Paid Stories: Writer Spotlights – Meet Ann Rae – Wattpad

                                    

                                              


                          
Hi Friends,
                          
September is upon us, the air is starting to feel a bit crisper, and the start of a new school year is here. Though – understatement of the century – this school year's definitely different than what we're used to. Since stories are always a great way to connect and experience the world around us, what better way than to jump into a story with an unexpected school year! 

This month, we've got the pleasure of chatting with Ann Rae, author of the Locker Exchange . First come gazing at the school's hot bad boy through your locker, then comes a  flirty connection, then comes danger, drama and mystery. That's how the song goes right...? 

Read all about Ann's writing process below and then when you're done,  jump over to read the Locker Exchange !

                          
*******************
                          
Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

                          
I guess I find my inspiration from other stories! Since I've been reading for a long time, the knowledge probably accumulated in my head and acts as an unconscious resource when I think of ideas, which is pretty neat. I also like to look around and take note of my surroundings and people I run into. Inspiration is everywhere, like my college campus, my friends, restaurants, underpass bridges...literally anything!

                          


                          
What initially encouraged you to start writing?

                          
I started writing small things when I was really young. For example, there was one story where there was a hidden door in my closet which led to a different world. A unicorn acted as the main guide and brought us to Village Inn where we had pancakes together. After that phase, I started reading books like Percy Jackson and The Mortal Instruments. I was really inspired, and would try to imitate the style of writing with my own characters (but same world) in a weird version of fan fiction. This is probably how I got started!

                          


                          
And to follow up on that question, those who have read The Locker Exchange know that it's got a great mix of mystery, drama, and romance. What about the combination of these genres appealed to you? How do you keep your story ideas fresh?
                          
I've always loved the idea of "ride-or-die" romance. For example, I don't like focusing on the issues of a relationship, but more on the issues outside the relationship that make it stronger.So I really like using that as a motivator in my stories, where romance is the focus, but there are bigger issues to focus on that help the characters develop together. I try to get inspiration from a lot of things and not cop into a genre stereotype too much. If I feel like there are too many similarities to a cliche or another story, I'll try to change things up in my planning.

                          


                          
Speaking of fresh ideas for your stories, how do you get started with a story? Are you the type of writer to map everything out before writing, or do you just jump in and see where the story takes you?

When it comes to new stories, I usually think of the characters first: the female lead and the male lead. Then I start writing things out on paper with colored pens just to get the juices flowing. Once I do that, I try to fit what I already have into a three-act structure (which I didn't do with The Locker Exchange, but is something I try to focus on now) and outline the whole thing either on Wattpad or my phone notes. Obviously, I don't outline every detail, because the characters usually show themselves more once I start writing them out in the chapters, and that's when the writing gets really fun.