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KIM TAEHYUNG INTERVIEW

space-lattae, otherwise known as Mare, is the First Place Winner of the Kim Taehyung category in The Trivia Awards 24-25. Her book, "Project: Ares" has demonstrated great success with its amazing writing and storytelling, effectively engaging the readers who stumble upon it. I would like to present to you the lovely winner!

DIA: Welcome, Mare! First off, thank you for accepting this interview and congratulations on your amazing win for "Project: Ares"! How does it feel to achieve this kind of recognition for your work?

MARE: Honestly, it feels awesome! I started this story around 5 years ago and I'm shocked people still enjoy reading my work, even though it's been a while. I'm also sure my skills have grown through this time, and I will definitely go back to revise my story in the future, but for now I'm just really pleased my work has been so well-received by the community and I couldn't be more grateful for the support.

DIA: As a First Place winner, your story has left a very positive effect on your readers and judges.
What has inspired you to write a Greek Mythological work such as "Project: Ares"?

MARE: Well, I was always a huge Greek mythology nerd! Mythology nerd in general, actually: I love history and reading about past empires, and people's attempts to make sense of the world around them through stories and fables has always interested me. Greek mythology especially, just because the stories are so entertaining and fun. And, you know, gory at times haha. Also, I was really into the Percy Jackson series a long time ago, and I guess that hyperfixation never died, you know?

DIA: Oh my! Percy Jackson is in fact really good! You have good taste for sure! The characters in your story are very well thought out. I particularly enjoyed reading about Tachyung's curse in the beginning of the book. It was very well placed, giving proper insight on his persona and his relationships. When you focus on character development, do you stumble upon any challenges in maintaining your characters entertaining or stable for the reader? Your characters are complex in a good way, not just basic and bland, which is why I believe there must have been some planning for them to properly align themselves into the storyline.

MARE: Yeah, of course! I feel as though every writer struggles with characterizing and giving life to their characters and trying to round them out, but it's honestly one of my favorite parts about writing. Making Taehyung flirty and confident yet insecure was a tough thing to balance, but I feel like I managed it in the end! Honestly, I love developing relationships and interactions between my characters, which is why everything is so thought-out and complex, simply because I want things to be as real as possible! Even in a fantasy story, haha.

DIA: Other than characterization and development, have you faced any other challenges while writing this book? Has there been a moment in which you've wanted to give up? Or perhaps a moment in which writing has become too much? If so, how do you overcome these challenges?

MARE: Oh, of course. Challenges are a part of writing. We have all felt writer's block, and its struggles. There have been long periods of time where I've gone on hiatus because of lack of motivation or interest or just having too many things to balance at once, but I always come back to writing because it's a creative outlet for me. I really want to finish this story sometime in the near future, so I need all the good vibes I can get.

DIA: Sending all the good vibes to you! What are your thoughts on expanding your writing and activities on the app? Are there plans for future stories or perhaps current ones?

MARE: Well, I have a couple WIPs that I want to develop. One of which is a hanahaki story called Wild Roses, and another is an OT7 oneshot Hogwarts!AU with a story for each of the members of BTS. I'm really excited for that one personally, and put a lot of work into it, so I can't want to share it with you guys! Stay tuned 🙂

DIA: I'm sure your readers will be very excited! Focusing back to your award-winning book, the review for your score included some sections I would like to discuss in this next portion of the interview. Would you be fine with sharing these sections with the audience reading this interview?

MARE: Yeah, of course!

DIA: Perfect! The main section I would like to focus on is the "PLOT" score. Your initial judge wrote in the review, "The number of fan fictions based on this theme is rather rare, so I appreciated the plot. Incorporating elements of Greek mythology was a bold and unique choice. The perfect blend of modern world and Greek mythical characters along with nonstop comedy and cute romance made the story standout higher than others." In continuation, I added during the rejudging, "As the judge mentions, the plot is quite unique, with a limited number of fanfictions centered on Greek mythology. Those who attempt to write this plot don't always succeed in their narrative. However, you have done a commendable job properly executing and incorporating key elements into the story. While going through the chapters, the reader is fully immersed into the comical and intriguing experience, curious to see how the story will unfold." After reading this, how did it make you feel regarding your writing?

MARE: Oh, that's actually wonderful to hear! Honestly, when I started writing this story, it was more of a "fine, I'll do it myself moment", because I just didn't see a good, well-done Greek mythology story out there, and I wanted to develop my own personal interests. I'm really glad this ended up seeming really unique and gained good attention, because I was just following my own passions at the time. And, of course, I've always been a longtime romcom lover so I just HAD to push those aspects into my story, you know? You can't go wrong with a good romcom.

