Author Interview: Sarah Toussaint

Each Sunday, I'll be interviewing a different author about their writing journey. If you are an author and would like to be interviewed for this series, please complete this application form. If you have any questions, or if you want to recommend an author, please get in touch by emailing me at bryony@bryonyleah.com.

About Sarah Toussaint

Sarah Toussaint prefers the winter as she does the best of her writing when she is freezing. It’s just a quirk. She started writing little sonnets and poems around the age of 7 years old. Her love of pretty words and songs never wavered.

Ten years later, Sarah discovered her love for writing short stories. Aged 15, she started sharing her work on Wattpad and amassed a lovely fanbase with serials like My Secret Lover and Since The Storm (which are both being re-written as of 2018).

Now that she is out of high school and starting college, Sarah is expanding her horizons when it comes to her work and wants to officially publish someday. She loves the community that supports and reads her work daily.

You can find Sarah on Radish Fiction mostly. She is also going to be part of an upcoming anthology published on Amazon. Follow Sarah using the links at the end of this interview to keep yourself in the loop about all the projects she’s a part of.

Click here to read My Secret Lover by Sarah Toussaint

Where and when did you first know that you wanted to become a writer?

I was always a writer, but the first time I realized that I wanted others to read what I had spent hours writing in my little notebooks was when I first published on Wattpad at age 15. I wrote and published three chapters of a book titled My Secret Lover, then kind of forgot about the whole thing for a while. But I logged in a few weeks later to find that I had a few hundred messages from users/fans who were begging me to publish more, more, and more for them.

Who is your favourite author, and can you give us their best quote (in your opinion)?

I love many works from many writers. I don’t have a specific writer in mind right now but I have enjoyed quite a few New Adult releases from Anna Zaires, Sylvia Day, JC Roberts, Maya Banks, Shayla Black, etc… These writers truly introduced me to the Romance genre—something I didn’t even read, not even before I started writing my own Romances. I think I’m the first writer in the world who started writing before I started reading!

How long did it take you to write your first novel?

Two years. I started My Secret Lover on Wattpad, finished it there, then removed it so that I could re-write the whole thing over again. Haha. I was 15 when I first wrote it. The plot holes, the grammatical errors, and the horrible character developments I made glared so hard at me as I got older, and I could not take it anymore. I had to take it down and re-write it.

Click here to read Dangerous Detoxication by Sarah Toussaint

Do you plan out your novels or just start writing?

I NEVER plan. It’s one of my flaws and but it’s also one of my favorite quirks.

Description or dialogue?

Definitely dialogue. I actually get complimented on it a lot. I would like to master the art of conversation. Truly.

Have you ever read your book reviews/comments, and if yes, what did you think of them?

I used to get loads of comments from Wattpad, and I read some of them, but not a lot of them were constructive in nature. But I have gotten a few constructive reviews from other places and I always take them with an open heart as I believe that’s a very important way for me to succeed and improve.

Do you believe in writer’s block?

Ha! If only there was a cure. The world would be a happier place. I often see grumpy writers and I wonder if they’re suffering from it. When writers are happy, the world is happy. When writer’s block hits, writers get frustrated and angry. And the world turns sombre.

Click here to read My Secret Lover by Sarah Toussaint

What has been the most difficult challenge you’ve had to face as a writer?

Writer’s block. Honestly. I haven’t faced any other major challenges so far and hope I don’t. Especially when I start publishing. Hopefully.

What is the best purchase you’ve ever made as a writer?

My iMac computer. HEHE.

Which software or platform do you use to write your books?

I use Google Docs a lot. I may want to expand on that, though.

What does literary success mean to you?

For now, I love writing and I love my readers, and that’s all I need. I hope the success continues. As long as I have readers to write for, I will consider that a success.

What’s your favourite self-editing technique?

Gosh. Let me see. Is banging my head violently on the table with the realization that I missed glaring key editing points after I read and re-read a small portion of my book considered a self-editing technique? No? Cool. Didn’t think so either.

Click here to read Dangerous Detoxication by Sarah Toussaint

Are you working on a novel right now? If yes, can you tell us a little about it?

I am working on several, but the one that’s about to get published is part of an anthology. Look out for the Overzealous Alpha Anthology on Amazon.

Which book are you most excited to read next?

Too many. But honestly, I’m mostly waiting for the books I want to read to come out in audiobook format already. Seriously, I have an obsession. I can’t live without my audiobooks.

What is your best piece of advice for aspiring writers?

Don’t depend on anything else but your imagination. It holds 99% of the power. Other things will always come second, because, without imagination, you’re not a writer. But without the other stuff, you can still be a writer.

Enjoyed the interview? Connect with Sarah!

You can follow along with Sarah's writing journey on the following platforms...

Twitter: @_SarahToussaint

Facebook: SarahToussaintBooks

Instagram: @sarah_toussaint455

Website: https://theblurbqueen.wixsite.com/theblurbqueen

Goodreads: Sarah Toussaint

Each Sunday, I'll be interviewing a different author about their writing journey. If you are an author and would like to be interviewed for this series, please complete this application form. If you have any questions, or if you want to recommend an author, please get in touch by emailing me at bryony@bryonyleah.com.