I wrote my first novel in 2008 when I was 22 years old. I waited a long time to start writing because I was scared. I was never patient, and writing a complete novel demanded more than just patience. It demanded to open my heart and to face my fears. However in life, if you let your fears control you, you end up disappointed and unhappy.
I never finished the book.
Six years later, after getting a Bachelor’s degree in translation, working as a French translator for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, and studying Mandarin in Beijing for three months, I decided to become an author.
To that intent, I subscribed to an online writing class that changed my life. For four years I’ve studied my craft, written a lot of first drafts and read hundreds of books. And today, I finally feel ready to self-publish my stories.
I compare writing to covering myself in a warm blanket or lighting up the Christmas tree. When I write, I feel the same warmth brought by my first sip of tea or by watching snow or rain fall from the sky. But becoming an author was the most difficult, yet gratifying thing I’ve ever done in my life.
Stories are a message of hope. It makes someone dream, not only of other places, but of a better world and a better version of themselves.
If I managed to get over my fears, you can do the same. Don’t wait to accomplish your dreams because in the end, we’re all responsible for our own happiness. As long as you work hard and you never give up, your dreams will always come true. You just have to believe in yourself.
Astra Sparks