MY WRITING JOURNEY - #SpringfieldOHBookFair Author Blog

By Melissa Litwiller

My writing journey started with my ability to tell a story, which left my friends and family in hysterics at times. As I grew older and made my way through college studying English and creative writing, each novel I was assigned showed me that the art of writing was just that—an art. How does one take a picture that cannot be seen with the physical eyes and bring it to the reader's imagination so that they can join the story and become part of it? My writing professors saw my love for writing and began to mentor me, and ultimately they ignited my passion for writing, through their own writing histories as well as their constant encouragement. 

I am now on my first journey through the process of writing a novel, which started with a simple assignment in a creative class many years ago. I love reading magical realism and the idea that magic is part of our world. It allowed me to write something that I was knowledgeable about, since my family has many magical people throughout its history. That, coupled with my schooling, has given me the elements and the insight that I needed when I began writing my novel. 

An outline was very important to my process as well. I built my story around chapters that pinpointed where I was traveling through my narrative arc and brought me step by step through each phase. The process hasn’t been easy in terms of discipline from all the distractions of the world, but I am trudging through. 

My mentors and other seasoned writers have given me advice on the traditional vs. self-publishing world, and this brought me to my studies of the indie world (Independent publishing) and the fan bases many authors have created. I began to read, ask advice, join groups, and learn all about independent publishing; and, I was convinced. I learned about cover artists, advertising, author websites, book giveaways, Facebook Live, indie conferences, and the success stories of authors who chose this route. 
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My journey has been long, but rewarding, and I can’t wait to become part of the group of people who take a story in their own minds and turn it into a novel for others to escape the parts of life that can be hectic, if only for just from the first page to the last.

Melissa Litwiller http://www.melissalitwiller.com/ 
Genre(s): Fiction, Fantasy, Magic Realism
​Links: Facebook

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