Can anyone become an author?

For years I wondered whether ordinary people could really become authors, or whether writers
were simply born with a special gift.

I fell in love with stories from a young age. As a child I was fascinated with Enid Blyton stories,
the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew and many other stories. My imagination knew no bounds as I
imagined the heroes, the villains and the plots.

I have read fantasy stories, crime novels, fiction, non-fiction, self-help and the list goes on. Once
upon a time I read and told stories to my grandchildren, but they are all grown up now.
My mother used to say, “If someone else can do it, you can too.”

So, I started the journey of becoming an author in June of 2024. I have read that it is a good
place to start with something familiar so, I wrote a series on my husband’s farm adventures
called “Farmer Mike’s Adventures” for a young age group. The characters include baby
chickens, hens, the egg thieves, ostriches, geese, Billy, Bobby and Mary the goats, sheep and a
squirrel named Junior.

Starting with something familiar and aimed at younger readers gave me the confidence to begin
a new story. That story is now evolving and becoming a reality as I type this. I have discovered
in the process that anyone can become an author if they have the will and power to see the
process through.

Creating a story which will transport a child, a teenager and even an adult into another world
takes an enormous amount of time, creativity and editing. One also needs a thick skin when
receiving criticism as others read and edit your work.

I must admit I do have an advantage and that is that my professional career has played a huge
part in giving me the skills and know how to tackle my fiction series. If I had ventured the task of
writing a fantasy story years ago, I might not have given up on my dreams of becoming an
author.

Perhaps becoming an author is not about having perfect talent from the beginning, but about
having the courage to start, learn, and keep writing.

Blessings