Whether you’re new to writing or started as a kid, you never forget your first novel. My first major project was when I was around 9 years old. This was when American Girl had a brilliant idea. An idea that it appears has been discontinued. It was at this time that they came out with their Girl of Today line of dolls. You were able to pick what you wanted your doll to look like. And the best part? She came with 6 blank books for you to write her stories.
The main underlying theme behind the dolls was to pick one that looked like you. I picked one that looked nothing like me. I already had Kirsten who was blonde haired and blue eyed. My Girl of Today, Nina, was Asian. I began writing her first book before she even arrived.
With the first five books, I kept close to the number of pages included: 20. On the sixth, however, I couldn’t contain her last adventure to so little pages. It ended up being more than 3x that. In order to expand the already-made book, I measured and cut out pages to fit and then glued them in. From what I remember, her life was much like a soap opera. I was in the book as her adopted mother, her real mother having gone to jail. This real mother got out of jail during the course of the books as well.
What were some of your first novels?
That's awesome!! I need to see that. 🙂
My very first book was a take-off on “The Three Little Pigs” – I taped cardboard around it so it would be hardcover. My first actual writing is something I might still dust off and use some day.