Nyala Honey, a local teenager residing in Basalt, recently published her second novel, “The Silent One,” on Dec. 21, 2022. Her debut novel, “Coven of the Silver Moon,” was published on Feb. 19, 2022. She recently turned 14 and started writing her first novel when she was 11.
She will speak at the Carbondale Library on April 8 at 3pm to discuss “The Silent One,” which tells the story of four teenagers in a post-apocalyptic nation known as Astlen, formerly Washington State, as they seek to reveal the truth and seek justice for those who have been senselessly murdered nightly in this dystopia.
The Sopris Sun sat down with Honey to discuss her newfound career as an author, what it is like doing what she does at her age, and how she hopes her work can inspire others to follow their dreams.
Honey said she can remember inventing stories at the age of 3 and has always loved reading and writing. As she got older, she and her cousins would write plays and perform them for her family. Needless to say, the art of storytelling is something she grew up with that forms a big part of her life.
Her novels are full of exciting elements, such as magic, drama and crime, tied into real-life issues.
“When I was 11, I decided I wanted to write a novel,” she said. “It was a lot more difficult than I realized it would be. Leading up to that, I never really dedicated myself to a certain project. I had done lots of little things before, but it was a lot of hard work that gave me the work ethic that I am grateful to have today. I spent about eight months writing [Coven of the Silver Moon].”
Honey explained that her grandmother was a huge help editing the novel. It was this collaborative effort, often using FaceTime to meet virtually, where Honey learned a lot of grammatical and technical things related to writing a book.
Her second novel came about when her friend told her about National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo, a U.S.-based nonprofit that promotes creative writing among youth worldwide. Their annual competition begins at midnight every Nov. 1 and ends at midnight on Nov. 30, during which participants are encouraged to write a 50,000-word novel.
“I thought that sounded super cool because I had published my first book. I tossed some ideas around for a sequel, but I wasn’t feeling super inspired,” Honey shared. “Nothing was hitting me. So I thought, ‘You know what, how about I sit down and dedicate myself to this project? I’ll write every single day, it doesn’t matter if I hit the goal, but just have the goal.’ I started with no idea of what I wanted the story to look like, then the ideas started coming to me and I got them onto paper. There was a lot of rewriting, but once I had the idea, it just poured over.”
Honey also has talented friends who helped her create the cover art for her first novel. After contacting multiple agents and getting rejected several times, she decided she wouldn’t give up. She submitted her works through Amazon, where both novels are now available.
“I was more confident in the self-publishing process,” stated Honey. “Publishing both my books has taught me a lot about persevering and not giving up on my dreams. That might sound a little bit stereotypical, but I feel like it has been my mantra. Don’t give up on your dreams and you can make them happen.”
Honey offered sound advice to other young writers who want to publish books, saying that outlines and lists may work well. “If you have an idea, it is important to trust yourself and get the ideas on paper,” she said.
“Writing can be intimidating, but it is all about getting started. I know there are so many different types of people and ways that people thrive differently, but everyone is capable of creating something that will make people feel something, which is always the goal. Age, gender and skin color should never be a barrier. You shouldn’t feel like you have any barriers against achieving your dreams.”
Honey is hoping to publish another novel by the end of this year. To hear more about her books and what she has planned next, stop by the Carbondale Library on April 8. at 3pm or check out her website: www.nyalahoney.com