Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m just a poor college student studying computer science in Atlanta, GA—born and raised. I love to read and write, watch movies and TV shows, and waste too much time on the internet.
I’m very introverted. I stay in a lot and I work part-time on the weekends, so I don’t really have any “fun” days off. Sunday is really the only day I don’t have school or work, so the bulk of my writing is done then.
When did you first become interested in horror?
Ever since I can remember, really. I watched IT (1990) on TV when I was very little, and I was scared of my shower drain for weeks. It wasn’t necessarily a pleasant experience, but I realized I kind of enjoyed being scared of something fictional. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked on anything horror—TV, movies, books, manga, and of course, NoSleep.
Was there a specific moment you knew you wanted to write in that genre?
Actually, yes. My freshman year of high school I got an old copy of The Stand by Stephen King from my parents. It was almost 1000 pages and I thought I’d never get through it. Wow was I wrong—I finished it in less than a week. I had never been so absorbed and captivated with a story. The characters, world, and plot were so rich and deep with detail. I still consider it one of the best novels I’ve ever read.
After I finished it, I thought, huh, maybe I could try to write stories like that? And so I brought out my laptop, and started writing.
What are some of your other biggest influences from media?
Oh man, way too many to name all of them here, but I’ll do my best.
My favorite films that have influenced my writing: Arrival, IT, It Follows, Coherence, Rear Window, The Good Neighbor, Dunkirk, Inglorious Bastards, Silence of the Lambs, Inception, Se7en, The Departed, Alien, No Country for Old Men, and Shutter Island.
My favorite TV shows that have influenced my writing: Black Mirror, The Twilight Zone, Twin Peaks, WestWorld, True Detective, Sherlock, You, Haunting of Hill House, Bojack Horseman, Glitch, Community, Breaking Bad, House, Mindhunter, Goosebumps—oh I could go on and on with TV…
My favorite novels/short stories that have influenced my writings (Stephen King nerd-alert): The Stand, House of Leaves, The Shining, The Jaunt, The Outsider, The Dark Tower series, Gone Girl, To Kill a Mockingbird, Hatchet, The Book Thief, Under the Dome, any short story by Ray Bradbury, and too many NoSleep stories to list.
Where do you find inspiration? Have real life experiences ever made their way into your work?
Real life experiences play a small role in my writing. Most names I use for characters are from people I know, and sometimes a situation I’ve experienced personally can be twisted and bent in to a plot.
Although, most of my ideas just hit me like a truck. I’ll be driving or walking down the street and all of a sudden, I come up with an idea and have to write it down that second. I guess my inspiration for stories is really just everything I’ve experienced and observed in my life—they all come together to form some cohesive idea that I’ll write about.
To be completely honest, a lot of my horror-ideas come from my days of drug use in high school (happily sober now). I have had my fair share of bad trips, so I really try and channel those memories when I’m going for a feeling of confusion, hopelessness, or unexplainable dread.
Congratulations on being sober! <3 You really do nail those feelings of all-consuming fear in your writing. Do you think those past experiences with drugs also played a role in creating the often surreal, dream-like landscapes and scenarios in your stories?
Oh, most definitely. Themes like not knowing how you ended up somewhere (Firewatcher) or watching your reality dissolve around you (Sailing Beyond) were definitely influenced by my past drug use.
In fact, the void from Time Travel is not what you think it’s like came to me from remembering a bad trip I had, where I felt like I couldn’t see any color at all.
What is the most terrifying thing you have personally experienced?
This is a tough one. I haven’t had any demon or ghost encounters. I haven’t had any creepy strangers follow me. In fact, I don’t think anything I’ve experienced would be scary enough to be posted on NoSleep! That being said, when I was 18, my lung collapsed. It hurt so bad I thought I was going to die of a heart attack. Nope! Just a little collapsed lung.
How did you discover NoSleep? What prompted you to begin writing for it?
I think I discovered it very early in its history with another, now deleted account—back in the days where there weren’t many rules. There were fake AMA’s and non-story posts every day! I lurked for a long time before posting (January of this year!). I don’t know exactly what made me want to post the first story. It was kind of out on a whim.
