As November rolls in and midterms get under way, Maddi Porter buckles down and writes away for NaNoWriMo. She loves writing for fanfiction, and when she’s not reading or writing, you can find her hanging out with the Harry Potter Alliance.
Name: Maddi Porter
Major: English with an emphasis in Creative Writing; Class of 2016
Hometown: East Bay, CA
Do you have a favorite genre in English you like to study or just read for fun?
Contemporary fantasy. It’s [stories] like Harry Potter, Prophecy of the Stones, Percy Jackson – basically, it’s very recent stuff. But I actually write more war stories.
What got you interested in English?
The Harry Potter series, actually. I always liked reading, but Harry Potter is what drove it home. I also started writing fanfiction for the series when I was seven, before I even knew what fanfiction was, and I kept writing ever since.
What inspires you to write?
I write a lot of fanfiction for Kingdom Hearts and Ghost Hunt that centers a lot around wars and fighting, so I got really good/really used to writing for that style. I also write a lot for Katekyo Hitman Reborn and Meet the Robinsons.
Are any of your stories published yet?
So far, I just write a lot of fanfiction. I don’t have a lot of original stories that are anywhere near the stages of trying to publish, but there is one short story that’s done enough to be proud of. I want to be an author, for sure.
Who inspires you to write?
J. K. Rowling, definitely, and there’s this French author who’s only published one book at the age of 13 named Flavia Bujor, but her book, Prophecy of the Stones, is one of my favorites ever.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like singing. I was part of a choir in high school, and I also performed as Nessa in “Wicked” and as a Cell Block Tango girl in “Chicago.” I’m a huge fan of musicals! Some of my many favorite musicals are “25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “The Last 5 Years,” and “Into the Woods.” I’m so excited to see Into the Woods when it comes out in theaters this Christmas!
You’re also a part of the Harry Potter Alliance. What got you interested in joining the club?
I remember wanting to find other Harry Potter fans on campus. I went to the first meeting and loved it. I’ve been going since freshman year.