Hey Wordies!

Welcome to the third instalment of Five Questions, One Author, a series that shines a spotlight on incredible new, indie, and underrepresented authors. This week, I’m excited to introduce you to author Sienna Harlow, who recently released the first part of her adult fantasy romance duology, Crown of Ellova.

Each post in this series features the same five questions, giving these writers the space to share their stories, inspirations, and lessons learned. A massive thank you to all the authors who are taking part.

Now that’s been said, grab a cuppa and a sweet treat Wordies, let’s begin!

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1. What inspired you to start writing, and what led you to choose self-publishing or working with an independent/small publisher?

I loved writing in high school and college but never had the time after I graduated. Like many others, I returned to reading for fun during the pandemic and fell back in love with fantasy romance. Romantasy has so much magic, love, and adventure. I knew I had to write my own.

A story of a magical jewelry maker and the mortal she was in love with just wouldn’t leave me alone; their story demanded to be written.

I did a 50,000 words in one month writing challenge in November 2021, and once I started, it became my obsession. I was also in a two-year art program at the time and felt more creatively fulfilled than I ever had, so I channeled that into my book.

I never really considered traditional publishing. I saw so many woman writers killing it in the indie space and knew it was possible to find readers and success without a publishing deal.

Also, trad pub can take years, and I’m too impatient for that. It also completely depends on others telling you if your story is worth publishing or not. I knew it was, so I skipped the middle man.

2. How does your personal background or identity influence your writing, and how do you incorporate that into your stories?

I was an artist before I was an author. Ever since I was young, I was always obsessed with fantasy and storytelling; art helped me express that.

Writing was difficult, and with my learning disabilities, it took a long time to learn to read, but I loved creating new characters and worlds on paper. I was always drawing (especially on my homework, much to the dismay of my teachers) and painting, something that was truly encouraged growing up. My mom nurtured my artistic soul by letting me draw all over my bedroom walls and never said no to new art supplies.

I’ve been told I write descriptions well; that comes from my vivid artist imagination. I just write like how I would draw it.

Friendship and community are also two things I value and prioritize. I adore the amazing women in my life, so friendship is a big theme in my work. I’m passionate about women who support and love each other no matter what. When it came to female friendships in fantasy romance, I wanted to see more of it. My two FMCs are Izadella and Nueena, and their relationship is a constellation of my own deeply meaningful friendships. I truly believe in platonic soulmates.

3. What has been the most rewarding part of your writing journey so far, and what might you do differently in the future?

Once I fell in love with reading in my preteens, I knew I wanted to write a book. Getting to cross that off my bucket list felt amazing. As a neurodivergent writer with dyslexia and ADHD, every sentence felt like a battle. Three and a half years of hard work but it was so worth it. It took more resilience than I knew I had in me. I learned that there is no right or wrong way to write a book and to do what works best for me.

A lot of writing/publishing advice was from neurotypical writers and didn’t work for me, so it took quite a bit of trial and error to find my writing groove.

4. What advice would you give to new or aspiring indie authors?

Let the book tell you when it’s done, not the other way around. If you haven’t written a book before, you have no idea how long things will take. Don’t set hard deadlines for yourself early on. I learned this the hard way.

For indie authors, give yourself two months between the final version of the book being ready and release date. There is so much to do before your novel is ready for publication that has nothing to do with writing.

Find or build community early. Writing might be a solo activity but finding other writers is so important.

Beta read for each other, share each other’s work, lift up other writers, and celebrate each other’s wins. The best thing I did was start a Zoom women’s writing group. We meet weekly; the support and community is incredible.

Self-publishing can be expensive but a great editor and a stunning cover should be a top priority and the biggest part of your budget.

When you start your first draft, start and don’t stop, no editing, no rewrites. If something changes in the story, leave yourself a note and just push forward.

The first draft will always be the worst but its job is to get the story down on paper to see how it all fits.

Perfectionism is the enemy of a first draft. Embrace the messy and just get the words down.

5. Can you tell us about your latest book and where readers can find it?

Crown of Ellova is an adult fantasy romance and the first book in an angsty, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers duology. It features a forbidden fae romance, whimsical world-building, and powerful female friendships. It is a dramatic, character-driven romantasy with minimal action scenes and very little political intrigue. It focuses on Izadella, a fae jewelry maker, who must bring Leon, the mortal she is in love with, back to the magical realm of Ellova. Readers can find it on Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited and in paperback.

If readers would like to support my favorite indie bookstore in San Diego, California, I always recommend meetcutebookshop.com

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Thanks so much for reading! I hope you will take some time to support Sienna and her work. If you enjoyed this interview, please remember to subscribe so that you you don’t miss the next interview! And as always, dear Wordies, have an abundant day!

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