Dedicated to @katpunk

Welcome, Wattpadders! ContemporaryLit is on the town to offer you another slice of life, opening a door into the writing world of Katpunk. A staunch lover of the fantasy genre and ALL of its tropes, especially sizzling romance, Katpunk enjoys MM sub genre, men loving men. With no further ado, let's jump into the interview!

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ContemporaryLit: What prompted you to become a writer? And why did you choose urban and its subgenres?

Katpunk: I started writing overnight. One day I didn't write, the next I did. And then I couldn't stop. It was the question: "Could I write these stories in my head?" I tried one paragraph. A scene with a knight on a beach facing his nemesis, and it was okay. So I wrote another. Never stopped.

I chose Urban Fantasy because it's based on the familiar, but you can switch it up and test the boundaries. I enjoy the feel of an urban-based story and its setting, the colourful characters, the diversity, the clothes, and the recognisable concerns, but I also like my fantasy tropes. Give me leather and denim, but give magic and swords to go with, preferably mixed with a large dose of fang and fur.

ContemporaryLit: How do you find inspiration for your stories?

Katpunk: The 'What if?" question watered and nourished by the hundreds of books I've read, mostly fantasy. What if vampires were just a different species who walked the same streets?"

ContemporaryLit: Share some of your writing habits. How do you fit writing time into your day? What tricks do you use to organize your writing life?

Katpunk: I write as often and for as long as I can. I work full time and do 12-hours shifts, so that means I have to make the most of my days off. So I wake no later than 6am, sometimes earlier, go get a massive pot of tea, and settle down to write until 12MD. (I break to grab a snack and coffee) If I'm on a roll, I might write till 1pm. But I'm a slow writer. I'm fussy and nit picky and it really slows the process down. I'm trying to loosen that up in first drafts so that I can get the story down without the inner editor fretting in the way. It's a slow change.

I'm a hybrid planner and pantser. I do plan a story, and in fact, I've started planning each scene because I'm realising the process goes faster if I do that, but I always end up finding something more exciting and running with it. Or the characters' dialogues send them somewhere I wasn't expecting. I've had to change whole plans on that tendency for characters to find their own arcs. I'm very sure other writers know exactly what I'm talking about. But I think those moments often produce the best story because it's instinctive and you're vibing off your characters and the scene and really creating. So I plan, but always allow for side tracks.

ContemporaryLit: Tell us about your experience writing on Wattpad? What are your favorite things about sharing your work on this platform?

Katpunk: I've really enjoyed Wattpad. More than I expected to. I think it's the shared passion for story. Also having diversity. Having people from all over the world and all walks of life read my book has just been wonderful. Kind of exciting. Plus the interaction. You can't get this sort of immediate reaction and response on Amazon. The comments you get are very authentic, and it's so helpful. It helps me to understand what works and what doesn't, especially going into the second book.

ContemporaryLit: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Katpunk: I'm pretty obsessed. If I'm not writing, I'm learning the business of self publishing. If I'm not doing that I'm reading. In between I hang out with family and friends, but most of my friends are also writers. It's a passion.

ContemporaryLit: What bit of advice would you like to share with aspiring writers?

Katpunk: Keep writing. If you feel blocked on a project, switch to another. Always chase the story that excites you the most.

ContemporaryLit: Can you tell us what you're working on now? And will you be sharing it on Wattpad? (If the writer is posting their WIP on Wattpad, cut that last part out and ask them to talk about their current WIP and why they chose to write it).

Katpunk: I'm working on Dark Fate, Book 2 of the Flame Born series. And yes, I will definitely be sharing it on Wattpad.

Katpunk, thank you for your time! ContemporaryLit wishes you continued success in your writing adventures!