I had two stories typed out for months too nervous to post either. I cleaned one up a bit and just said “fuck it” and posted it—I was hoping I’d get maybe 100 upvotes. Well, I got about 6,000 in the first day. So, that was quite the welcoming surprise.
Your stories have nearly all achieved tremendous success very quickly, with your Firewatcher story being in the top 40 stories of all-time, and She Sold Happiness in Glass Jars currently being the fifth most upvoted story on the sub! That's huge. What was your reaction to seeing your words skyrocket to well-deserved popularity? What do you think it is about your writing that resonates so strongly with NoSleep's audience?
I have absolutely no idea why they got so popular. When I posted my first story, I remember thinking, okay, this won’t go as well as you expect—you’re going to need to grind for a while for your stories to get popular. I truly believe success in anything is 50% skill and 50% luck—and I lucked out. I think my writing resonates with regular NoSleep readers because I’ve been reading NoSleep for so long, I feel like I know what they want (because it’s what I want too!).
I’m still in awe over how well some of my stories have done. I’m so grateful for it all—upvotes are great and everything, but what really means the world to me is reading people’s comments or messages reaching out to me about a story. Knowing I cheered someone up or scared the shit out of them with a piece of fiction always makes me happy.
(NSI edit: When we first sent this question to /u/Flard, She Sells Happiness was the eleventh highest upvoted story on the sub. In under a month, it climbed all the way to #5. Next stop, the Moon?)
Have your feelings toward NoSleep evolved as you made the transition from reader to writer, and now moderator?
Great question! I found NoSleep when I was a teenager. The stories scared me at first, then after a while I was somewhat dulled, but still loved reading them. Of course, every once in a while, I’d find one that’d force me to turn on a light.
I had hesitations for a while before posting any of my own work. I felt I couldn't match the level of writing that was being shown at the top of the subreddit. Eventually, I gave in. The only difference with moving from writer to reader was having a greater sense of belonging to the community.
Now that I'm a moderator, I have a whole new view of the subreddit. I get to see the behind the scenes of how tough decisions are made, story removals, comment removals, and so on. There is a lot that doesn't ever meet the public eye I had no idea about.
What NoSleep stories and/or authors have had the strongest impact on you?
I’d like to talk about three specific people.
/u/GasStationJack wrote one of my favorite series on the NoSleep. The storytelling toned down the scariness and brought me in to a world of weird, creepy, and funny events with incredible characters. It was a completely unique, wild ride I’d never experienced before.
/u/M59Gar is one of my favorite authors on reddit. Of course, A Shattered Life is a masterpiece, but my favorite works of his are Stuck, The Black Square, Fuck Oranges, An Empty Prison, and too many more to list. His stories scare me in a way that’s hard to describe, but one I try to replicate in my own writing. It’s a fear of the unknown, the unexplainable. Not a monster or ghost, but an idea or concept so far out there it’s near impossible to understand—he made me realize what I fear most are the things I can’t wrap my head around and explain.
/u/NeonTempo wrote my all-time favorite story on NoSleep, The Left/Right Game. It is a lengthy story, but the writing style is beautiful and unique, the story is rich and enthralling, and it had me on the edge of my seat until I read the last word. Some of my own writing is (much) shorter than The Left/Right game, but every time I write a longer piece, one thing I always ask myself is how can I make this just as suspenseful and immersive as The Left/Right game was?
We've seen your love for sci-fi shine through in your writing before; do you ever explore writing other genres besides horror? If so, what other styles of writing? Which do you prefer?
I love writing and reading sci-fi. I love the idea of time travel, space-exploration, futuristic technology, etc. I also love to read crime-related works as well as general thrillers. Oh, and also poetry. I love writing and reading poetry.
I prefer writing horror over all other genres in written fiction. But “horror,” for me, includes almost anything with a high level of suspense. To me, that’s what horror is. No matter what is happening in the story, if I have a feeling of what the hell is going to happen or oh my gosh I’m on the edge of my seat, it’s just as horrifying as reading about someone’s ghost story. Horror-sci-fi, horror-drama, horror-romance, and horror-comedy are all valid horror subgenres in my opinion.
What do you find most compelling about intertwining those concepts with horror? Do you feel like you ever struggle to stay within the realm of horror as most people see it?
