Interview with Wicked Young Writers Award finalist, Laura Tickle

Along with other young writers in the UK, I attended the Wicked Young Writers' Awards in June. It was a fantastic afternoon which inspired me to kickstart this blog -- albeit it took me a while! Luckily, some of these talented writers agreed to let me interview them to get an insight into their motivation and aspirations. Finalist entries can be found here: http://www.wickedyoungwriters.com/downloads/Wicked_YWA_2015_18-25.pdf . And Sugar Scape finalists can be found here: http://www.wickedyoungwriters.com/downloads/Wicked_Sugarscape_Award2015.pdf

Interview with Laura Tickle

When did you start? Why? How many pieces have you written so far? Have any of these been published? Where are you hoping your writing will take you?
I have enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember and always used to tell my dad that when I grow up I was going to be an author. I have written a few short children's stories in the past and have entered a few writing competitions, (the Wicked Young Writers award was a very big deal for me!). Currently I am writing a novel which I have taken inspiration from my personal life to help develop and I would love for it to be published once it is finished.

Where did your inspiration come from for your WYWA piece? What’s your favourite thing about the piece? What did you struggle with?

The inspiration for my WYWA piece came from my personal life. I have been through difficult and trying times in my personal life, battling a deep depression, however, I have found that being by the ocean is an extremely calming and cleansing experience for me, whenever I can hear the sound of the waves or feel the sea breeze on my face I feel at home and at peace with myself. The ocean is a very powerful place, it allows me to release any pain or stress and be free for a moment. I therefore wanted to get this feeling down in words so other people can experience that wonderful feeling for themselves. Although my piece is not very long I concentrated on the descriptive nature of the short story and I feel this is its strongest point, I tried to paint a vivid image for the reader so that their imagination could take them away and they could feel the sand between their toes and picture the waves before their eyes.

What do you think are the main problems you face when writing? How do you combat this?

I feel that the main problem I face with writing is my self-doubt, wondering if what I am writing is actually any good. This has sometimes in the past stopped me from getting my work out there but I just need to keep writing, even if it doesn't become the next best seller that does not mean that it is not any good and that my words and creations are not worth it.

What are you working on at the moment? 

I am currently writing on a novel exploring what it is like to lose a loved one to cancer.

 Is writing solely a hobby, or would you like it to lead onto something else in the future?

I would love for my writing to lead onto something more in the future but even if it doesn't I am happy with this path I have taken and it is a fun hobby to have!