Journey to Writing: From Academia to Novel
This article explores my personal experience writing a novel, combining political reality with the desire to create a compelling story. Although I have been writing about climate change and other academic topics for over a decade, I have recently ventured into creative writing.
Academic Writing
Academic writing has been a significant part of my life for over a decade. I have written books, book chapters, and scientific articles. Academic writing requires clarity, brevity, and rigor. Every claim must be substantiated, and the presentation must be accurate, with a fresh and relevant bibliography. There is no room for figures of speech, as conclusions must be presented precisely and formally.
An academic text is characterized by clarity, brevity, and rigor. The article or book chapter should have an introduction that sets the context and purpose of the work, a body that makes the arguments logically, and a set of conclusions at the end. The conclusions should summarize the main ideas and suggest directions for further research. It is essential to avoid plagiarism and support the arguments’ validity.
Academic work is challenging but also deeply rewarding. It involves rigorous research, data collection, statistical analysis, and interpretation of results. Each published paper could result from months, sometimes even years, of hard work. However, this precise and formal method of writing often limited creativity and imagination. The absence of metaphors, allegories, and imaginative descriptions in my academic writing was a clear indication of this. It was this realization that fueled my desire to explore other forms of writing where imagination is not just encouraged but essential.
Moving to Creative Writing
After a while, I realized I wanted to write something else. I started with a novel called The Lost Father. It was a beautiful story that I put a lot of thought into, but I wrote it more from the heart and didn’t follow the strict rules of novel writing. All the characters were bright and good, and the conflict was generated by life and life events, not by negative characters.
The Lost Father was never published, nor did I try to do so. Sometimes, I have felt it was written as an exercise of imagination, to see how it was done and whether I could write a novel. You create a whole world with your imagination, and I strongly encourage this exercise to anyone, whether the text is publishable. It’s about the journey, the growth, and the confidence you gain as a writer.
Writing The Lost Father was an eye-opening experience. It allowed me to explore human emotions and relationships in a way that academic writing did not. I created characters, gave them lives and histories, put them in difficult situations, and watched them interact. This intense and personal experience not only enhanced my understanding of the writing process but also deepened my insight into the complexities of human nature. It was a journey of personal growth.
The Morning I Killed the Bluebird
In the summer of 2020, after the pandemic outbreak, my mind was preoccupied with a topic related to writing, not the virus. America seemed in search of the perfect president. I envisioned a character named “Tom,” based on a real person — a very wealthy, charismatic, and adorable man with an ideal profile for an American president. “Tom” was well versed in American realities, socially engaged through donations, and updated on international, political, climate, and technological developments.
This is how I came up with the idea for my first published novel, The Morning I Killed the Bluebird. In the book, “Tom” becomes in the story a successful American writer who falls in love with a European woman. Their relationship hits many obstacles, and she dies because of a villain. “Tom” becomes president but never recovers from her loss.
“Tom” was not perfect. In the past, being unmarried and a gay man could have hindered his presidential chances. However, even the American electorate has changed after two Barack Obama terms and a Hillary Clinton candidacy. Minor changes from campaign to campaign reflect the evolution of society.
In building “Tom’s” character, I drew on my observations of social and political change in America. I observed how American society is becoming more open and tolerant and how values and social norms are evolving. I wanted to reflect on these changes in my novel to show how an individual who, in the past, would have been rejected by the electorate could now become a symbol of change and progress.
I worked on The Morning I Killed the Bluebird during a busy and stressful time. I completed the text in April 2023, just before the deadline of a contest organized by a publisher. The book was awarded and published in November 2023. I feel very attached to it, not because it was published or awarded, but because it taught me what it means to be a writer.
Writing this novel was an emotional process. I became deeply invested in the story and the characters. I lived with them, felt their pain and joy, and witnessed their evolution. Every word I wrote was a step closer to understanding the characters and myself as a writer. I learned how to create suspense, develop complex relationships, and describe deep emotions. Even death.
Reflections on Political Change
Writing The Morning I Killed the Bluebird made me think seriously that we live in an ever-changing world. What was certain yesterday is no longer certain tomorrow. Before our eyes, a new world is emerging, less enmeshed in rules. Today’s presidents have evolved from just a few decades ago, and what was once seen as a disadvantage can now be an essential electoral asset.
People are now focusing more on the individual behind the label. Their origin, race, and personal decisions are becoming irrelevant. What truly matters is their actions, character, and humanity. The upcoming election years will showcase this shift in focus in America and worldwide.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the future of our societies and where we are going. I have seen how values and social norms change and how people become more open and tolerant. I’ve seen how voters are beginning to increasingly value candidates’ integrity and personal achievements over conformity to rigid norms. These observations inspired me to create a character like “Tom” in the first place. This character embodies these changes and challenges.
Conclusion
Starting from reality and building a romantic and political story around a character is complex. Even if the “Tom” in my book doesn’t always resemble the “Tom” in reality, I like to hope that the English version of the book will manage to correct that. Writing a story that may become even partly true gives you the feeling of inventing the future. It’s an absolutely fantastic writing exercise.
It has taught me a lot about myself as a writer and about the world we live in. It made me appreciate the power of imagination and the importance of stories in reflecting and influencing reality more. It has been a challenging and rewarding journey, and I look forward to continuing to explore this in my future books.
