Today we are going to meet Alatary, an amazing author and archaeologist. Her current ongoing series the writers of the past have gained a lot of success. Her book ‘Enheduanna- The first author’ has won the wattys 2021. Her previous book ‘The diary of an archaeologist’ has also won the wattys 2019. So, let's welcome Alatary, a wattpad star!
Hello, it's nice to meet you! Would you like to introduce yourself to the readers, please?
Hi, thanks for having me. I’m Alatary or Aly for short; archaeologist by day, author by night. Ever since I was a little girl, stories, especially historical stories, have fascinated me. But it wasn’t until I found Wattpad in 2017 that I actually started writing my own. And I am incredibly fortunate that my stories have garnered so much attention from so many amazing readers.
I love reading the writers of the past series! How did the idea of writing it come to your mind?
The idea actually came to me when I studied in South-Korea. There my professor told me the story of a fellow dutchman, who wrote a journal that is famous in Korea but relatively unknown in my home country, the Netherlands. I wanted to tell the story of this unknown author, but I didn’t know how. And as I was doing more and more research, I came across Enheduanna.
History’s first author. The woman to whom all of us authors owe so much but who is, once again, relatively unknown.
And as my search continued, I found so many more writers like this; The real-life lady Whistledown. A woman who invented fairy tales, a princess who re-wrote history, the list goes on. So, I wanted to start a series where each new book would be dedicated to a historical author. Starting with Enheduanna, seeing how she literally was history’s first author.
But I didn’t know if this was something people wanted to read about, so I asked my reader’s opinion at the end of Enheduanna: The First Author and the response was so encouraging that I already started posting the second book in the series.
You have 3 Wattpad exclusive books and 2 wattys winner books on your profile! That's amazing! Which do you think is your favourite?
Thank you, I can still hardly believe it myself. All my books hold a special place in my heart, but if I had to choose a favourite, it would be Enheduanna: The First Author.
Researching about this woman who lived over 4000 years ago and reading her work was so inspiring, and her story of building a legacy and making something your own is one that resonates with me. Which is also why I was determined to include as much of her original work as I could in my book. I recognise a lot of myself in Enheduanna, and hope that her story will inspire other authors as well.
How long are the writers of the past series?
To be honest, I don’t know yet. Right now, the first book about Enheduanna is finished and the second book about the Female Tatler, a real-life lady Whistledown, is being uploaded weekly on Wattpad. But I have 4 more writers in the making as we speak. And who knows how many more historical writers I will discover? I guess that is the beauty of this series; they are all stand-alone stories about different periods and places in history. So, you can read whichever one you like.
Your books were the first historical fiction books I have ever read. Why do you think about the genre? Why do you find it interesting to write?
I’m honored that my book was your first historical fiction novel. Hopefully, I’ve done the historical fiction genre justice. It is a genre that can sometimes be judged by only a narrow selection of what it offers, in my opinion. Most people think of regency romances when they hear historical fiction, and there are amazing regency novels, but that is only a small section of historical fiction. There are so many other time periods and places to read about, which can highlight parts of history that are overlooked in school books. To me, that is the most interesting thing about the genre. Both as a reader and writer. I love to research a new part of our world history, learn about people’s life, and how they might have lived. And to than bring all that knowledge and research onto the page, have readers who notice those little historical details, or who are inspired to learn more about the people you wrote about, that is the greatest compliment of all.
What are your hobbies outside of writing?
I love to travel. Not just abroad, but also explore a little closer to home. When I’m not working or writing, I like to go to museums and find the hidden gems in cities or towns around me. Or if I don’t want to leave the house, I’m very happy with a good book or series and a cup of coffee.
You have won the wattys two times, how did it feel?
Like I was dreaming. The first time I got the news from a fellow Wattpad Ambassador while I was at the gym, and I thought she was pulling my leg. I almost fell off the treadmill when she told me she was being serious.
The second time I got the e-mail that Enheduanna had won a Watty, and I just cried. For longer than I want to admit. I never in my wildest dreams thought that this story about a time that hardly anyone knows of, about a woman who is mostly forgotten, could gather so much attention. I started writing both stories, knowing that I was writing them for a tiny audience, and that they would most likely go under the radar. But I wanted to read such stories, so I wrote them and as it turns out, there were others who wanted to read them as well.
What do you do when you don't find the motivation to continue writing?
Changing scenery. I write best at night, but it can also be very frustrating when you have writer’s block at night. You can’t exactly go for a walk or scream all your frustration away. So, when I’m stuck I go to bed and change my scenery for the next time I write. A cafe or restaurant, a library, museum, just about anywhere that has a seat and a place for my laptop. If I can, I’ll find a place that somehow fits what I am writing about. It helps to keep my senses sharp and my inspiration fresh.
What do you think was the hardest time of your writing journey?
In a way, I guess I am still going through it. Three years ago, I started to lose my father to his clinical depression, and after refusing every treatment or professional psychological counseling we offered him, I have recently decided that I need to distance myself from him for my own mental health. I’m also going to therapy now. Writing has helped me tremendously through this time, but I have also found that this situation has halted my writing process overall.
What advice would you give to aspiring historical fiction writers specifically?
Search further than google or another novel about the period in which your novel takes place. Research is both the hardest and most rewarding part of historical fiction, if you take your time. Don’t be afraid to go that extra step and look up an archaeological dig about your time period. Trust me they are not all about ancient things. Or attend some university lecture, maybe visit museums, there are so many ways to learn about history that go beyond books or the internet. Don’t be afraid to seek them out, perhaps even talk to historians or archaeologists. Really try to build this world you are writing about for yourself and you’ll find that it will be much easier to write your story after that.
Don’t be afraid about getting something wrong, or not including every detail, but make it feel alive.
Thanks for being here! I hope that you gain more and more success as days go by!
Do not forget to follow Alatary on wattpad @alatary
