Hannah Parry - The Hero's Journey: Building Historical Fiction with Classic Story Structure

Hannah Parry is an author of both adult and young adult fiction who came to writing later in life after initially training as a nurse. With a family background in writing (her parents were copywriters in advertising), Hannah discovered her passion for storytelling in her late twenties. After experiencing several personal losses, she found herself writing more frequently as both an emotional outlet and a form of escape. Her young adult historical fiction series follows the adventures of Isabella Rockwell, while her adult fiction explores darker psychological themes.

In this episode:

• Hannah's journey from nursing to writing
• How personal trauma can trigger creative writing
• Using the Christopher Vogler story structure for fiction writing
• The three-act structure and hero's journey framework
• Challenges of writing historical fiction set in different countries
• Self-publishing strategies using Amazon Kindle Select
• Free book promotions to build readership
• Differences between writing for adults vs. young adults
• Working with editors and publishing professionals
• The importance of writer networks and newsletters
• Balancing historical accuracy with engaging storytelling
• Managing writer's block and fixing plot problems

Resources mentioned:

• The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler: https://www.amazon.com/dp/193290736X?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
• Amazon Kindle Select program: https://kdp.amazon.com/help/topic/G200798990
• Story Origin: https://storyoriginapp.com/

Book Recommendations:

• "Bird by Bird" by Anne Lamott: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385480016?&linkCode=ll1&tag=pubperf-20&linkId=400c65572fa1761b41f901ed6233057c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with Hannah Parry:

• Website: https://hannahparry.com/
• Linktree: https://linktr.ee/hannahparry1

Connect with Teddy Smith:

• @teddyagsmith
• Website: https://publishingperformance.com/?ref=ywm3mtc
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