As a writer there are a lot rejections, disappointments and struggles. So when you have a win, it’s important to celebrate it. Appreciate every little success that comes your way, you deserve it.

This week my first newspaper article was published in the Tatura Guardian.

It was really exciting to see may name in print, and on something I could hold with my own to hands (no, a tablet doesn’t count)! So much is printed online these days, so this was a unique experience for me and quite a thrill.

In the video I also spoke about my first published academic essay, ‘The Role of the Mother in Children’s Fantasy Fiction‘. I hope there’s many more to come. I really enjoy academic writing about literature. I like to fully immerse myself in a concept and explore a text from that specific angle. I this case I got to look at an old favourite (Harry Potter) from a completely new point of view and I noticed things I never had before. Through the reading and research process I also became aware of a fantasy sub genre known as ‘portal stories’ in which characters travel from one world to another. Classic examples of this are Alice in Wonderland and Narnia. A more contemporary example would be Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. This type of story is actually a favourite of mine and I didn’t even know it until I started writing this essay.

I hope you enjoyed the video above about celebrating your wins and that little insight into why I love academic writing.

Have a great day,

Sarah