The Winners
The Coalition Awards 2021 have come to an end.
Woohoo!
First, we would like to thank all the judges who made this possible, the Awards team for putting this all together and let's not forget, the Graphics team who made those gorgeous looking stickers!
To the contestants who didn't win, don't give up. That means there are tons to improve on. Treat this as a learning journey, a way to get better. I promise you will achieve great things. So, chin up!
And now, Ladies and Gentlemen we present you...
🏆𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕎𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕤🏆
Fantasy Category
Cursed to Live: The Awakening
Q: How are you?
Ans: I'm fine actually, I've never been better!
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: I'm a teenager from the Philippines that likes to write books. I find solace in writing, and I find editing my works as torture. The em-dash is my favourite punctuation, and my least favourite is the semi-colon; because frankly; I don't know how to use it.
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: I started in June of last year from zero. I had no idea how writing works since I've never read a book, but somehow, I've managed.
Q: What else do you enjoy apart from writing?
Ans: I enjoy going through an existential crisis every night because my life right now is extremely boring. It also helps me come up with a good story! Although at the cost of my mental health...Not to worry my brain is already dead and problematic.
Q: Do you have any writing quirks?
Ans: The fact that I'd google Google what the hell is a writing quirk shows that I'm not a real writer! Even after googling it, I still have no clue what to say. So I don't have the slightest idea if this is what you mean, but I believe my writing quirk is... using ellipses in the wrong way just to add emphasis in a word that doesn't even need... emphasis.
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: I was ecstatic...for ten whole seconds. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I am thankful to everyone who hosted and organized the awards! I know how hard it is since I have already tried hosting one. What I meant to say is the joy of winning is always temporary. There will be a lapse in time where your lips would arch into a wide smile, and after a while, it would fade. That's because you've realised there is still a long path ahead of you. The awards here in Wattpad are the stepping stones for amateur authors like me to have a chance to taste the spotlight. It might not have some real-life worth but in the end, it is proof of what you achieved. And in the future, it will become a relic of what you were and an inspiration of what you will be.
Fanfiction Category
Breaking Free || Sirius Black
Q: How are you?
Ans: Hello! I am very fine. Thank you. Hope you're doing good as well.
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: Well, my name is Srija and I am a sixteen-year-old, eleventh grade, Indian student.
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: I always liked writing and reading. I did write some original short stories and one-shots when I was younger (like from age 10) but it was always to kill time.
Q: What inspired you to write your story?
Ans: In 2020, due to the pandemic, I had ample time to read storybooks and had read multiple Harry Potter fanfictions especially the ones revolving around the Marauders. I was fascinated by the idea of people taking a known fact and creating a whole new plot out of it. Also, the lockdowns gave me enough time to fabricate an original plot and write down my thoughts in a well-organised style.
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: To be honest, I did not expect that my book could ever reach even the honorary mentions let alone receive the first prize. At first, I really was in shock and checked the username multiple times to make sure that it was me. When I was finally able to believe that it was indeed me, I was ecstatic.
Q: Do you have a word of advice for other writers? If so, let's hear it.
Ans: Well, I myself am an amateur writer and I honestly don't think that I'm worthy enough to give others advice. But this is the one thing that I find useful. Participate in awards like these as constructive criticisms and unbiased opinions help us correct our mistakes and develop more detailed and interesting stories. Also as a fellow reader, I can guarantee that grammatical errors are a nightmare and I would advise checking for those before publishing a chapter.
Horror/Paranormal/Mystery/Thriller Category
Unexpected Complications
Q: How are you?
Ans: Absolutely great!
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: I'm a retired grandmother who loves to write. I finally have the time to dedicate to exploring all forms of writing. I've got my fingers in everything.
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: I started in high school, but an asinine teacher discouraged me with poor marks and nasty comments. It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I took another stab at it and wrote Prophecy's Promise. Approximately 2 and a half years ago, I sat in front of a keyboard and began to give life to the stories running around in my head.
Q: What inspired you to write your story?
Ans: Unexpected Complications was a result of a prompt. A simple prompt from a website I don't even remember. I wrote the first chapter as a simple short story but that box kept plaguing me. I knew there was more to this story and it didn't take long before Lizzy and Bruce ended up on a wild adventure.
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: I was surprised, then touched, and then honoured in rapid succession. It's always nice to receive a pat on the back from your fellow authors.
Q: Do you have a word of advice for other writers? If so, let's hear it.
Ans: Keep writing. If you're blocked, find a prompt to get you going, Use flash fiction, essays, poetry, short stories to help you regain your inspiration for the longer novella or novel you are working on. Write every day if you can, and believe in yourself. Don't let anything keep you from your dream.
New Adult Category
Perfectly Unexpected
Q: How are you?
Ans: I'm very good thank you! :D
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: I'm Alex! I'm in my 20s (closer to 30 than I would like but there we go!) and I'm a wife, mother and writer from the UK! I have a degree in creative writing as well :D
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: 20 years now! I started when I was young, writing poetry and short stories, and as I grew up I got into writing (very cringy) fanfiction, and then branched out into novels!
Q: What inspired you to write your story?
Ans: Perfectly Unexpected started out as a form of therapy for me; I and my husband are currently going through infertility ourselves and going through the process of being investigated and appointments etc. So it started off as a random way for me to process all of that. Soon enough I got inspiration and a couple of characters and my main plot sort of came about from that. I wanted a romance at the core of it as well as infertility, and I've wanted to write childhood sweethearts story for ages, so it all came together!
