Nooz Aster Talks Writing, Fantasy Worlds, and Her Galatea Debut with Karshok

Inkitt: What inspired you to become an author? Was there a specific moment that sparked your passion for storytelling?

Nooz Aster: Fantasy and the supernatural were always a big love of mine. I remember writing my first stories on shabby paper in the early 2000’s. I used to watch my brother play a popular MMO game—and I lived through the experience through his eyes. And funnily enough the fantasy and people in it sparked my first story, as horrid and confusing as it was. After that I wrote so many more—and never finished any of them.

I used to have worlds that had a lot of planning in them and they were so vibrant in my mind. One particular one I still remember, that was inspired by the Books of the Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin.

Inkitt: What was the first story you ever wrote? How does it compare to what you write now?

Nooz Aster: Comparing what I write now to the things I write then would be unfair to the child me, as the things you love and appreciate change over time—except one thing, my love for romance was always in them, ever since the first story I scribbled.

Inkitt: How did you first discover Inkitt, and what was your early experience like on the platform?

Nooz Aster: I discovered Inkitt from Reddit. I was looking for other sites to put my story in, as it was removed without reason from another. I knew my stories were more towards adults, and I found that Inkitt would be more suitable for my writing. At first I didn’t expect much traction, as sci-fi could be a bit of a niche compared to fantasy/supernatural, but I was pleasantly surprised that people found my story and liked it!

Inkitt: What was it like seeing your story gain traction? Were there any key milestones or reader interactions that stood out?

Nooz Aster: I always stalk my feed to see if people have said anything, or reacted to the story and it gives me a bit more power to keep going. I try not to watch the numbers, but the graphs, thinking all is good as long as there are people interested. Reviews and comments have been so kind and it’s surprising how much they really boost my mood!

Inkitt: Did Inkitt’s analytics or engagement features help you shape your story?

Nooz Aster: I usually write my stories to completion before I would consider publishing it out, as I have a horrible habit of stopping. I release it as I edit the chapters.

There are so many different stories in my mind that sometimes I just hop onto another one, completely forgetting the last until I get back to it—years later.

Inkitt: Have you participated in any Inkitt writing contests? What was that experience like?

Nooz Aster: I did apply a story I was writing then, but it wasn’t shaped by the competition. I haven’t really been one to try competitions, for my lack of focus.

Inkitt: Were there specific moments on Inkitt that paved the way for your Galatea signing?

Nooz Aster: Being on the front page after updates is definitely a big boost for readers to find you. Also, people being so kind and leaving reviews is amazing, helps people to know if it’s worth reading, and it helps the author to know if there is something to fix.

Inkitt: When did you find out you were going to be a Galatea author? How did that feel?

Nooz Aster: Oh, frankly, at first I thought it was a scam email! I had read so many things about such things, but as it sank in that it was real, I was really happy to have such a possibility!

Inkitt: What are you most excited about readers seeing in your book on Galatea?

Nooz Aster: I put a lot of value into healthy relationships, and that’s what I try to have in my stories. No matter how much bad is around you/in you, that everyone deserves a chance for something good.

Inkitt: What advice would you give to other Inkitt authors hoping to sign a Galatea contract?

Nooz Aster: I honestly write stories that I want to read, and if there is a chance that people like it too, it’s perfect.

There are always people who like what you do, and it’s just about finding the right people to see it.

But practically, I try to have my text to be relatively easy to read.

As I’m not native English speaker, I know when I wasn’t great at it, I had to search a lot of words to understand what I’m reading, so I try to avoid words that aren’t too common, so that many people can read it.

Inkitt: Are you a plotter (carefully outlining your story) or a pantser (letting the story develop as you write)?

Nooz Aster: I tried being a plotter, but it’s not for me. Whenever I plotted and did a lot of outlining I just didn’t write—the story was already done in my head, there was no point writing it.

Inkitt: How do you develop your characters? Do they ever surprise you?

Nooz Aster: I like writing to discover what’s going to happen, what the people are like and what kind of random stuff they throw at me, frustrating me to no end sometimes. I’ve said that I write to watch the movie, so to say.

Inkitt: What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?

Nooz Aster: Discovering what’s going to happen. Even the things I imagine going one way, usually goes another. I have a vivid image of what’s going to happen, and then I get to writing it, but it goes nothing like I expected because of something else. It’s fun, but also frustrating!

Inkitt: Do you have any specific writing rituals or environments that help you get into a creative mindset?

Nooz Aster: Music. Everything to do with music. People around me rarely see me without headphones. Also, a space without interruption is crucial. I usually type stories on my phone, so I can be anywhere to write and not be distracted by doing something else on the pc, as inconvenient as that sounds.

Inkitt: Which authors or books have influenced your writing style the most?

Nooz Aster: I think for the alien books, it has to be Laurann Dohner. I used to binge her books in audio format. But otherwise, I’m ashamed to say I don’t read much anymore, except webtoons.

Inkitt: Where do you find inspiration for your stories, characters, and worlds?

Nooz Aster: Oh boy. I’ve always been one of those who have their head in the clouds. Later I was interested in psychology and those two kind of intertwined to make characters.

Sometimes it’s from webtoons, usually from games, and mostly from music. And people, some have such personalities or life situations that I draw inspiration from.

Inkitt: What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your writing journey, and how have you overcome them?

Nooz Aster: Story hopping and stopping all together. I don’t have friends that read, nor would they be interested in what I write, or they aren’t that savvy in English that they would try, so motivation is sometimes a problem.

But I always try to go to my roots of writing what I want to read, and that helps me to change my mindset. Sometimes it’s just very lonely to live in a world nobody sees.

Inkitt: How do you overcome writer’s block?

Nooz Aster: A tough question for someone who can stop writing for months because of this. Even years.

But I’d say music is huge. And then, more practical, is finding a movie, story, or anything that could spark your interest to make a story, something that you want to see happen. Maybe the story or movie didn’t go as you liked, or the setting is awesome and you want to have something like that in your story, make it, and make it your own!

Inkitt: How do you stay motivated during long projects or tough writing days?

Nooz Aster: Honestly, I just don’t write if I’m not motivated. I lay down and imagine plots with music. But this can also be a very bad thing for me, as if I go too far with the plots, I’m not motivated to write—I already know what’s gonna happen. Having a Playlist or theme song to a story is something that I use, it clicks my brain to only think of that specific story. Also use smell, a specific scented candle or perfume triggers your brain to think of the story.

Inkitt: Are there any recurring themes or messages you hope readers take away from your stories?

Nooz Aster: Healthy relationships, and no matter how much you struggle or have bad experiences, there is always hope for something good.

Inkitt: Is there a piece of advice you were given early in your career that’s stuck with you?

Nooz Aster: The thing I did get somewhere was exactly the phrase — “write what you want to read”. And it really is a big motivator.