This blog post was written by Communications Intern, Camille Fung.
Girls Write Now’s mission is to seek out influential authors who can share practical, take-away knowledge on making writing a career. Legends of Orkney author Alane Adams (SparkPress) stopped by Girls Write Now headquarters to do just that. She spoke candidly with our Youth Board about her journey as an author, offering nuggets of wisdom and signed copies of her book The Red Sun!
Alane was challenged by her son to write a book that he could read—and the Legends of Orkney series was born. But it wasn’t easy. Alane told the girls that after she had climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, she felt that she could accomplish anything big. But writing takes a readiness. “Writing is one of those things that is so personal. I wanted it so bad and I stopped and started so many times that sometimes I couldn’t even look at it because it was so painful. What if I tried again and I failed?” Alane turned off the voice in her head that kept telling her “no,” asking the girls to do the same. But it doesn’t stop there. When you are ready, writing also takes commitment—Alane writes 1,000 words a day. Treat it like a job, and develop habits.
Taking the girls through her writing process, Alane emphasized the importance of feedback, whether through peers, editors, or other writers. “Writer’s block is just fear. Our imaginations are endless,” she advised, “make your characters do something completely unexpected.” And finally, while everything constantly feels like a work in progress, Alane said that the key to writing is that you have to finish, you have to just say the end.
Thanks to Alane Adams, SparkPress, She Writes Press, and the Rise Up Foundation for your generous support of Girls Write Now. Alane, we can’t wait for your next book!
