I think I’ve probably written since I first learned to put two words together on a piece of paper, so when I was in elementary school. I do recall taking a creative writing class when I was in seventh or eighth grade and entering an essay contest.
I always enjoyed writing in high school and wrote for a local newspaper as well as the school paper. But after high school I put my writing on a back burner to be a wife and mother.
Fast forward twenty five years, three children grown and almost out of the house, a newborn in the crib and a stay-at-home mom that needed a creative outlet. I took a Writing for Children class at the Institute for Children’s Literature. I wrote a short story for that class, that in retrospect lent itself to a YA novel better, although at the time I didn’t realize it.
When I finished the class I tried writing first for young children and then for adults but neither seemed to fit. Then I went back to that short story and realized two things: First, that short story was a novel. I wanted to know more, there was more story to tell than would fit in a short story and the story was about more than a boy, it was about his family and how he got to the starting point of the short story; in a word the backstory.
The second thing I realized: That Middle-grade and YA were my niche.
So the short story turned into a YA Christian Fantasy Trilogy and the young man who was the main character is waiting to start a new series, since his parents and uncle took over the story.
Amazon Kindle Link; http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VKYIE1W
It’s great to see another author who finds middle grade as a niche. Most kidlit authors seem to write picture books
Christina,
That’s very cool. I love how you came to find your niche.
When did your book come out? It sounds like you have a strong imagination. I write non-fiction because I think it’s hard for me to come up with plots! But I would love to write a novel with elements of my own life!
Take care and good luck in the challenge!
Amy