Writing my Young Adult Fantasy novel Poisoned Arrow was one of the most fun things I ever did. One of the hardest, too.
The idea came to me when I lay in bed one night—right before I fell asleep. These three sentences came to mind:
They do it again.
I’m so tired.
Did I turn them on?
I got up and wrote this text down on the back of an envelope because it felt important. The next morning, I reread these sentences and thought “This could be a book.”
I put it aside and several weeks later the first chapter poured out of me on a Saturday afternoon. I could barely keep up with writing. I was expected at my parents for dinner that night and the inspiration kept flowing so I recorded the text with the voice recorder on my phone.
The following day I reread what I had written and felt this could be a book that I would write when I had more time.
For the next year I was regularly reminded of this book. Until finally I decided that even though it didn’t make any sense and I had zero experience writing novels, that I was going to write this book. Simply because it seemed like so much fun!
I committed to writing 1500 words per day, seven days per week. Each day I was curious what would happen in the story and how things would unfold. It’s like the story had a mind of its own and all I had to do was listen to where it wanted to go.
A little over 4 months later I had finished the first draft and I printed the entire manuscript. I’ll never forget sitting on my couch with that stack of paper as I reread my own words. It was really special and I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Not just the fact that I had written a first draft but that I liked the story and felt its potential.
I decided to hire an editor to help me get the book in good shape. She taught me about world building and dialogue. She showed me where I unconsciously had done things right, and where I should make changes. It was so much fun to learn more about the craft of writing. Whenever I received an email from her with feedback, I felt really fired up.
I was introduced to a whole new world. I really enjoyed learning and doing new things. Luckily, I found the perfect designer for the cover and the interior of the book. Seeing the book through her eyes via the different design suggestions was extraordinary.
Those years I worked on Poisoned Arrow were really intense because all the writing and editing was on top of running my business and supporting clients. But somehow the joy of writing gave me the energy and the focus to fit it all in. Most of the time it felt like an exciting adventure.
Holding the book in my hands for the very first time was quite emotional. Aside from the essential oils you can’t grab my work—and now I had created this tangible thing!
The book launch at my favorite bookstore was like Christmas and my birthday combined! I felt like I was finally able to share something I’d been working on for three years.
Hearing how people enjoyed reading my words made my heart sing. It all came together and I feel really grateful and proud of what I did. It was wonderful to celebrate and share that moment with people who cared and were excited for me.
I believe in following your inner nudges and trusting the inspiration or ideas that come your way. No matter how illogical they seem. You just never know which adventure they have in store for you.
Are you ready to feel fully alive and pursue the things that bring you joy? I’d love to support you in giving yourself permission to do what lights you up—even when it is for that reason alone. We need things that bring us happiness. They’re crucial for us to keep doing the things we feel we should do.
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Have a day full of energy and inspiration!
PS If you’re curious about my novel Poisoned Arrow you can read more here
