The Writer Journey

Fame, Glory, Riches.... and all other things I'll never have as a writer XD

Welcome! I'm H.J. Nelson, author of The Last She series, which it out now, and was optioned for tv by Sony. If you're a writer, or curious about the writer journey, welcome!

Instead of an instruction manual or tips for writing success (which I give out to my new newsletter subscribers) I wanted to create a sort of journal of what it's like having a book out, and have a place to share what I'm thinking and feeling/give some insight of where my writing journey has taken me. I want it to be a safe haven for fellow writers (or those curious about the writing process). Mostly I just want this to be a laid back place to share and chat with other writers.

For a bit of background, Wattpad was the first place I named myself as an author, and where my writer journey took off. As I've walked through this journey, I've hit different land marks in my author journey; passing 150K followers, passing 10M reads, a book deal and selling the rights to Sony. With my debut novel (The Last She) out now, and the second coming soon, I wanted to have a place to share what I'm up to as an author.

I'd love if this was a sort of collaborative, interactive experience. Leave me questions and let me know what you're thinking, and where you are on your writing journey.... Thanks guys and hope you enjoy -H.J. Nelson

____________________________________________________________________

Some musings on questions I get as a writer: 

I get the same set of questions from people who aren't writers when I tell them I'm an author. 

Where do you get all your ideas? Dreams, right?

Idk, about you, but I don't know if I've ever had a book idea from a dream. Have you? I feel like ideas just come from anywhere and everything. Like all day there are just little stories playing out in my head. Like, hmmm, that barista looked sad today, and wonder why? Maybe they're an alien and their home planet was destroyed. Or, I wonder what the actor in that movie thinks about the movie their acting in. It's almost like there are ideas everywhere, to me it's weird that people don't have ideas about stories. Like if you're not constantly thinking about stories, what are you thinking about? Are you some kinda supervillain thinking about how to take over the world, and if so, can I interview you cuz that sounds like a great story XD. 

But like, how do you write a novel??

Idk... I love it? And I start with one sentence and then keep adding them and rearranging them and deleting then and eventually it just adds up to a novel, lol ;D

I know many of you have come for the details and intricacies of writing, but I wanted to start with something else first. Writing, I believe, is good for you. 

You are an eternal being, and you are worth so much more than your sales/books/articles. As you go through this, I hope you keep in mind that writing is good food for your soul. It's something really beautiful that only humans (as far as we know?) can do. 

Hit me up with some other questions and I will try and get to as many as I can ;) 

Best,
Hannah

p.s. I'm going to be sharing the first few pages of my second book in my newsletter at the end of the month (so the end of June 2022). If you want to subscribe before then, you have until the final day of the month when I'll send it out!