Today we chat with my friend and fellow author Christopher about writing, publishing, and history.
Hey Christopher, thanks for doing this!
No problem at all, Lori! It’s an honour to be interviewed.
Tell us a little about yourself!
First of all, I always like to make it clear that I am a South African writer. Not many well-known authors are from there, and I take absolute pride in my homeland. I guess you could say it’s my goal to put South Africa on the Writing World Map!
That being said, I do live in Australia, and it’s a wonderful place to be! I love writing (of course!), film making and editing, graphic design—specifically book covers—, and pencil drawing (I’ve never quite got the hang of digital art!). Some of my other hobbies include horse riding, swimming competitively, and eating almost anything that’s not vegan! I have a black Labrador retriever, Shadow, who brings me so much joy.
Tell us about your writing journey and your current projects!
I’ve been telling stories since I could string words together, and writing since I could hold a pencil. I decided to write a book when I was 8, and began writing seriously just before I turned 12. Since then, my writing has progressed exponentially and I’ve grown in so many ways—from writing styles, to plot structure, to formatting, and more!
I have countless story ideas that I’d love to publish one day, but the current project I’m working on has by far been (and probably will be) the biggest. It’s a high fantasy trilogy about an ancient legend that’s reawakened as the shadow of darkness returns to the land. In a way, I like to consider it as a hybrid of the Inheritance Cycle and The Lord of the Rings.
Who inspired you most to become an author?
That’s a very tough question, because there is a huge selection of people in my life to choose from! I’ve been inspired by so many people—other bestselling authors, friends, and family. So I’ll narrow it down by rephrasing the question, if I may?
“Who made me become an author?” — To me, the answer to that question is clear:
Jenny L. Cote. She is the bestselling author of the The Amazing Tales of Max and Liz, and The Epic Order of the Seven series, and mentored me from 2022 through until the beginning of 2024. As a result of her books, I joined an online writing camp in June 2022, and in collaboration with other young writers we co-authored two American colonial fiction novels—the sequel being published in 2023.
Tell us a bit about your blog and your published works!
I’d love to! My blog is a bit of a mess, to be honest! It’s a jumble of author interviews, writing snippets from my project, writing advice, book and movie reviews, and even a bit of philosophy, but all in all I love it all the same! I guess the only consistency is that the posts all have something writing-related in them!
I’ve been published in two American Revolution anthological novels— The Epic Story of 1776, and The Epic Story of America: 1777-79. The character I focussed on is Benjamin Franklin— yes, the guy who did almost every imaginable job! And I’ll tell you something, he is incredible!! You just can’t stop learning more about Dr Franklin!
Both novels in The Epic Story of America series are available on Amazon, and they follow the stories of many more figures in the American Revolution; such as George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Thomas Jefferson, even King George III!
What about history, specifically American history, interests you so much?
To be honest, when I started researching Benjamin Franklin, I couldn’t care less about American history. How was it significant to me—a South African writer living in Australia? But as I delved further into Dr Franklin’s life and the American Revolution, the history just came more alive and the more I became fascinated with it! Now, I absolutely love colonial American history!
I think what makes it so interesting to me is how America has been so influential to the world. And not only that, but seeing how the colonists were so fired up and zealous to fight back against what was the world’s strongest military power…all for the cause of liberty and freedom of speech. Those lessons couldn’t be more important than in today’s world.
What are some fun/unique experiences you’ve had after being published as a young person?
Well, first of all, getting the email saying “WE’RE PUBLISHED!!” is a huge one!! There’s just nothing like that feeling of accomplishment when you get an email like that.
I’ve also loved getting to share with others my experience in the publication process! I was given the ENORMOUS honour of having the title, “CEO”. This meant I was put in charge of editing, formatting, marketing, and proofing! It was an amazing experience—not only was it so much fun, but from it I’ve gained so much insight into the publishing world!
Do you have any advice for other young writers? Mistakes that you’ve made that others can avoid?
Hahaha… now this is the opportunity I get to be harsh on myself!
But seriously, this is a good point! Now, my answer might seem a little cliche, but it is SO TRUE, and so important to recognise.
That advice is to Never look back on what you’ve done and think it’s bad. So many times—just last week, actually!—I’ve looked back on my first chapter in The Epic Story of 1776 and thought, “Wow, this is terrible. How could I think that was good?” Same goes for my first two book trailers: compared to my trailer for 1777-79, I think they’re awful.
But in doing so, I miss the true essence of being a writer and creative—that we can ALWAYS improve! A true writer can always improve. A true writer can look back on his (/her) past work and appreciate the effort; see how far you’ve come since then, and that you still have a long way to go.
‘Til the day your pen runs out of ink, you will never stop learning new things about your writing.
What are some resources you recommend to young writers?
First of all, if you’re not already part of The Young Writer’s Workshop, and you want to take writing seriously, JOIN! It is such an amazing place to build your writing, in a community, with a whole army of people cheering you on!
Also, writing podcasts and YouTube channels! There are so many resources out there. The sheer amount can be overwhelming, but I tell you what, just pick one and you’ll be blown away by what you can get from it!
Where can we find out more about you?
As mentioned before, I have a blog and a website!
Christopher J. Watt | Write Something Worth Reading (christopherjwattauthor.com)
The WarriorCo. 
Leave a comment