In April this year I was targeted on Instagram with an ad for the Young Storyteller Award hosted by Story One and sponsored by Thalia. I live in Austria, so this was an incredible opportunity—to have my story recognized by one of the biggest book retailers in Austria and Germany. I was nervous—I hadn‘t ever seriously entered my writing into a competition before. But this was an opportunity I didn‘t want to pass up, so I cracked open my laptop and started editing.

the story I‘ve been writing for 8 years

I started writing my first novel manuscript when I was 19. I had just started University and I wanted to work on a larger writing project that would make a difference in the world.

I wanted a story that was calming but suspenseful, interesting and intriguing, but not triggering. I wanted to show the inner journey of the protagonist and detail their inner struggles, while portraying how overcoming inner obstacles can help them overcome real-world problems.

I wrote at varying speeds—sometimes for 4 hours a day, and at other times 1 hour or 30 minutes a week. It didn‘t matter to me, I was on my way to having my first manuscript finished.

While I wrote, I researched the Mesolithic period thoroughly. I have a passion for history and wanted to make sure my story was as accurate as possible. Writing historical fiction gives you liberty, but I didn‘t want that. I wanted to authentically write from an ancient perspective —well, as much as is even possible.

So I devoured archaeological papers and research books. I read many materials from historians and archaeologists on Irish mythology, and the archaeology of sites like Star Carr. I incorporated these materials not just into my own writings, but into myself. I breathed this time period so you can enjoy it too.

Editing, editing, editing

By the time I saw the ad in April, I knew I had the summer to prepare my submission. It was enough time, but there was much to be done.

Over the past few months, I hadn’t exactly been writing. I was in the process of reading The Writer‘s Journey by Christopher Vogler a writing guide to Joseph Campbell‘s work on the hero‘s journey. Originally written for screenwriters, this guide was helping me to carve and etch my story into a tantilizing framework.

I broke up my story into parts and arranged the plot into what seemed the best and most natural for the story and the characters. This process was agonizing and I felt entirely overwhelmed.

The excuse to prepare my manuscript and start doing line by line edits for the book was almost a relief. I could put my editing work aside and just start.

The submission process

Before the competition submission I had roughly 130,000 words in my entire manuscript. There was no way I could widdle down my full story to fit into the submission guidelines.

I could however prepare the first part of my book for the submission.

The first part of the book had always been clear to me. There was a definite start, Kuma‘s hand raised to the cave wall against the flickers of a fire as she asks the tribe shaman, Litrigid, for guidance about a dream she had.

The next beats in the story seemed to unfold naturally. The mystery about the past of the tribe, the protagonist‘s own struggles—Kuma, a good-natured young girl who was struggling to find her own path against the wishes of her family, and Lavena, an orphaned girl who wanted to find where she belongs.

The two protagonists‘ budding friendship, the mysteries of the ancient past, and a prophecy that would unravel over the course of the story and ultimately change their lives forever.

Like vines the story wrapped its way around my psyche.

I set to work editing the first three chapters of my book, sending it to my friends for their reader inputs. After about a month, I realized that I would need to make it even shorter to fit into the strict 3500 character limit per chapter.

I was determined. I spent every evening after work widdling down the story bit by bit. I wanted it to be dynamic in this short format. A bit of intrigue mixed with compelling storytelling that would have the reader flipping from page to page to find out what would happen next. At least, that‘s what I was aiming for.

I cut down the first part of my story to only its necessary parts and found a flow from chapter to chapter. For the first time, I felt confidence in my writing and the story I was telling. When my friends gave me some positive feedback, I timidly knew by the end all that was left to do was to hit submit.

The confidence to share my writing

The whole process wracked my nerves. I wondered if it would be good enough for the competition. After all, I wasn‘t submitting my full manuscript so I hoped that everyone would be excited for a teaser into the longer story, rather than wrapping everything up in only 17 chapters.

The guidelines ultimately helped me not to overthink too much. I was going to do my best, submit it, and hope for the best.

In a way, this competition helped me get out of my own way. It forced me to submit something by the deadline.

I let go of the nerves by the end, and just left it to the winds. Whatever will be, will be. Whatever happens, I know that this competition helped me to condense down my ideas and put myself out there.

I reached the top 20 in the young storyteller competition

Through my efforts, my writing was recognized. I quickly made it into the Top 100, and then the Top 20.

I was gobsmacked. I didn‘t expect anything to come of the competition, really.

I realized I wasn‘t giving myself enough credit for my writing. I‘ve always loved writing and expressing myself through writing, I had studied creative writing, read classic literature and books in my genre, but I didn‘t think others would enjoy it as much as I do when I read back on what I‘ve written.

The feedback from those of you that have already bought my book was astounding! It still gives me the courage and affirmation to keep going.

you can buy my book online

Now, the first part of my manscript is out there on Amazon and other print-by-demand retailers with an ISBN to be bought all over the world.

One of the most thrilling parts of the competition was the possibility of being sold in Thalia, one of the biggest retailers in German-speaking areas like Austria and Germany. Through the competition, my book is now ready to be ordered from Thalia. What more could a budding author want?

As I mentioned above, this book is a teaser or insight into my larger work. There‘s so much more to this story than what I was able to submit, but I think it‘s also a more approachable read you can easily pick up and read on a trip to a café.

Get your hands on my first book

My new book, The Last Oracle, is now available to buy worldwide. Check out this page for more details in a location near you!

I entered the Young Storyteller Competition