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: Over the moon! Also a little speechless and emotional as well, because of the way the story came about, it's naturally closer to my heart than any of my other stories, so it's a sort of emotional honour to be a winner with it. There were so many other amazing writers there so to be chosen to win is just amazing, so thank you! <3
Q: Do you have a word of advice for other writers? If so, let's hear it.
Ans: KEEP WRITING! Haha. It sounds so simple, but I know how hard it can be but no matter what (unless I'm sick or at work late) I always make at least 2-3 hours for myself every evening after my son goes to bed to write. It keeps my creativity going and even if I don't manage to get a chapter out (I aim for a chapter a day), I know that if I write even a little but I won't lose my creativity.
I also think reading a LOT is helpful. Even if it's articles or Wattpad or physical traditionally published books - it helps. I don't get time these days to sit down with a "traditionally" published book, but I read a LOT on Wattpad and it keeps my mind open, it gets the inspiration flowing and I learn a lot. I think it's the same for writers who may not have as much experience as myself (I'm old, been writing 20 years lmao) to see how others do it, gain some inspiration and keep their ideas flowing!
Romance Category
Let's Plan My Murder
Q: How are you?
Ans: I am good. Thank you.
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: Well my name is Shweta which means simple and my character suits my name. I'm a key account manager in agility, a book reviewer at Fiverr and a passionate writer. I am a Cancerian so I love staying at home, cosy dinners and my family. My book let's plan my murder is my first love and I have lived every moment of the book when I wrote it and I am an Indian and very patriotic for my country.
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: A year I guess. I started writing during the pandemic. I used to write fanfics and poems when I was in school but in the pandemic, I realized how much I love writing.
Q: What else do you enjoy apart from writing?
Ans: I enjoy spending time with my family, binge-watching old shows, listening to 90's Hindi songs and of course sleeping.
Q: Do you have any writing quirk?
Ans: Yes, I don't know if I can call it a quirk but I like imagining myself in the scene that I am writing and that's why I always become emotional when I'm writing.
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: Excited, I mean it is always a great feeling to win but I think when you achieve something it takes you forward in life. In Hindi, there is a saying, "that karm karte jao fal ki chinta mat karo" which means you should always do your deed and never worry about the result but when you actually get the result that feeling is beyond this world
Science Fiction Category
Amanita: Poison Shot
Q: How are you?
Ans: Fine, thanks!
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: My name is Mar (she/her), and I'm a translator from a small town near Barcelona. I translate software (nope, not novels).
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: Since 2012.
Q: What inspired you to write your story?
Ans: I remembered the debate club from high school. I used to love it.
The class was split into groups, we watched films with a controversial issue first, and then we'd discuss everything later.
I realised my writing so far included almost no key issues that would make it eligible to be considered valid input in any debate club. So, I thought of an ethically-based issue to base this story on the birth of human cloning, potential reasons and consequences. That's how and why Amanita, Daphne, and everything came to (fictional) life! :)
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: I was elated! Getting recognised for your work feels amazing.
Q: Do you have a word of advice for other writers? If so, let's hear it.
Ans: The most important tip I can give is to plan your story before you start writing. Make rough notes about the main events and characters involved in them. That way you never lose hope, the will to keep on writing or experience a major writer's block.
Teen Fiction Category
The Cost of Falling
Q: How are you?
Ans: I am good. I am currently suffering through a bit of depleted motivation to work wrap-up my fourth ONC entry, Rewriting Shakespeare, but other than that, I can't complain.
Q: Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Ans: Sure, I work in IT and, like many, am a pandemic writer. I got bored and just started writing down some of the stories rolling around in my head. The Cost of Falling was actually the first story I had written down. When I stumbled across Wattpad, I figured I would put it up and see what people thought.
Q: How long have you been writing?
Ans: I've been writing for a little over a year and joined Wattpad a little under a year ago.
Q: What else do you enjoy apart from writing?
Ans: Let's see, I have an extensive vinyl collection with extremely varying tastes in music. Pre-pandemic and pre-me-being-old, I was a top-ranked player in a pinball league, as well as a member of a championship dodgeball team (yep, that's adults playing dodgeball). Other than that, I read a lot, and many are surprised to learn that my genre of choice is non-fiction.
Q: Do you have any writing quirk?
Ans: I guess that depends on what you consider a quirk. I have playlists (that's right, multiple) for each piece I am writing, which vary from character-centric to scene-centric. For The Cost of Falling, a lot of MGK, Zeppelin, Terry Reid, Linkin Park, and Green Day made the list. Some of my other pieces skew a bit old school with Parlor Tricks hitting on a lot of Bob Dylan, Zeppelin, to Nina Simone. The On the Edge series has the broadest reach from everything already mentioned, plus a lot of Gene Vincent, Perry Como, Wanda Jackson, and The Sonics all the way to Beck, Spice Girls, and The Tokens. I had enough people ask me about what I was listening to for On the Edge that I posted a lot of the playlists in a separate soundtrack book.
Q: How did you feel when you came to know you won?
Ans: I was very excited. The Cost of Falling was the first book I put out here on Wattpad, and I have greatly appreciated the support. The story of Emma, Danny, Conner, Sarah, and Sammy has been with me for years. Even when I was done with The Cost of Falling, many of the characters (particularly Emma and Sammy) stayed in my head and quite loudly demanded I add the sequel Red Balloon. It is exciting to see other people connect with these characters and their stories.
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