Juliana Haygert

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My Writing Story

Welcome to the ORIGINS BLOGFEST!

This awesome blogfest is being hosted by DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude, Katie Mills atCreepy Query Girl, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Matthew MacNish at QQQE.

To sign up or view the participants click here or here and scroll down to find the linky list.

 

WHEN DID MY WRITING DREAM BEGIN?

On freshman year of high school in Brazil, my Portuguese teacher assigned a group project to my class: to write a short book. Just like that. Well, my best friends and I got together at my house, I baked a cake for them and left them eating while I wrote. And wrote. And wrote. The only part they took in it was to give me ideas of plot twists and then reading and telling me if it was good or not.

Next year, we had the same project to work on. This time, I wrote a book twice longer and more dramatic.

After that, I just wrote. I carried a notebook with me and wrote every single minute I could, even during classes.

I started a diary to keep notes of the interesting things that happened in my life, thinking that it could give me ideas for some books.

My stories revolved around my friends and I at first.

Then it changed and I wrote about fictional characters from my mind.

However, I never ever thought about being published. Not once.

Over the years, I wrote short stories and started stories, but never finished them. I collected interesting news from magazines and newspapers, things that could give me ideas or be added to other stories.

When I began college, my free time ended and the writing died. But not the ideas. Never the ideas.

And I never stopped reading. Yes, I read less than I had ever read, but books meant a lot to me, so I tried to keep reading at least.

For the next few years, my life went crazy. I went t the US, I couldn’t finish the major I started in Brazil, I didn’t know what major to choose, I graduated and couldn’t work since my visa didn’t allow me to, I thought about going back to college and do something else or go for a master degree so I didn’t just sit around at home waiting for my visa to change … I was lost and couldn’t see any lights at the end of the tunnel.

Then, something happened.

Disclaimer: please, don’t judge (too harshly) the following part. It just happened.  

TWILIGHT came out.

The buzz around it was so huge, I had to read it and find out what it all was about.

I loved it! I read all 4 books in 6 days.

I thought about how good it made me feel, how I loved those books, how I wanted to pass on that feeling. And, to pass on that feeling, I had to write a book that made others feel like I felt.

It’s almost embarrassing to admit this, especially now that I feel kinda sick of TWILIGHT and all behind it. Just so you know, I didn’t even watch the last movie of the saga (yet). But it’s the truth.

Because of the way I felt reading and after having read The Twilight Saga, I went back to writing.

After that, we went back to Brazil and I started writing full time (it was March 2010).

Since I didn’t know anything about writing a real book other than the stories I wrote for myself, I took a few workshops and read lots of craft books.

And I’ve been writing full time ever since. In almost 2 years, I wrote about 5 novels, 2 novellas and 1 novelette and began several others that never saw an end—I know my writing improves with each new manuscript and that someday not too far in the future I’ll woo some agent with one of my manuscripts ;)

Right now, I’m organizing things to go back to the US (in the end of March). Things are crazy and for that I can’t find enough time to write. But once we’re back to the US and everything is settled down again, I’ll dig in. I can’t wait to write.

But like before, my mind is always working and the ideas are always brewing.

 

Sorry about the longish post =P

How about you? How did you begin writing?

Cheers,

Comments

  3. Hey, no judgement here. Inspiration comes in all different forms. And the grain of story in Twilight is good, even if the execution isn’t. Thanks for sharing your story!

  4. Sounds like you knew early that writing is for you. Life does force our passion to take a back seat as we get on with other things, but we always return to our roots.

    • It wasn’t her success actually, because I know what happened to her is one in 7 billion, like I say, but the way I felt after reading those books, though now I can’t stand to look at them lol

  7. Never apologize for what inspires you. I know many others who glomed onto those books…and for all their faults, they did create a huge push in reading in YA work.

    All that work in two years. I’m impressed.

  8. You’re not alone, Julianna! Twilight spoke to me too. Somehow, even through the criticism, it still inspired many.

    I am so impressed with how prolific your writing is. I WISH I could be so productive!

    Glad to *meet* you! Can’t wait for more.

