Remember Along España, that one KathNiel social serye that was all over Twitter last February?
We followed the thread of Jared and Avy’s love story from beginning to end, mostly marveling at how clever it was formatted. Recently, we got the chance to pick the brains of the girl behind it.
[READ: We can’t stop reading these Twitter-based social seryes]
18-year-old Gwynette Saludes, known as Gwy to her friends and followers, has over 200,000 followers if you combine her personal and writing Twitter accounts (@gwyomi, @frostfambam, @4reuminct), and 112,000 on Wattpad as author @4reuminct. She’s even got a fanclub — the 1,084 member Facebook group description reads: “Areums are Ate Gwy’s beauties, supporting her all throughout is our duty and [sic] responsibilty.”
A hardcore KathNiel stan, Gwy got her start as a kid writing fanfiction on Wattpad as user @4reuminct. She’s since published seven KathNiel fanfics and six original stories on the platform, with one — an action/romance with royalty thrown into the mix — even picked up by the company that publishes Precious Hearts Romances.
[READ: What ever happened to Precious Hearts Romances?]
Over email, we asked Gwy about life as a college freshman, how she began writing social seryes, and what she plans to write next.
Young STAR: How did you get into writing? Can you tell us about your journey as a writer, from your KathNiel fics on Wattpad, to your first published book, to Along España and your other social seryes?
Gwy Saludes: I started writing when I was only 12. Sikat ‘yung Wattpad at that time because of She’s Dating the Gangster ata. As a kid, I realized that I was looking for something more, and for something specific. I couldn’t find it so I decided to write it by myself. Unang readers ko mga kaklase ko lang. Dati, sa notebook ko lang siya sinusulat pinapasa-pasa lang sa classroom. Then, nilagay ko siya sa Wattpad. Then, little by little, I gained readers. Dumami sila bigla lalo na noong 2015. Then, I was contacted by some publishing houses and I published my first book. I was actually taking a break from writing Luminous Mystique of Anais on Wattpad when I decided to write Twitter seryes and somehow, it boomed.
18-year-old Gwy is a true blue KathNiel stan who started writing fan fiction when she was just 12.
How did you discover the social serye format? And as someone who’s already published a book, what made you decide to pursue writing on social media?
Gwy: Stan twitter actually created AUs (alternate universe). Sikat siya sa iba’t-ibang fandom kaso iba’t-ibang style rin sila ng pagsulat. Sa KathNiel fandom, marami na talagang gumagawa even before Along España so ayokong matawag na I invented it because I didn’t. Na-inspire lang rin ako sa kanila tapos parang gusto ko siya i-try at that time. I used to write long stories so writing short ones in a different style was a challenge to me. Dahil short stories lang ako usually for Twitter seryes, mas chill siyang gawin. ‘Yun nga lang, madaming ine-edit.
— Along España —
a kn social serye where Red desperately needs to interview famous vloggers for research like Avery, the woman he ghosted 2 years ago, just to pass the semester. pic.twitter.com/w0muqXH0iS
— FFB (@frostfambam) February 10, 2019
What’s the process of writing a social serye usually like? Are you the one who edits all of the graphics?
Gwy: I use some editing apps for Twitter seryes. Tatlo or apat. Minsan sa app na mismo ‘yung screenshot, minsan ine-edit ko pa. Mas mahirap ‘yung sa Messenger kasi walang fake Messenger sa ginagamit kong app so Messenger ko talaga gamit ko. Minsan, dalawang account, minsan sa boyfriend, minsan sa kaibigan. Bibigyan ko sila ng script tapos ie-edit ko na lang.
Why did you decide to put your writing in a separate Twitter account?
Gwy: Actually, kaya ko siya nilagay sa @frostfambam noon kasi I wasn’t really planning to reveal that I was the one who wrote it. Sabi ko, gusto ko mag-try mag serye pero kapag sa account ko mismo nilagay people will expect a lot about my writing. Tsaka noon kasi, noong 2015, I faced a conflict with some people in the same fandom. They called me names. I was so sensitive at that time kasi 15 pa lang ako so I decided to leave and stop making fanfictions. Kaya nilagay ko siya sa separate account because I was testing the waters. Tinitignan ko kung may magrereact ba. Ngayon, permanent nang sa @4reuminct ko ilalagay lahat ng serye. It’s my writing account. Kadalasan kasi ino-on nila ‘yung notifications ng account kapag may serye para ma-update sila, eh kaso maingay ako sa personal account kaya baka mabwisit sila pag doon ko nilagay.
Gwy has her own band of loyal fans who call themselves Areums.
When did you realize that people liked your writing? What did you feel when Life of the Heirs was picking up traction on Wattpad, or when Along España went viral on Twitter?
I was 15 when I realized that I could create something that will “boom” one day. Hindi ko lang inasahan na viral Twitter serye pala ’yon. I felt happy, pressured, and scared at the same time kasi kapag dumadami readers mo, tumataas rin expectations sa’yo.
You recently started college at Ateneo as a Legal Management major. Why’d you decide to take that course, and not something related to writing?
I want to be a lawyer someday. Pinag-isipan ko rin nang matagal ‘yung kurso ko kasi dalawa ang pagpipilian ko. Sa UST, AB Journalism, or sa Ateneo, Legal Management. Gusto ko kasing magsulat pa pero gusto ko rin maging abogado. Sabi ko, baka pwede namang pagsabayin. Sana nga kaya ko.
Gwy has published a book with Precious Hearts Romances, entitled ‘ Zedvage Assualt’.
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