YES. I’ve had multiple stories removed from NoSleep (and they still decided to make me a mod, huh?) that didn’t qualify as horror. Even though those were correctly removed, I still find the themes scary.
To me, I don’t find a simple ghost story scary. What scares me most are events that take place beyond the realm of understanding, and with that comes horror, but mixing it with romance, sci-fi, or comedy creates a deeper understanding of characters and story.
Prior to posting on NoSleep, you were an active participant on /r/WritingPrompts, where users craft flash fiction based on set topics. What was the most difficult aspect of transitioning from that style to NoSleep?
The only difficult thing to adjust to was NoSleep's very specific rules. In r/WritingPrompts, almost anything is game. NoSleep has very strict rules (for good reason) so I had to make sure I fully understood them before posting.
Have any of your stories ever involved research? If so, what was involved? How much time do you spend writing in an average day or week? Do you have any rituals that help you focus?
I do light research when it’s needed. For my Firewatcher story, I read up on the job and basics of being a fire-watcher. I’ve done some research on coal mines, sailing, geographical locations, and some other subjects I don’t want to reveal yet that regard future stories. This “research” never goes deeper than a couple dozen Google searches though.
My “ritual” (if you could even call it that) is brewing up a couple cups of coffee. That usually gets my mind going. I write every day, whether it’s working on a story, writing down unique titles, or writing super short (<500 word) stories/ideas that maybe I could stretch out into a full-fleshed work. If I don’t get 7,500 words down in a week, it’s a bad writing week for me.
What are your feelings toward NoSleep's immersion/believability rule? What impact, if any, do you think the suspension of disbelief format may have when transitioning your work toward a mass audience unfamiliar with NoSleep?
I have a love-hate relationship with that rule, but ultimately the love overrules. Sometimes I have ideas I think would be so interesting to write about, only to realize it would go against that rule. Sometimes stories are best told in third person. Sometimes the hero/main character need to die. Some of the best stories I’ve ever read take place in the future or an obvious alternate timeline—an area which I’d love to explore but can’t because of that rule.
That being said, I understand why it’s there. That was the whole point of the subreddit in the first place—to tell creepy stories that sound so real, some people will question it. I think that’s what makes NoSleep unique, and while I hate the rule sometimes, overall, I’m glad it exists.
I don’t really think there is much of an impact when transitioning. Basically, that rule boils down to: (1) first-person narration and (2) an event that could have possibly happened. Well, that’s a good portion of best-selling books on the market right now!
You've shared some stories that weren't a fit for NoSleep on your personal account. Do you have plans to post other non-NoSleep work there in the future?
YES! I have tons of ideas scribbled down on paper somewhere that wouldn’t make the cut for Nosleep’s rules. I love the non-horror stories just as much as the spooky ones.
One of those stories revolves around Sigrid Hjertén, a renowned Swedish painter diagnosed with schizophrenia who died following a botched lobotomy. What motivated you to write from her perspective?
My most conflicting, controversial story, I think.
I saw a painting of hers on exhibition at my local museum. It told the story of her life and lobotomy. I found it so terribly sad and terrifying.
I thought it’d be interesting to write about her—to imagine what her last couple of days on this planet would be. It was weird, honestly, to write about a real person and an event they encountered which I was not there to experience.
When crafting a piece of fiction, do you generally start with an outline or simply begin writing?
Let. It. Flow. If I have an idea in my head for a story, I run with it. Sometimes I will just have a small idea, start typing, and it’ll turn in to a 5000-word story. Or occasionally I’ll think of a title that’s attractive and try to build a story around that idea. If I ever have an outline made, it’s very, very minimal.
Other than writing, what are some of your hobbies? What other creative mediums do you enjoy?
Reading! Whether it’s short stories from NoSleep or wasting six hours of my day with a good book, I love reading. I’m also a huge film fan, so if I’m not reading, I’m most likely watching TV shows or movies.
I also love to create art. Many of the paintings/décor around my apartment I created myself.
When I get out of the house (a rare sight) I love hiking or taking the trails around my city. I also do random miscellaneous things like axe-throwing, escape rooms, going to the museum, etc.
carefully steps back out of range ...Please elaborate on the axe-throwing.
lowers wielded axe don’t worry! I just throw them at a wooden target! Never humans… well, most of the time.
