Here's how I wrote my first novel

Today I want to tell you the story of how my dark fantasy novel Lord of Time came to be.

English is not my first language, and for years I have convinced myself I had no business trying to craft stories in a language that wasn't my own. Then I went to a writing conference that changed my life. I was listening to a discussion panel called 'Remember When This Was Fun?' (referred to the craft of writing) moderated by author Randy McCharles. I asked him what he thought about my doubts.

His answer was more or less the following:

Think again. Not being an English native speaker could be an asset, not a liability. We native speakers are lazy. We use stuff we already know. We don't look for different or clever ways of saying things. You non-native speakers need inventiveness and ingenuity to adapt your language and culture and to convey your ideas in an intriguing way.

I went home and started thinking about what Randy had said. I had a half-finished novel I started writing in English and then almost abandoned since I knew it was not going anywhere. I picked up the story and started writing, setting a hard deadline to finish it no matter what in three months.

Less than two months later, I had completed the first draft. It was rough, and it was messy but it was finished and it was written in English. The story was about broken dreams, time-shifting and a promise of death. It was about new beginnings and an ever-lasting end.

Today that rough draft is a completed book available worldwide. I can’t believe that a few months ago it was just a confused idea. A messy thought wrapped in fear.

It is just the first of many. Thank you for helping me make it possible.

If you had the change of reading the book already, it would be AWESOME if you could let me know what you think of the story leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Review the book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Lord-Time-Michele-Amitrani-ebook/dp/B07W4FZR59

Review the book on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47562881-lord-of-time

(Originally wrote on August 20th, 2019)