Right now I’m just a random girl on the internet, so how about I just natter about me for a sec?
I love writing, but writing about myself? Not my favourite thing honestly. I mean, I know I’m cool, but how do I package that up in neat little sentences and convince you of it too?
Anyway, here we are. I’m armed with a pack of Fox’s Viennese biscuits (which WILL be gone before you finish reading this page because I have no self control), so let’s dive into my lore ↓
Stories have been stitched through every season of my life.
It started with the Biff, Chip and Kipper stories I zoomed through in Year 1. And not to brag, but I was one of the first to hit the top reading bands in my class.
Even in the school holidays I smashed the Summer Reading Challenge—six books down, then straight back to the library for more like: nice try, suckers.
By Year 6, I’d moved on to the Goosebumps collection and reading every Jaqueline Wilson book I could get my hands on.
Then came the era of cinematic book crushes.
First was Twilight which I borrowed off my cousin and thought I was being initiated into adulthood. Unfortunately, I dog-eared the pages and immediately lost my book-borrowing privileges.
Then it was The Hunger Games after watching the first movie at the cinema. I ordered the books pronto, because there was no way I was waiting for more Everlark.
And well, all this ended how you’d expect: owning a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf that’s full to the brim of my favourite stories throughout the years.
But after years of living in fictional worlds, I decided to go find some stories of my own.
Hence why I live in Cevvie, my campervan. Right now, I’m dilly-dallying around the UK, collecting stories mostly while climbing mountains.
Here are some of my favourites ↓
(I tortured my calves getting these views so consider yourself lucky you get to enjoy them without the pain)
BEN A’AN
My very first hike in Scotland. I was so taken aback with how amazing the view was, I facetimed my brother in Australia just so he could see it too.
BEN NEVIS
I was surprised to encounter snow on a mid-June day, and even more surprised that it was just me and a snow bunting at the summit, playing in it for 20 minutes.
GLYDER FACH
Climbing up the side of this mountain was the hardest scramble I have done yet. There were a couple moments where I seriously thought I might fall to my death…
BEN HOPE
My first Munro AND my first cloud inversion. I also met another van-lifer that I ended up travelling around Scotland with for a bit.
SCAFELL PIKE
On the way down I went for a dip, fully-clothed, in a waterfall. Then some random lady gave me a handful of fruit pastels as she passed. BEST. MORNING. EVER.
SNOWDON
I’ve climbed the highest peak in Wales a few times but this was on Crib Goch (the hardest route) where I accidentally acquired a boyfriend for 4 hours, lol.
STOB COIRE NAM BEITH
The summit was smothered in thick cloud. Then it suddenly cleared and uncovered hikers all cheering on the nearby peaks. It gave me goosebumps.
Naturally, alongside all this story-consuming and story-finding has been story-creating.
The first short story I remember writing was in Year 1 (featuring the word apprehensive, might I add) and I was convinced I was on the road to being a literary genius.
Since then, I've written countless half-started novels, ghostwritten and edited for indie authors, created stacks of content for business owners and—the highlight of my career—written a George Shelley fanfiction at 14 that has amassed a whopping 63 views.
If I disappear from Instagram, it's probably because a publisher offered me a book deal and a crazy rise to fame.
And all those years of stories—on the page and on the road—taught me how to find the parts people actually connect with.
I wouldn’t tell you “I climbed a mountain” or “I slept in a pub car park.”
There's nothing there to connect over, especially if you've never done those things.
“I climbed a mountain”
Instead, I’ll tell you about the time I got stuck mid-hike, unable to cross a raging river but a stranger named Michael tossed across his walking stick so I could walk through it safely.
“I slept in a pub car park.”
Or about Roderick, the man I met at a pub who would burst into his own poetry mid-conversation, then carry on said conversation like nothing happened.
The same way I’d never write those ‘5,000 words down’ updates, or “3 quick tips” posts you crank out when you’ve got nothing else to say.
I’d pick out the stories inside the work and words—the plot hole you got stuck on until you phoned your mum, or how you felt when your author client finally killed off the bad guy you’ve been despising for 5 books straight.
Because everyone knows what it’s like to call your mum for help, or the excitement you feel when something that’s been driving you mad finally gets resolved.
When it comes to building a relationship with your audience, your word count doesn't matter. Your tips don’t matter.
It's the human stuff in between that they’re going to connect with.
It’s what’s going to make them remember you, understand you, rave about you and become proper fans of you, your work, your business, your whole world.
So while you’re writing stories—or helping others get theirs out into the world—I’ll make sure people can’t stop reading about yours either.
[p.s. all my biscuits are gone]