DIA: We all start there, with the "I'll do it myself" moment! Haha! In addition, your judge mentioned in the SENSE section, "I anticipated a decline in quality in this book, as many people tend to falter when writing about Greek myths. However, that was not the situation here. Although the Greek element was less prominent in your narrative, you demonstrated a solid understanding of the myths. The characters were exceptionally crafted, each one exuding a unique and interesting presence, particularly Taehyung and Y/N. Their chaotic banter was the best. And the chemistry between them was very goof and well-paced. The backstory and overall planning of this book were executed flawlessly." As the judge mentioned, some authors fail to deliver their intended message through their writing with difficult themes such as Greek mythology. Here, the characters fit perfectly in this story with all its complex themes and elements. How was the thought/planning process for the creation of your characters to match this work?

MARE: Honestly, this may be surprising to hear, but I don't really write out my plots cohesively. I mostly just go off feeling and although I have a broad idea of how I want my story to go, I just try and develop my characters the best I can with small moments that show off their personal traits and flaws, which I feel make my stories uniquely interesting. In terms of Greek mythology, because I've read a lot of original myths, I feel like I'm really experienced with the heavy themes that sometimes come with them and I enjoyed wrapping them up into this lighter, more fun story. I feel as though the fantastical elements were meant to be balanced with the realism of the characters, and it gave this story a unique flavor I've come to love.

DIA: Following from this, the EXPLANATION section also mentions how your story is beautifully written, highlighting your writing style as an author. As I mentioned in the review, "Explanations were properly crafted. Your writing is clear and effective in engaging the readers through the chapters. The readers are able to dive into emotions, actions, and backstory of the characters with ease, enjoying the writing throughout. Additionally, the comedic elements were properly balanced, adding more enjoyment to the narrative." You've done a commendable job with the elements, properly placing them in your book and ensuring the reader understands and is engaged with them. For the theme of your book, was it complicated doing research on Greek mythology?

MARE: Oh, for sure, this was a really hard part for me. But I came up with a theme for the chapter titles being funny quotes from the chapter itself, so I decided to use that for the blurb as well. I feel as though the beginning quote really elaborates on the comedic quality of this story, and then the rest is a simplified explanation of the rest. I know that simplifies it a lot, but in terms of balance, that's how I went about it!

DIA: Wow, that's interesting! In addition, your story's blurb is very enticing and intriguing to read more. Did you have any trouble coming up with an adequate description for your story? Some authors have difficulty summarizing their writing in a few simple words. I'd like to know more about your writing and creative process. 

MARE: Oh, for sure, this was a really hard part for me. But I came up with a theme for the chapter titles being funny quotes from the chapter itself, so I decided to use that for the blurb as well. I feel as though the beginning quote really elaborates on the comedic quality of this story, and then the rest is a simplified explanation of the rest. I know that simplifies it a lot, but in terms of balance, that's how I went about it!

DIA: Now that we have gone through the major sections of the review, I would like to ask you some final questions before we wrap up. From day one in Wattpad, do you think your motive has changed since then to now? As a writer, how do you expand on your work throughout the years and through your writing?

MARE: That's a tough one! Well, when I first joined Wattpad it was to connect with people from my fandom so I would feel less alone, because I felt like admitting to liking kpop was a shameful thing in real life. But now, I'm using it more as a tool to better my writing, and I really hope my experiences can help me publish a novel one day!

DIA: I completely understand! I had the same experience! What would you like your readers, or perhaps those reading this interview, to know about you as a person/writer or your winning book?

MARE: Well, I'm proud of who I am: an established book nerd and creative haha. Although I'm a woman in STEM, my alter ego here is someone who loves losing herself in fantasy through writing and art, and I hope to channel my creative side more in the future. I'm also very easily pulled into hyperfixations, which is why I'm in so many fandoms not mentioned on my Wattpad haha.

DIA: Finally, now that I'm letting you go, can you tell us what was your experience participating in this awards and, at last, winning First Place?

MARE: The awards experience was great. Everything was really well-organized, and you are a very meticulous person who clearly loves to keep everything in order and I can respect that. Your devotion to giving everyone the best experience was amazing, and I have a great deal of appreciation for your work. You're also a very detailed and brilliant judge, and I really hope to have more experiences with you in the future based off these wonderful awards.

DIA: That's wonderful! And thank you so much for your kind words! I try my hardest haha. Do you have any advice to aspiring writers who look up to you and want to start their own journey in the writing community?

MARE: Yeah, for sure. Guys, wherever you are in your journey, it's important to remember the only way you can get better is practice. Continue writing, reading, and taking feedback. Never feel embarrassed for trying, and be sure to put a lot of stock on constructive criticism. That's why awards such as these are so good for experience and development. Also, embrace your passions proudly, because there are so many people out there who will appreciate you representing them. That's something I've learned over the years, and I'm happy to no longer be insecure in who I am.

DIA: Beautiful words! Thank you so much for joining me today in this interview. Hoping to see more creations by you! Thank you for your time, and once again, congratulations on your well-deserved award!

MARE: Thank you again for your hard work in these awards, and I wish you the best of luck in the future!

QUESTIONS — (💎)

~ shooketha ~