Just because something comes naturally, it doesn’t mean that it is easy.

Writing a novel is hard and writing a four novel series is excruciating. The first draft may seem wonderful at the time, but then you read it over again and realise that in fact it needs a complete re-work and nothing makes sense. Atlantic Split is currently on it’s 10th edit, and even now with my red pen in hand going through my paperback, I am still changing parts and it is always frustrating being so close but yet still finding yourself so far.

It’s taken me ten years to write my book series, and even though I had it planned in my head from very early on, actually typing it up is very different. The words in your mind don’t work the same way when they’re written down and great ideas may be isolated if you can’t find a way to work the plot into the story. I won’t even mention the hours upon hours of research that needs to be done to make sure that what you’re writing is realistic enough before you have to delve into using artistic license. It took me several years to write books two and three because I couldn’t get the plots right and in the end, I wrote both of these alongside each other, completing them at the same time. I struggled to finish my final fourth book because I wanted it to meet expectations to be the best novel I’d ever written.

So with that all in mind, why do I write?

Because it is my lifeblood and my heart is the heart of a writer.

Every day, my brain is filled with ideas and I have always been a creative person. Initially, writing was my escapism and I would love making up small stories when I was younger. When I began reading books properly and I discovered the Harry Potter books, it was then that I truly understood the power writing had. Even before I reached my teens, I was dreaming ideas in my head which became immature short stories and I could develop my plot when I was awake. Whilst, the the early version of the story that became Atlantic Split was a from a prompt in a revision guide , it was originally to be a standalone novel. Again, it was a dream that gave me the idea for a second book, then again another dream gave me book three, and another dream gave me book four. It was only last year that I had a dream of another sequel, but I think four books is enough for now, and that final dream may be something that I keep locked away until it is ready to be expanded upon.

Though I had the drive to write, it was only in my English classes at school when I learnt how to write well using the proper techniques of the English language. It was only as a grew up and went through school and University, I was able to develop the life experiences which would help me as a person to push my plots further. I’d started writing the book with a character that was older than me, and now I am older than him – I feel I can be a better writer because I’ve already been nineteen years old.

I’ve spent years writing and editing countless documents and re-reading each of my books to get them up to the standard I want them. I’ve had times when I’d lost inspiration and not been able to write – the longest dry spell was almost a year. Just because you are passionate about doing something and love doing it, it doesn’t mean that you’re able to do it 24/7 and it doesn’t mean that you want to either.

However, the feeling I get when I fill in a plot hole or see a clever line I’ve written or read through each one of my books and still feel the same feelings that a reader would, even though I know the scenes off by heart, is indescribable. It fills me with such a rush and such elation that is beyond compare. It is what I live for. Even though writing is by no means easy, without it I would not be able to be myself. That is why I push myself to write because without it, I will lose the best part of who I am. No matter how difficult it may be at times, I know that the reward will be immense. After all, anyone can write, but it is only those who persist that can become writers.

Atlantic Split is the first book in The Luke Bright Series and will be available to purchase in early 2018. Please follow me on my blog and my social media links below for more updates on when the book will be released and where you can purchase a copy. Thank you once again for taking the time to read this blog post.

N.A.K.