Hello and Welcome,

Please meet HeroBreaker who was one of our overall winners in the Adventure in Action Contest.

💥What's the story behind your Wattpad Username, if any?

When I first joined Wattpad, I knew I wanted to write and read superhero fiction. I wanted my username to evoke that, but 'HeroMaker' was taken. I'd recently read about plot structure and the "hero's breaking point" stuck with me as very important to my stories. I'm pretty mean to my characters, after all. So HeroBreaker was born. And it's definitely edgy. 

💥What led you to Wattpad initially? Did you join to read or write?

I joined to write, but for a long time I mostly just read superhero stories. It was only after all that inspiration that I plunged into writing long-form novels. 

💥How long have you been writing?

I started my first novel here when I was 14. I'm 22 now. Before that, I used to roleplay on a game called 'Howrse.' Wolves, horses, Warrior cats, wolves, vampires, princess academies, wolves. I blame these for all of my damage. 

💥Do you like to write the same genres you read? What are your favorite genres?

I do! Kind of. I used to read and write mostly superhero fiction. Now it's a bit of everything. I love literary fiction, anything with pretty prose and themes the author is clearly passionate about. Also, weird and experimental stuff that messes with the format and expectations of what a "novel" should be, you know, novel ideas ;).

💥Besides reading and/or writing, do you have any other hobbies?

I"m an excellent cook, or so I pretend. I'm covered in little burns everywhere from cooking adventures. I'm also big into cosplay and planning trips/parties. My latest party lasted three days with fifteen wildly different people, and oh boy, I've never cooked (or drank) that much in my life. 

💥What does your writing environment look like?

I like to write in bed with my lap desk, door closed, and headphones on, or any other set up and I usually just get distracted by the TV. The couch is comfy too. I build playlists for my stories, but I usually find one song that fits the scene I'm working on, search for an edit that speeds it up, and loop it. The repetition helps me get into flow-state and the speed keeps me engaged. It does usually sound godawful, but it's worked ever since I was a kid. There's always a cup of coffee beside me somewhere, I can guarantee it.

💥Where or in what do you find inspiration for new stories?

I try to work around a theme that's meaningful for me at the moment and work in whatever subjects currently pique my interest. My newest story is based on drag shows, wrestling, high fashion, and the idea of "wanting something so bad that it hurts." Because of this, a lot of my stories feel like little time capsules to me. 

💥Tell us about your current work in progress, or about an upcoming project? Any sneak peek into your latest story =)

Oh my goodness I got a million. The two big ones are 'You', and 'The Ravenous Take of the Cat and the Squirrel.' the first one is a VR battle royale where the reader is the main character. The Ravenous Tale is a dark fable about a rich cat and a criminal squirrel who are trapped on a boat together. Finally, I have an untitled project for the 10-chapter challenge about a reality TV show where contestants compete to become the emperor's partner. The emperor has a habit of murdering his partners. 

💥Tell us 5 things you like:

1) Dancing. I'm a terrible dancer, I mean, I lead a group of people to do "the lawnmower" at a wedding. But dancing is rad and I couldn't live without it.
2) Coffee. I need at least two cups a day, but I'd be happier with five.
3) Trips. I like to take small trips on a whim, usually to the beach or a night out at a hotel near the bar.
4)RuPaul's Drag Race. It's my newest obsession. I've binged three seasons, in like, a week, and have been watching 'Paris is Burning' with my partner.
5) Novelty items. I have so many weird things, bags, plush, notebooks. Anything weird and silly I love.

💥Do you have a pet peeve or a guilty pleasure, maybe both?

Nightcore. I thought by now I wouldn't need it to write, but I find myself listening to Nightcore a lot more than I would like to admit. 

💥What part of the writing process do you find to be the most challenging?

The middle! I love plotting, planning, and mostly, beginning. My inspiration runs out quick after the first 10k words and it can be a slog. 

💥Do you experience writer's block? If yes, how do you beat it?

Oh yeah, all the time, especially after every 10k words I write. The only way out is through, in my experience. Just have to write the thing you're unsure of how to write, and once what's troubling you is gone, I find the inspiration comes flooding back. 

💥Can you share some of your favorite authors or stories?

Off Wattpad, I love Kazuo Ishiguro, Toni Morrison, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I also love John David Anderson, who wrote "Sidekicked" and "Minion," superhero stories that I read in middle school that helped me find my writing voice. On Wattpad, I'm currently reading and loving "Influence" by amberkbryant , who is such a fantastic writer. I also have to shout out exo_shaney and dixiebear93 , who both have beautiful and evocative writing styles. They're also super kind and supportive people. 

💥What's the best advice you ever received?

I guess this is the thing I'm most excited to share because it opened my eyes. My friend stopped over a few weeks ago to talk about books, movies, and our various creative projects. I told him I was a little stressed because I'm an adult now and I don't feel good enough to make it as a writer yet. He said: "You don't need to worry about being a good writer. You are. You should be focusing on if your writing is a true expression of you. This is your art, here. It's not about being 'good,' it's about being something that only you could make. Your art should represent you."

I'm really trying to take that to everything I make now.