Are there any topics you feel are too controversial for you to address or that you prefer not to explore in your writing?
I don’t think I’ll ever dig in to the world of sexual violence. While it definitely has its place and can be scary when used correctly, I don’t feel it’s necessary to be extra graphic or have it used as the central theme of the story. I posted a story recently called “A Conversation with a Stranger on the Bus” and (SPOILERS) it hints at sexual violence against women. But that’s as far as I’d ever go in to writing about such things—just a hint. I don’t feel it’s my place to write things like that for entertainment.
Much of your work deals with the concepts of loss, life after death, immortality, and how the living are affected by the people they have lost. What do you find most horrific about those themes?
Death is my biggest fear, and you’re right, it shows.
I think that’s funny though. I feel like it’s almost irrational to fear death since we know it will happen to literally all of us. Still, everything about death scares me—my final horrified thoughts as I try and cope with leaving this earth forever, my loved ones being hurt because of it—maybe when we die all will be at rest. But what if our spirits walk around the earth forever? Will we want to go to a heaven or hell? What if there is nothing? What if we are trapped in our final, fatal seconds of life, and it feels like an eternity?
Oof, I’m going to lie down for a minute…
She Sold Happiness in Glass Jars is often described as being "wholesome" horror. The rise in popularity of wholesome stories on NoSleep has been widely discussed in recent months. Why do you think readers are becoming more interested in the subgenre?
I’ve been reading NoSleep for a long time, like I said before. There have always been “wholesome” NoSleep stories being posted every day—maybe there are more now, or maybe people are noticing them more because they are being upvoted more.
I’m not really sure why the sudden popularity in them though. I think it may be because most people are not expecting it—they're expecting a horrible ending, but end up crying or feeling happy, so they upvote.
Do you have any favorite reader reactions to your writing?
Most people who read NoSleep know it’s not real and know what to expect. But, a pretty big youtuber who doesn’t normally read horror narrations read my Time Travel story, and those comments were very fun to look through. A ton of people had never heard of NoSleep, so there was a lot of speculation whether or not the story was real.
What story or project are you most proud of?
“Time Travel is not what you think it’s like” is my favorite story I’ve written (so far). Out of everything, I think it’s the most original, well-paced, captivating story. I also think I’ve gotten the most messages about that story from people telling me they loved it. Which is funny, it’s definitely not the most upvoted.
It’s funny which stories blowup and which don’t. My most popular story, She Sold Happiness in Glass Jars, was not my proudest work by a long-shot. I wrote that story and sat on it for a long time because I didn’t think it was good enough to post. Nonetheless, I posted it, and now it’s like the 13th highest in the whole subreddit, I think. So weird.
What's the most valuable lesson you've learned since you began posting to NoSleep?
-
I’ve learned to deal with criticism. Not everyone will like my stories, and it’s as simple as that. I remember feeling sad for a while after reading my first couple “this sucks” comments. But now I’m totally used to it and even expecting it. Whatever, right? I haven’t enjoyed some very popular stories on the subreddit, so to each their own! I’ve learned to take constructive criticism well and roll with the punches from the haters.
-
I have no idea, whatsoever, how well my stories will be received. Seriously, not a clue. Like I said, I thought “She Sold Happiness in Glass Jars” was just going to flop. I was wrong. Other stories I’ve spent much longer writing/editing, and stories I genuinely enjoyed more, didn’t do as well as I’d hoped. I’ve learned I probably will never have a grasp on what people will think is good or bad.
As a successful author on NoSleep, do you have any advice for new contributors?
“Giving Yourself Permission to Suck.” -/u/lifeisstrangemetoo
You’re never going to learn from your mistakes if you never make them in the first place. That is the best piece of advice I could possibly give, and that post sums it up so well.
Also, another important piece of advice: writing a story is not something that has to be done “by the books.” I constantly use fragments and run-ons because that’s how people think and talk! Writing is a craft. An artform. See what I did there? “An artform” is not a full sentence but it emphasized my point. There’s no right or wrong way to tell a story, so don’t think you have to follow every grammatical rule in the book or try and copy a style from someone else. Everyone has their own style, and as long as you convey what you are trying to say, however you say it shouldn’t matter. You do you.
