Over the years, I’ve mentored scores of writers on their quests to write or finish writing a book. Recently, I had the privilege of assisting an incredible 10-year-old, Roy Mahajan, on his quest to write a children’s book. His main character Jason dreams of one day becoming a full-time detective, so he starts by helping anyone he can with their problems – solving cases along the way. Things don’t always go to plan! Here’s the blurb…
No worries, Jason Will Be There!
Just around the street, you’ll find a remarkably interesting boy and his name is Jason. Now you may ask, ‘what is so interesting about him?’ Well, you’re about to find out, because it’s Jason’s 9th birthday and he’s about to take the detective world by storm! Join Jason on his adventure to chase his dream through this action-packed book that will make you hungry for more.
It’s been fascinating to watch and help Roy develop his writing technique and for his book to bloom. So I asked him about the process.
What have you learnt about yourself through writing this book?
Through this book, I realised that I like writing creative stories!
What was the most personally challenging aspect of the process?
The most challenging aspect of the process was typing the entire book, as when I started typing I was really slow, but got better along the way.
What was the most surprising delight?
The most surprising delight was having both of my author sign-ups at the Alfie & Noa Bookstore in Castle Hill fully sold out in less than two hours. I sold 58 books in these two events.
How did your expectations match the practice of writing?
I am getting a very positive response from my friends and other young readers, which is motivating me to write another book.
What technical aspects of writing did you find the most challenging?
I found it challenging to write these stories as my imagination was taking me into wild and unreal cases in my head, and I had to actually control my mind and finalise a few practical cases!
What was your lowest point? Did anything bring you close to tears?
Sometimes I forgot to save my work, and because of that I had to start all over again, which was really annoying.
Would you recommend Zena to other writers? Why?
Yes, I would definitely recommend Zena to other writers because Zena professionally edited my book and, most importantly, provided immense guidance to publish this book, which was very helpful for a first-time author like me.
Have you got any advice for writers setting out on their writing journey?
It’s harder to write an actual book than it is to say ‘I will write a book’, so make your first book a small story book like mine, and then create bigger books.
Thank you!
Wow, thank you, Roy for sharing so much about your writing journey with us!
Roy’s book is now available on Kindle, with profits going to the Australian Marine Debris Initiative, an ocean clean-up charity.
Roy’s first print run has already sold out, so he’s in the process of setting it up for sale online. Watch this space!
In the meantime, if you’d like to write a book and think you might need a mentor, editing or publishing assistance, please get in touch!
