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Welcome to jilliandunlaywriting.com. This is where you can receive all updates on author and poet Jillian Dunlay, including latest news on her upcoming novel, other works, and more.

“To write means more than putting pretty words on a page. The act of writing means sharing a part of your soul with the world.”

About the Author

Here’s a little about my journey as a teen novelist:

I started writing when I was six years old. I’ve always been fascinated by literature, trying to read books before I had even learned to speak. It’s one of those things that’s always been a major part of my growing up. I continuously wrote dozens of short stories in my youth, developing my writing style throughout my childhood.

I started writing poetry at the age of nine. I was absolutely obsessed with it. I’ve always loved the certain beauty poetry creates with words; it’s very unique in comparison with other types of writing. In my elementary years, I published three poems. When I was thirteen, my poem Just a Driveway was published in Elementia Magazine, and I was selected to read it at a poetry reading. That was definitely a very humbling moment for me.

I wrote my first book at the age of eleven.  After I read enough books and studied the works of other authors, I eventually wrote my first novella called By the Seashore. Considering it was my first actual book, it took a lot of time to configure the plot line. It was a great experience, though. Writing a novella inspired me to write my own novel.

It started out as an assignment for my seventh grade English class. I was assigned to write the beginning of an original novel, and it had to be at least 2,000 words long. Once I started writing, however, I couldn’t stop. After the assignment was over, I continued to write the book. I’m so glad I did, because little did I know that  what started out as a school project would turn into my debut novel. I am still working on the novel, but it will be published eventually, hopefully within the next year, give or take.

I faced many challenges throughout my experience as a teen novelist. Emphasis on the word “teen”. Because of my age, it wasn’t easy to get my manuscript out there. I received many rejection letters, my age being the most defining issue. There was also the issue of career choice. I’ve been told many times that becoming a writer was a very impractical career, which I completely understood; but I wanted to spend my life doing something I love, and was determined to accomplish that any way I could. My passion was stronger than any amount of rejection I received. I finally began working with Shannon Whittington, who works for Creative Literary Consultants. She reads my manuscript each week and edits it so it is the best it can be once published. Eventually, she will help me market my novel to the public. I could not be blessed with the incredible opportunity of becoming a teen novelist if it wasn’t for her. I also couldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for my parents, who push me every day to do what I love. The support I get means the world to me.

I hope you enjoy my upcoming debut novel as much as I enjoyed writing it. Frequently check this page for more updates on its release.