  10. My first story was based on me and my friends too :) I think we’ve discussed this before but Twilight inspired me too-I totally forgot to mention that in my post. Oops. I love the disclaimer you have, I always do that as well. But Twilight was inspiring. My mom never read a day in my life I gave her Twilight and now she reads, no joke, a book a day. Twilight has inspired many :)

  11. New to your site via the blogfest–I’m totally w/you on the Twilight series. I love the way her writing seems so effortless, and it’s more about the story than elaborate wording (like the classics I typically read). So no hating on Stephenie Meyer here, either. Glad you’re charging ahead, getting stuff written!

  12. Hello Juliana!

    I’m visiting thanks to the Origins Blogfest.
    It looks like most writers take a hiatus from writing, usually thanks to life and circumstances. I had a similar experience, though the book that pushed me back into writing wasn’t a new release but an old favorite rediscovered!
    Good luck with your plans to move back to the US and best of luck with your writing!

    Nice to meet you!
    Jen

  14. No need to apologize for writing roots. Sometimes a book just fits your life at that point. My daughter was an extra in the last Twilight movie, and she mentioned how nice SOME of the lead actors were. I may have to buy the movie just to see her part in it. I bought the books early on for an adult niece, but have never read it myself. Too many other books I preferred.

    Stay true to gut feelings – it’s called intuition.

  15. I’m new to your site via the blogfest. Don’t feel bad about Twilight! It doesn’t matter WHERE the inspirations comes from, only that it’s THERE and that you’re listening to it. Thanks for sharing your story!

  16. Wonderful story. Totally blew me away. I could feel your passion for writing building and building!!! And I have NO DOUBT that one day soon enough you will MORE than WOO some agent…you will knock their socks off and become amazingly successful!!!
    And just so you know, I don’t judge the whole Twilight thing – I LOVED the books. I read all 4 in about the same length of time AND I’ve seen all the movies.

  17. What a great story! I sort of wish that I’d been required to write a short book for class. That sounds like a great project, especially since you basically had betas from the very beginning for the whole thing!

    I don’t judge you for the Twilight thing– I read all the books too, even though the reason was because people were comparing them to being the next Harry Potter. Which I don’t think is true. Even so, I can see the magnetic appeal to the readership she wrote for, and I’m glad it inspired you to get writing again. :D

  19. You have an amazing story. I love how you began your hunger for writing after authoring the books for a class project. I know how you feel about “Twilight”. It was a much different book for me & many years earlier, but I can point to one particular book that so mesmerized me that my life completely changed. I love how powerful a book can be.

  21. Twilight totally got me reading again so I won’t judge. I love that stuff. This is a great story and I am glad you started writing again. We need all of us to get that New Adult genre going in full swing :)

  22. Don’t feel self-conscious about Twilight. I did the same thing. I bought Twilight just to see what all the fuss was about. I liked it enough to buy the second book. By then I loved it and read the rest. It wasn’t until I started writing myself a few years later that I realized that, while the story was good, the writing and all that, not so much. But I still like those books and I liked two of the movies. It’s funny what inspires us to write. Not that it matters. Whatever got you to write seriously, it was magic and has put you on a path that makes you happy and fulfills you in ways you never dreamed possible. And 5 novels? WOW! THAT is amazing! Truly! A pat on the back for you, my friend!

  23. Hey, I read the entire Twilight series in FOUR days! ;) It certainly isn’t brilliant literary fiction, and not anything I’d want my daughters should I have any to live by, but it’s got a certain addictive something, for sure.

    Nice story Juliana!

  25. Fellow Origins fest blogger here wishing you lots of luck in getting things organized to return to the US. Isn’t it great when you can find something that inspires you in that way?

  26. I also got inspired to write by Twilight. I totally enjoyed the series when it came out and haven’t seen any of the movies, which means I still like them :) I like all these stories of dedication – thanks for sharing!

  30. What a lovely, heartfelt story, and no, it’s not too long! LOL You are blessed to be such an impassioned writer. I simply write as a hobby – you know – only when the “need” arises. This is just for my, but if I ever got paid to write, it would become like “work”.

    Best of luck to you and yours …

  31. It’s wonderful that something re-ignited your passion so. Life like to rear its head now and then. You’ll be back at it soon enough.