visit the country simply because I think it would be a fun experience. Most of my family is Irish, too, so I think it would be interesting to learn about the culture they came from.

How much research do you do before you write?

A lot, usually. I'll be the first to admit that I used to just write without stopping to look things up, but now I strive to make sure everything is accurate before I incorporate it into a story.

What is your favorite color and why?

Purple! I don't really have a reason for it, I just love the color.

What's your favorite quote?

"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced" - Malala Yousafzai.