This week's spotlighted author is wigglysubu with their story Under The Mango Trees. 

Subalakshmi is from Mumbai/Bangalore, India, and loves writing novels at the intersection of romance and some sort of philosophical/feminist thought, watching kdramas till 5 a.m., ordering food a little too often, and keeping it a secret from her parents.

Under The Mango Trees is about two girls, best friends with personalities as starkly distinct as sunshine and midnight who fall in love. It's a coming-of-age story that not only explores the anxieties of loving someone whom you're not supposed to, but family dynamics and all the pains of growing up.

Interested to know how this story came to be or the author's challenges of writing it? Read on to know more.

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🌈 What sparked the inspiration to write the story?

I always wanted to document the experiences of growing up in a city like Mumbai, the experiences of being a woman in a country like India, and capture the nuances of culture, sexuality, and psychology of young adulthood. The inspiration came from within me, to make sense of my own feelings, people, and surroundings. In short, this book was my catharsis.

🌈 What inspired you to start writing on Wattpad?

Stories in my head! They kept coming to me and carrying me somewhere far off. Their visits became so frequent that it was troubling and I had to share them with someone. After all, misery loves company.

🌈 Budding authors face countable hindrances, what hindrance(s) did you face the most?

Early in my writing journey, it was mastering language, but after nearly 10 years of writing, I realized that fear can be easily overcome. Now, it's more about managing time and squeezing stories in between endless to-do lists. But it's the love for stories that keeps many authors like me going.

🌈 Negative criticism is inevitable, how do you deal with it? And what would you suggest the others do when faced with such?

There's always a pinch when reading any negative criticism. My approach is to take a step back and look at the criticism objectively. First, I try to see if any valid points were made or if it's just a troll. If I know that the points actually make sense, then I change some aspects. Of course, there's a little bit of venting to some friends that goes around in the background, but I try to not punch anyone.

🌈 What according to you sets LGBTQ+ themes apart from other genres?

LGBTQ+ deals deeply with identity and the question of belonging somewhere, be it comedy or tragedy, these aspects are inescapable parts of such stories and set them apart. It also directly challenges norms and breaks down predominant structures which makes such stories extra delightful.

🌈 What do you feel is the biggest myth about writers?

The biggest myth about writers or the perception surrounding writers is that we're nerds who wear glasses and are big-time introverts. Now that I think of it, part of it is true.

🌈 How do you avoid or get out of writer's block?

Fortunately, I haven't faced writer's block yet (at least for writing fiction). I would just quote some lines from one of Charles Bukowski's poems here: "If you have to sit for hours staring at your computer screen or hunched over your typewriter searching for words, don't do it."

🌈 Any advice for your fellow/new writers?

Write what you would like to read and always explore your own feelings to get interesting insights on humans and what drives us. It helps to create the most terrific and relatable stories. Whether you get reads or not, stick to your unique style. Eventually, someday, someone will appreciate it and that will be worth millions of reads.

🌈 What's your message for our readers?

I'm grateful for the support and kindness that readers on Wattpad have shown to writers like me. Especially stories about LGBTQ+ and Indian characters do not get much recognition on global platforms, but I'm super happy to see that there are still readers out there who find their home here.

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We're delighted to have wigglysubu as one of our spotlighted authors! Interested to know how you can become one?

Each author here has been noticed by us for their outstanding book. Keep working on your story and submit your story to our reading lists to get noticed more easily.