What are your short-term and long-term writing goals?
This is the only question I really had to think hard about.
Short term: I guess just keep writing stories for NoSleep. I love the community, as well as r/NoSleepOOC, and enjoy talking to the fans and authors who I get in contact with. I’m currently writing a very, very long series which I’m excited to release (if I already haven’t by the time this interview goes live).
Long term: My dream job would be a novelist, or a writer for TV shows/screenplays for movies. Maybe one day (when I can afford it) I’ll hire an agent and start throwing scripts at producers hoping someone picks something up. Until my big break though, looks like once I graduate (happening soon) I’ll be stuck with some IT-related job. (IT as in “Information Technology,” not Stephen King’s IT.)
Community Questions:
From /u/ByfelsDisciple: Urbandictionary.com lists "flard" as hypothetical carbonated blubber. WTF?
Carbonated Blubber will be what I call my eventual beer-belly.
From /u/Garagechair: If you were the sole creative writer behind a remake of 'It's a Wonderful Life', which modern day actor would fill the shoes of Jimmy Stewart?
Oh man, those are some big shoes to fill. The first person who came to my mind was Jon Hamm.
From /u/TheCusterWolf: Favorite condiment?
Creamy garlic mayo. Or avocado-lime ranch dressing from Chick-fil-a (not a sponsor... yet).
Submitted anonymously: What is the greatest album of all time and why is it Metropolis Part II: Scenes from a Memory?
Metropolis Part II: Scenes from a Memory. Because reasons.
Submitted anonymously: Are you a Brennan or a Dale?
Definitely Brennan.
Submitted anonymously: Toilet paper roll- over or under?
Over. I'm not a Neanderthal.
From /u/Poppy_moonray: If you could watch the creation of any one work of art (please feel free to interpret this as literally or as loosely as you wish) from start to finish, what would it be?
The Great Pyramids in Egypt. Mostly because no one knows how they were really built, and my curiosity will forever be piqued on that subject.
You're trapped on a desert island. You can bring one of each of the following, with the stipulation being you must already have it in your home: one book, one movie, one living creature, one self-replenishing food. What do you pick?
Book: The Stand by Stephen King. It’s my favorite, and it’s 1000 pages, so it’ll pass the time.
Living creature: my girlfriend. Because I will be lonely, and if I’m dying stranded on an island, she’s going down with me (just kidding, love you Kels).
Food: pasta. I should not need to explain.
You may also pick one member of The Avengers OR the X-Men to be on the island with you. Who do you choose?
A toss-up between Fat Thor (good company), Dr. Strange (portals), or Carol (she can literally do anything including flying off the island).
What fruit do you empathize with most strongly? What fruit fills you with an unbridled fury?
I empathize with an unripe kiwi because I’m slightly fuzzy and pretty sour.
You mentioned liking to write poetry. Can we please get a short poem, format of your choosing, about horror and/or NoSleep?
The stars are out, and the moon is bright,
Shrouded by darkness, a room with one light,
As my eyes sweep across my screen,
My heart pounds, hands shake, and sweat gleam.
A chilling story unravels with the text,
I ask to myself, what will OP do next?
Finally, when the epic has concluded,
I lie in bed, feeling even more secluded—
I try to drift off, holding back a weep,
And it’s all thanks—to good ole’ NoSleep.
From /u/electricrhododendron: You're an incredible writer, and have become popular on nosleep so quickly! Do you have any "dream" stories you'd like to write for it that you can share with us, or any other nosleep writers you'd most like to collaborate with?
I'm currently working (and setting aside, so I can post other stories) a very, very long story that I hope to release in the next couple months. It's my baby and I have been working very hard on it.
I'd love to collaborate with Matt Dymerski. I feel like together, we could come up with some crazy shit.
Submitted anonymously: I'm going to McDonald's, do you want anything?
Like 3 large fries and a McGriddle please and thank you.
Submitted anonymously: Favorite guilty pleasure song or movie?
I mostly listen to podcasts instead of music (boring answer, sorry) but my guilty pleasure movies are definitely mediocre comedies—Just go with it, Super Troopers, Tropic Thunder, Superbad, Hot Fuzz, or Wet Hot American Summer.
