Get to know the mind behind Teen Clash, the upcoming TV series where Jayda Avanzado is set to make her acting debut
One of the most exciting things about the current state of fiction writing is the diversity of voices and perspectives we’re seeing from young authors. Popular writing platform Wattpad provided a space for different genres, reaching both local and international readers. It captivated millions of attention worldwide, creating a way for some Wattpad titles to enter the mainstream industry and slowly adapted into TV shows.
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In MEGAStyle’s exclusive interview with Ilyn “iDangs” Danganan, a young Filipino author of the popular Wattpad story Teen Clash took us behind the scenes of her writing process, the inspiration for her story, and the journey of adapting it into a series.
From Wattpad’s digital pages
Literature has always been a constant value for Ilyn as she enjoys reading because of its therapeutic benefits. It was also her escape portal while experiencing burnout during college. She shared, “Sa studies, mahaba mga binabasa naming libro. To destress, nagbasa ako para maiba lang siya sa mga binabasa ko academically.” It provided comfort, insight, and a safe outlet for her emotions. Her love for reading led her to discover Wattpad in 2011, where she first read the famous fic titled She’s Dating The Gangster by Bianca Bernardino. This piqued her interest in creating her own digital narrative on Wattpad since, as a reader, she desired to witness specific moments that were not feasible to include in the book unless she is the book’s author. Seeking to create a world that is entirely hers to control, she said, “That inspired me na magsulat ng sarili kong world hanggang sa na-develop na lang na gusto ko na ‘yung pagsusulat, genuinely.”
Honing her craft through countless hours of writing and editing, Ilyn’s hard work finally paid off when she wrote the epilogue of her now famed work, Teen Clash, which slowly gained a following among readers—successfully reaching a four million mark. The Wattpad community in 2012 loved the journey of a group of teenagers navigating the complexities of gender, academics, and love. The story resonated with readers of all ages, and it wasn’t long before it caught the attention of a publishing company.
Adapting for the screens
Wattpad has not only succeeded in establishing worldwide networks of readers and authors by providing a platform on which anyone can publish their work for free. The community has also flourished through the years since its inception. It has been noticed by TV and movie production houses in the Philippines, such as one of the country’s well-known network giants, ABS-CBN.
“In 2015, launch na ‘yung two characters pero ‘di natuloy. Hindi ko na in-expect na matutuloy pa siya, hanggang sa tinawagan nila ako last year na may go signal na daw. Ang pinaka-challenge ko is ‘yung waiting process.”
IDangs on the TV adaptation’s biggest challenge
According to Ilyn Danganan, it felt surreal after receiving the news. “Binasa ko actually ‘yung script nu’ng nag-meeting pa kami [and] ‘di pa siya nag-sink in sa’kin. Nag-sink in lang nu’ng in-introduce na nila ‘yung characters, na hala eto na totoo na. Siyempre, as a writer, nakaka-proud.” The adaptation process was not without its challenges, but the young author was closely involved every step of the way to ensure that the story stayed true to its vision. She worked closely with the IWant team, making sure to bring all the characters from the book to life on screen and to capture the essence of the book’s central theme—the clash.
The afterword
As the author of Teen Clash, Ilyn Danganan is humbled and thrilled to soon present to her readers this teen series based on her work. Throughout the interview, sharing her journey while writing this book was a testament to her process of self-discovery, growth, and passion seen in the characters she created. She said, “I made sure na maglalagay ako ng a bit of myself sa mga characters ko,” while conveying her personal experiences through every chapter of the story.
As the television series will soon hit our screens and ABS-CBN’s streaming platform, Ilyn is feeling confident and nervous at the same time as more than pleasing the casual viewers, the young author aims to satisfy her avid readers. “Siyempre sila ‘yung nakabasa nu’ng book, so as much as possible, gusto ko din na magustuhan nila ‘yung series.” Nevertheless, she is confident with the efforts of Black Sheep Productions, expressing her excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to share Teen Clash not only in the community of Wattpad readers, but for the wider audience to see it come to life on screen as well.
Photos from ILYN DANGANAN and JAYDA AVANZADO (via Instagram)
