My Journey of Writing
When I was five or six, I wrote a story about my family at a Thanksgiving dinner. It was even illustrated. Impressive, I know. I don’t remember what the storyline was, or if there even was one, but I was so proud of my seven pages, stick figure drawings, and a made up word. Since then, there have been many stories, finished and unfinished (the latter makes up most of my collection) I have penned in hopes of achieving my lifelong dream of becoming a published author. I got closer than I ever had before with a story I started writing when I was fifteen, until I tabled it because I was struggling with the plot.
Then, I began drafting and plotting what came to be known as Redemption’s Flame. Although, it didn’t used to be known as that. Originally, the title was Bloodline, and then Without Condemnation. The book has changed significantly since my original idea, which I’ll discuss in a future blog or post. I started the first draft at sixteen, an age in which I was far too naïve to create a compelling story, and finished at eighteen, a year-and-a-half later. But editing was daunting, and with attending UF the fall I finished, the book was set on a back burner. And it stayed that way. In fact, I was pretty certain I wouldn’t ever pick it back up again at a certain point, especially since fantasy was of the devil - a belief I no longer hold but was once firmly convinced of. There is plenty more to that story, as well.
Without knowing why, I began to work on it again this year, 2023. I don’t quite remember when I started editing, but I got the bulk of the book re-written within six weeks, likely. 40,000 words came naturally to me for the first time in years, and I fell in love with Bren and her friends all over again. And I am blessed to be publishing my debut novel in the summer of 2024.
Writing is more than just typing words to me. It is worship to my Creator, it is art, it is therapy. It’s about exploring the depths of human emotions, the intricacies of life, exploring themes of hope and despair, love and hate, forgiveness and bitterness. It is about helping people and glorifying God. It’s about cherishing the dear friends I’ve created, yet lamenting I’ll never be able to meet them. It’s about writing ideas on napkins and in the Notes app on my phone, hoping that I’ll remember them when I sit down to write next. It’s also about breaking rules just as much as sticking to them. It’s watching endless YouTube videos on the “Top Ten Worst Mistakes to Make When Writing,” and it’s making those mistakes anyways. It’s documenting change in my own life and how I’ve grown over the years. It’s about helping others find joy and learn a little more about themselves. It’s about the beauty of life, captured in lines and circles and dots that we find meaning in.
It is an honor to share my story with the world, and I am so eager to let the world meet my characters.