Submitted anonymously: If your house was on fire and you could only rescue one physical thing (all living beings made it out safely), what would it be?
Assuming my phone is already in my pocket, my answer is my laptop. Wow. I really don't own that many valuable/sentimental things.
Submitted anonymously: What is your favorite book?
The Stand by Stephen King or House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Two totally different books, two totally different types of horror, but both are tied for my first place slot.
From /u/ByfelsDisciple: What do you think is your most underrated story? Your most overrated?
My most overrated is She Sold Happiness in Glass Jars, without a doubt. Top 10 of the subreddit? I mean, I thought it was okay, but not that good. I’m still glad everyone liked it though.
Maybe a controversial answer here, but I don’t think I have an underrated story. I’ve been very lucky with how well my stories have done. I think they all reached a popularity that they deserved, if not more.
Submitted anonymously: Which one of your characters do you relate to the most? Do you have a favorite one to write?
I definitely relate to Tim from She Sold Happiness in Glass Jars the most. I often take things for granted. I'm very lucky in my personal life, but sometimes I fall into that mindset of feeling unhappy with what I have because it's boring, monotonous, etc. It's good to take a step back and realize my place in this world, think about how so many others are in situations far worse than I am in, and learn to be content with what I have.
Teddy from my first Firewatcher story was probably my favorite to write. I can't even really explain why—maybe it's because I've always had a calling to go out and live in the woods by myself.
Submitted anonymously: If you had to live in the established universe of one of your characters, which would you choose and why?
Wow, good question! Probably Emma from my Time Travel story. I wrote her character with the mindset of my girlfriend, so I feel especially connected with her. Poor Emma.
From /u/OnyxOctopus: How do you take your tea? What kind would you like? One lump or two? How many snickerdoodles can I get you? Are you warm enough? If not, I can get you a hand-crocheted afghan! Would you like one? ❤
I’m a coffee-man, but if I’m having tea, two lumps (as strong as possible) no sugar or milk. Thank you and yes please.
From /u/Cmd102: What have you enjoyed most about being a mod so far? Is there anything that surprised you?
The thing I enjoy most is being apart of this tight-knit group of people. I love hearing what everyone thinks about a particular story, hearing about everyone's day, and getting to know a whole new group of people I'm already very fond of.
The thing that surprised me most is the sheer amount of deleted comments and stories. I had no idea how heavily moderated that sub is.
I'm not sure I'm quite used to all the human sacrifice involved in modding, but I'm getting the hang of it.
From /u/Blindfate: Eminem or MGK? CHOOSE WISELY
Eminem without a doubt. That isn't an opinion either, it's a fact.
Submitted anonymously: How do you say 'Flard'? Like flair-ed? F-lard? How did you come up with the name btw?
I say it like "f-lard" but I would accept any pronunciation. I was just typing random four letter words trying to come up with a username! That's really it, I wish it had some cool meaning behind it.
Submitted anonymously: If you were cast in a stereotypical 80s slasher flick, what character would you play?
The slasher.
Submitted anonymously: What is your favorite thing about nosleep? Do you have a least favorite?
This is a simple, but big question.
My favorite thing about NoSleep is the community—the fact that we are all in on it—that authors and readers can share perspective on creepy events. It's an entire community based in realistic horror and I love that.
My least favorite thing: "I miss the old NoSleep" comments. No you don't. This is what the old NoSleep looked like. It's been changing for the better ever since.
In need of a Flard fix?
Flee on over to his
NSI would like to say an enormous yard full of plastic pink flamingos worth of thank yous to the fantastic /u/Flard for taking the time to grant us this fascinating interview! We wish you nothing but the best of luck in your quest to steadily take over the entire all-time top stories list!
We'll see you back here in two weeks when we tiptoe through the tulips with /r/NoSleepOOC's favorite lovable curmudgeon, /u/theworldisgrim! We'll be taking questions for him in the OOC next Monday, June 3rd. Until then, trip through twilight until you discover his Twitter, Facebook, Patreon!
Submitted May 27, 2019 at 11:23PM by NSIMods http://bit.ly/2YU9Ne2
No comments:
Post a Comment