Guest post by Taylor Bennett
In the months since the release of Porch Swing Girl, I’ve done a lot of interviews. More than I ever could have imagined doing in my LIFE, as a matter of fact! I never expected to answer so many questions, to chat with so many lovely bloggers and reporters. Interestingly enough, there’s one question that gets asked a lot:
When did you start writing?
And that, dear reader, is a question that takes a long time to answer.
— The Beginning —
When I trace my love of writing, my passion for words and stories, back to the very beginning, I have to go back a long way. All the way to my pre-K days. It was Christmastime, and I wanted to make my mom a special present.
I wanted to write her a book.
The only problem with that? I didn’t know how to read yet, let alone spell or write.
I was determined to not give up, though, so I roped my dad into helping me out. We sat together at the computer table, and I dictated a story to him. My tale was a little twisted and definitely more than a bit confusing, but Dad did his job and typed it up, word for word.
Once we were finished, Dad printed it out, stapled it up, and I gave it a Crayola-colored cover worthy of an art gallery.
On Christmas morning, I could hardly contain my excitement as I waited for Mom to open her special gift. She did, and, though it was an absolutely terrible story that made no sense, she was more than appreciative.
In the years that came after that Christmas, my parents continued to support me in all of my literary ventures. They bought me books (oh, so many books) and read my stapled-together stories. Little did they know, this was only the beginning…
— Second Attempt —
Just days after I turned thirteen, I was struck with an urge to write unlike nothing I’d ever felt before. For once, I didn’t just want to write a story. No, I wanted to write a novel.
So I did.
And I am absolutely, fully convinced that writing that so-called novel was the easiest writing process I’ll ever have in my life. Because I didn’t have one. I simply wrote for the joy of writing. Which was all well and good…until I decided to get it published.
Yes, I thought that my barely-past-a-first-draft story was ready for publication. Oh, sure, there was proofreading to be done. I gave it to my mom and a family friend, and I paid heed to their input as I polished it before sending it out to publishing houses.
Surely my book would be in Barnes and Noble stores across the nation before the next summer…right?
— Not Even Close —
When I finally realized that my book wasn’t ready for publication, it was nearly a year after I had first contacted a publisher. I was disappointed, yes, but even more than that…I was ready. Ready to start again.
I pecked out the first few chapters of a new story idea, only to lose them to a computer crash just weeks later. Discouraged but not ready to give up, I decided to start again—with a different idea. This time, I couldn’t get past more than the prologue before burning out.
— Keys to Success —
A few months later, I yearned to get back into writing. My fingers itched to tell a story, my mind was swimming with undiscovered plots and unmet characters. Then, one morning, it happened:
The idea that started it all.
It came as a whisper in the farthest corner of my brain, one amid the chill one wintry morning. I awoke with the words Porch Swing Girl running through my brain. It was only a matter of minutes before I knew. Whoever the girl on the porch swing was, whatever was happening in her life, I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to write her story.
And I did—once I asked myself a few basic brainstorming questions, a basic plot and rough character sketches came to mind fairly easily. Within a week or two, I was delving into the world of my main character, Olive Galloway. And somehow, deep within, I knew—this was it.
— Writing my Story —
I poured my heart into Porch Swing Girl, into the lives of Olive and Macie Galloway and their friend Jazz. I launched into telling their story with reckless abandon. And maybe that’s what led me to query Mountain Brook Ink before I’d even finished the first draft.
While it isn’t technically wrong to approach publishers before a manuscript’s completion, it isn’t the most prudent route for an author to take whilst pursuing publication. But, filled with optimism and excitement, I didn’t let that hold me back.
And, miracle of miracles, Mountain Brook Ink responded. More than that, they were actually interested. Not just in the first draft that would soon become Porch Swing Girl, but in turning it into a three-book series.
— My Inciting Incident —
Porch Swing Girl released over two months ago, now, and those two months have held some of the most amazing days of my entire life. Living my dream—one that burned in my heart since before I could read—is surreal. Glorious. Beautiful.
Holding my book—my book—in my hands is a blessing that I never could have dreamt of just a few years ago. Watching God work in my publishing journey has been nothing short of amazing. I have no idea why God chose me to be one of His writerly messengers, but I am beyond thankful that He did.
In these last two months, I’ve been interviewed by newspapers, television stations, and I’ve even been on the local radio. I’ve traveled to do book signings, I’ve spoken to youth groups…it’s been amazing. But, even more than that, is the knowledge that this is just the beginning.
— The Next Chapter —
Releasing a book while still being a senior in high school was a crazy, wonderful experience. Now that I’ve officially graduated, though, I’m wondering what God will send my way. Yes, I still have two books under contract, but what then?
Everything in my heart yearns to keep writing and inspiring others with my words, but another part of me knows that I have to do more than that to make a living. Largely because of my hectic book-release schedule, I chose not to start college in the fall. That doesn’t mean I won’t ever get my degree, it just means that I’m not sure—what is God’s will for my life?
I’m not sure, but I do know that I’m open and excited for whatever He has for me in this new chapter.
Taylor Bennett is an assistant editor for Magnum Opus Magazine. She has published several pieces of fiction and nonfiction in Magnum Opus Magazine and her novel, Porch Swing Girl, was a semi-finalist in the Go Teen Writers “We Write Books” contest. Taylor is a member of ACFW and OCW and she is active on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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