My writing journey
From childhood stories to becoming an author
Writing has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.
As a child, it was one of my favourite subjects at school, along with history and physical education. I loved reading too, especially Enid Blyton, and I collected almost every one of her books. I still have some of them today.
Back then, I loved writing short fictional stories and creating characters and stories of my own. Writing gave my imagination somewhere to go.
During my teenage years, however, I stopped writing almost completely, apart from handwritten letters sent through the mail.
It would be years before writing returned to my life, and when it did, it came back for a very different reason.
The story I felt I needed to write
In my early twenties, I began to feel a strong conviction to write my life story.
Until then, the idea of writing a book had never really crossed my mind. But after hearing my testimony, several people began telling me, “You need to write a book.”
So, almost forty years ago, I picked up a pen and began.
I started with my earliest memories and went back as far as I could remember. At first, the writing was therapeutic. It gave me a way to release memories that had been locked away for years and to put them on the pages of a wrinkled writing pad.
I still have some of those original handwritten pages today.
When I looked back at them years later, I could see just how much my writing had changed. At the time, though, I was simply trying to get the story out.
I had no idea how long the journey ahead would be.
Writing through the seasons of life
There were many stops and starts along the way.
Sometimes I would write intensely for days or weeks. At other times, the manuscript was put away for years while life took over.
I was raising four children and managing the demands of family life, so writing often had to wait.
Eventually, I moved from pen and paper to a computer. I had written around 40,000 words when my laptop died, and I was told that none of the work could be recovered.
So, I bought another laptop and started again.
There were moments when the manuscript was parked for two years, sometimes much longer. But I kept coming back to it.
Looking back now, I can see that the story was developing as I was developing too.
Learning the craft
As the years passed, I began to understand that having a story to tell and knowing how to tell it well are two very different things.
In 2013, I studied creative writing at Tabor College. That experience showed me just how much polishing and refining the manuscript still needed.
In 2022, I attended an Omega Writers Conference in New South Wales and continued learning more about the craft of writing.
My manuscript was professionally assessed and edited four times, not including the countless edits I made myself.
Each stage taught me something new.
The writer who first picked up that pen in her twenties was very different from the writer who eventually finished Out of the Cold.
Finding my writing voice
One of the biggest things I have learnt is that my writing style has evolved as I have matured.
For many years, my writing was quite scattered because I was working through memories and experiences at the same time as I was trying to put them into words.
Today, I understand my voice and purpose much more clearly.
I would describe my writing voice as honest, open and unafraid to leave no stone unturned.
I do not want to shy away from difficult subjects or remove the details that make a story feel real and relatable. Honesty and vulnerability are extremely important to me because they align with my spiritual values.
When I write about real experiences, I want to be authentic and truthful, even when that means sharing uncomfortable or deeply personal parts of a story.
That openness also reflects the way I naturally communicate. I tend to do my best when I am not overthinking or rehearsing every word. I would rather speak and write naturally and allow the story to unfold.
Stories beyond Out of the Cold
Along the way, short-story writing became another important part of my development as a writer.
Since 2017, eight of my short non-fiction stories have been published in the Stories of Life anthologies:
- Amazing Grace - The Gecko Renewal and Other Stories of Life, 2017
- We Met on Strava - Three Dummies in a Dinghy and Other Stories of Life, 2018
- The Circle of Love - Papa’s Shoes and Other Stories of Life, 2019
- Sprinkled with Surprises - The Swimmer and Other Stories of Life, 2020
- The Long Road - Bones & Blue Eyes and Other Stories of Life, 2022
- No More Tuna Mornay - Terracotta Travellers and Other Stories of Life, 2023
- My Earthly Angel - Talking Trees and Other Stories of Life, 2024
- My Little Ray of Sunshine - Turning Ten and Other Stories of Life, 2025
Each time a story was selected for publication, I felt encouraged.
Those small milestones helped build my confidence and reminded me that perhaps the dream of becoming a published author really could become a reality.
I have also submitted another short story, His Perfect Timing, which reflects on the ways I have seen God’s hand at work in my life, particularly through two of my daughters’ chronic illnesses. At the moment, I am waiting to find out if it will be selected for a future Stories of Life anthology.
The writers and stories that have inspired me
My reading tastes have changed considerably over the years.
As a child, Enid Blyton was my favourite author. I loved the escapism of fiction and the freedom to enter completely imagined worlds.
As an adult, I became increasingly drawn to true stories and Christian writing. Authors such as Charles Stanley, Neil Anderson, Rick Warren, and Craig Groeschel have influenced me through their Christian teaching and encouragement.
In my early adult years, books such as Chasing the Dragon by Jackie Pullinger and Living on the Devil’s Doorstep by Floyd McClung also stayed with me.
What draws me most strongly to writing is the ability to captivate people through real-life situations they can relate to.
I want stories to draw readers in emotionally, make them think and leave them with something meaningful.
Writing with purpose
As I grew older, my enthusiasm for writing fiction gradually faded and I became more interested in real people, real experiences and what we learn from them.
I am particularly drawn to stories about faith, resilience and transformation.
I believe every person carries a story, and that stories have the power to connect us.
Sometimes the experiences that once caused us pain can become a source of hope for another person.
That is one of the reasons I continue to write.
I hope my non-fiction reaches people from many walks of life. Above all, I want it to carry a message of hope and encouragement.
If readers can find something they relate to, see their own circumstances differently, or simply be reminded that difficult seasons do not last forever, then the writing has done something worthwhile.
Writing through the seasons of life
There were many stops and starts along the way.
Sometimes I would write intensely for days or weeks. At other times, the manuscript was put away for years while life took over.
I was raising four children and managing the demands of family life, so writing often had to wait.
Eventually, I moved from pen and paper to a computer. I had written around 40,000 words when my laptop died, and I was told that none of the work could be recovered.
So, I bought another laptop and started again.
There were moments when the manuscript was parked for two years, sometimes much longer. But I kept coming back to it.
Looking back now, I can see that the story was developing as I was developing too.
Learning the craft
As the years passed, I began to understand that having a story to tell and knowing how to tell it well are two very different things.
In 2013, I studied creative writing at Tabor College. That experience showed me just how much polishing and refining the manuscript still needed.
In 2022, I attended an Omega Writers Conference in New South Wales and continued learning more about the craft of writing.
My manuscript was professionally assessed and edited four times, not including the countless edits I made myself.
Each stage taught me something new.
The writer who first picked up that pen in her twenties was very different from the writer who eventually finished Out of the Cold.