This month we have a special interview! Our very own Loutka has given us the pleasure of interviewing her. We hope you enjoy getting to know her and her characters.

ToD: For November, our theme is to find yourself. How have you done so?

Loutka: I'd found myself through writing. Writing has always been a coping mechanism for me, so the more I wrote, the more I learned about myself - my wants, desires, goals, - all the things that kept my drive going. This doesn't mean I'm done looking though. Because every day, I manage to discover something new about myself that I'm still trying to figure out.

ToD: Would you say that you're an individual?

Loutka: Yes, I think so.

ToD: What's something that makes you unique?

Loutka: Honestly... I'm super stumped on this question. I feel like I could name a list of things, but in the end, at least one person out there has that same spark I think I have. I don't know why these kind of questions always make me think lol.

ToD: In your writing, how do your characters keep true to themselves?

Loutka: Hmm, I'm honestly not sure how to answer this question. I guess my character's adapt to my mindset. That would best explain how they stay true to themselves. I never let others influence me, unless it was positively because I didn't like to do things I was uncomfortable with. My goals were always my first and top priorities. So, that's how my characters are portrayed. No letting others change them from who they are. When they've established a goal, it's set in stone in their mind, and there's no changing it.

ToD: Is there ever a point in time where your character(s) follow the status quo?

Loutka: No, not really. When I think of "status quo" I think of stereotypes, roles, relationships, etc. one may be expected to uphold. My MC's often take on parts of my character traits. It's part of my coping mechanism - being able to write pieces of myself into my character's. Growing up, I never stuck to a status quo, even when I was under pressure or when I caught shit from other people (mostly being called things like weird and boring and the list goes on). So oftentimes, my characters make and abide by their own decisions. There is no status quo, only what they feel is right.

ToD: In terms of antagonists, would you say they're unique?

Loutka: For the most part, I think so. I have a specific criteria I stick to when it comes to antagonists. The puppet and the puppeteer: my antagonists usually involve 2+ people - the one mastermind behind the schemes, and the manipulated (either aware or unaware of the crime). Leading me into my next on the list. Mental health: having grown up in a household with people who deal with one or the other (anxiety, Bipolar, depression, etc.) including myself, I observed how people treated us. My antagonists who've been manipulated and taken advantage of by the "puppeteer" often represent mental health. And finally, my antagonists are often found playing smaller roles in the book - people you wouldn't suspect at all because they don't seem important, but the truth is, even the smallest character's can have the largest role.

ToD: What makes your writing different from others?

Loutka: Hmm, I guess the style would be my answer. Every writer has their own unique style. After all, it's what makes their writing theirs - different. My readers often point this out to me. If I could describe my style in a few words, I'd say my writing style revolves around thought-driven narrative, simple but long descriptive sentences, and vivid details. I focus on the words of my character's emotions to paint the picture I want to convey. There's something about that, that leaves my signature everywhere I write. It's how people know it's mine.

ToD: How would you describe your writing process?

Loutka: My writing process is fairly simple. I'm a hardcore planner. I've tried to write without planning but my anxiety says no lol. So, what I do is, outline all the main plot points into what I call the "main scenes" (I write a short description summarizing for each scene too). By breaking everything into the main scenes, I can fill in the gaps as I go along, when I actually start writing the book. That way, all I need to do is write the scenes in order and worry about the transitions into the next scene. This also helps me measure/estimate how long the book will be based on how many chapters each scene might take. For example: my book, Traces of Delilah, was only broken down into 9 main scenes. However, that stretched the book into 28 chapters.

ToD: Is there ever a time where you feel like you've lost yourself?

Loutka: Yes. Always. It's something I still struggle to deal with sometimes.

ToD: What's some advice you can give to new and old writers?

Loutka: Don't let other people tell you what to write. And don't let stats deter you away from writing what you enjoy. Writing shouldn't feel like a chore. If you're feeling inferior to someone's else's numbers, just remember they once started where you were. If you're feeling discouraged, just remember even your favorite authors, best selling authors, etc. get discouraged too. And if you feel like giving up, don't. As I once told someone, cry your eyes out, get back at it, and keep improving - because it's not over until you quit.

Well everyone, there you have it! These are thoughts from Loutka and we appreciate both her as a person and the work she puts into TeamOfDreams. With that being said, consider checking her out. I'm currently reading Traces of Delilah and I can say the writing is very good!

Sky

Team Of Dreams