Guest Post - RaWD

We are so happy to have Wild Horse, from over at Ravens and Writing Desks with us today!


Wild Horse is a public high schooler in New Zealand. She likes to read, write and consume large amounts of coffee. She became serious about writing in her early teens, but she would like to go into Science when she leaves school. She's always got a story in her head and a pen in her pocket. Sometimes you have to yell her name to get her attention, because she likes to live inside her head with her characters. At 1am in the morning, with her finger covered in pen or eyes fuzzy from the computer screen, she understands that writing is her passion and without it, she would go crazy. You can find her on Pinterest, Goodreads, and at her blog.




Thank you for being with us, Wild Horse!

Thanks for having me!


  How old were you when you started writing?

I learnt to write at a young age, and I kept a diary on and off from about the age of 10, but I wasn't serious until I was 13 or so. It was a slow process, I didn't even know until I looked back. It sort of just happened. 

 What motivated you to start writing? 

I just did, I guess. I love books, and I wanted to bring that same joy to someone else by writing. It's always felt natural for me, I always have many stories in my head, and I go crazy if I don't note them down or develop them further. 

 Was there a figure that inspired you to begin writing? 

Not really, I bumbled my way around for the first year or so, then began to develop seriously as a writer. I didn't write because someone I looked up to wrote, but Go Teen Writers encouraged me hugely as I found my writing feet. 

 What sort of books were you reading when you decided to become a writer? 

Things like Pony Club Secrets by Stacy Gregg, Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan, Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence when I was 12 or 13. Later on when I realised that writing was a serious part of my life, I was reading anything that I could get my hands on. You can find me on Goodreads to see what I'm reading currently. 

 Do you prefer writing with a paper and ink, or typing on the computer? 

I love handwriting, but my hand starts to cramp, then I can't read my own writing, or spell. So I type out of practicality. 

What genre are you currently working on? 

I just started a Contemporary set on a New Zealand farm.

Which genres have you worked on in the past? 

Fantasy and Contemporary is all I have ever written. I struggle with Si-Fi, Romance and Historic Fiction. I'm not sure why, but I've always written in the real world I see around me, or in one thats come completely from my imagination. 

 What is your FAVORITE genre? 

I love to write Fantasy and Contemporary equally, and I read pretty much every genre. I don't only read one because I think that there is great books in every genre. 

What would you say to someone who is just beginning their writing journey? 

Stick at it. The bad days and the good days. Listen to others, soak up everything you can. 

 Do you have any quotes that have really inspired you along your way? 

I have several, and while I can't remember the exact wording, or even who said them, but they go something like this: 

"If you don't have the time to read, then you don't have the skills to write." I love this because I eat books like I will never see another one, and I think that it really helped me develop my writing skills. 

"Sit down, pick up your pen, and write."

I get sidetracked often, and being reminded to just get on with it is always good. 

"Don't talk about it, write it." 

I don't really talk, I think. But I know I spend way to much time thinking rather than writing. 

"The first draft is piling the sand up, ready to make a sandcastle." 

My first drafts are always a mess. They change (I'm a pantser) and things that don't make any sense happen. But it's down on paper, and thats the most important thing. 

 Any last bits of advice?

Someone once said, "Being a writer means having homework everyday of your life" and I honestly think that it is the truth. And it's important to write every day to develop your skills, but I would never treat it like homework. I took a break after NaNoWriMo and my exams (they happen at the same time for me), and not writing allowed me to pick up and filter more ideas. However, it's important to remember that writing doesn't always mean your WIP, it could be a journal or a short story.  

Thank you so much for being with us, Wild Horse!

Thanks for having me! 

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Please be sure to check all the information, which is listed in her author profile!