{"id":11792,"date":"2025-06-13T12:54:04","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T16:54:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersblog-backend.inkitt.com\/?p=11792"},"modified":"2025-06-17T12:21:41","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T16:21:41","slug":"bruna-harmel-my-writing-journey-and-why-you-should-start-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersblog-backend.inkitt.com\/bruna-harmel-my-writing-journey-and-why-you-should-start-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Bruna Harmel: My Writing Journey and Why You Should Start Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Girl Who Lived in Stories<\/h2>\n

Since I was a little girl, stories were more than entertainment\u2014they were worlds I could enter. After every book I read, every movie or series I watched, I would rewrite scenes in my head, imagining other endings, new characters, or what would\u2019ve happened if things went differently.<\/p>\n

My imagination never turned off.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even before I knew I was a writer, I was building entire universes inside me.<\/em><\/p>\n

A Teenage Dream<\/h2>\n

I started writing early, creating stories just for myself. By the time I was 14, I had already written two or three books. One of them felt special\u2014it stuck. A small independent publisher picked it up, and I felt like I was flying. But life happened. School became a priority. Writing was pushed to the side, and I let that part of me sleep for a while.<\/p>\n

Finding My Way Back<\/h2>\n

It wasn\u2019t until college that I found my way back. I worked in a lab that gave me long quiet hours\u2014and in those spaces, my stories returned. That was when I started writing again.<\/p>\n

One story in particular, about a werewolf, pulled at me. At the time, werewolf books weren\u2019t a trend. I hadn\u2019t read many. But that made it even more exciting\u2014this was my world.<\/p>\n

My voice.<\/p>\n

The Spark Called Galatea<\/h2>\n

Years later, I discovered Galatea. I fell in love with it immediately\u2014the kind of stories, the emotion, the tension, the passion. I remembered that old werewolf story I\u2019d once started and thought: What if I brought it back? What if I started writing again?<\/strong><\/p>\n

So I did.<\/p>\n

Writing has always been a way to channel my creativity and calm my mind. It\u2019s where I feel most like myself. But this time, I wasn\u2019t just writing. I had a goal: to become a Galatea author.<\/p>\n

Writing in Two Languages<\/h2>\n

Here\u2019s the twist: I\u2019m Brazilian. Portuguese is my first language. When I first started publishing on Inkitt, I wrote in Portuguese. Then, I translated everything into English, hoping to reach more people. It was exhausting. But it was worth it. I wasn\u2019t confident in English yet\u2014but with time and practice, that changed.<\/p>\n

Now, I write only in English. And looking back, I think, wow. What a journey.<\/p>\n

Why Starting is Everything<\/h2>\n
\n

My biggest advice to any writer? Start.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It won\u2019t be perfect. It might even be bad. You\u2019ll think it\u2019s brilliant in your head, and then it\u2019ll look like a mess on the page. That\u2019s okay. That\u2019s normal. My first stories were chaotic\u2014no structure, awkward grammar, no idea how to pace anything. But I published them anyway.<\/p>\n

And that was the most important thing I ever did.<\/p>\n

Because if I hadn\u2019t started, I wouldn\u2019t be here now, with multiple books published and readers waiting for the next chapter.<\/strong> Little Bruna, the 14-year-old dreamer, would be so proud of me. And I\u2019m proud of her, too.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Beauty of Feedback<\/h2>\n

Publishing on Inkitt gave me something more than readers\u2014it gave me feedback. Some of it was hard to hear, yes.<\/p>\n

But it was gold.<\/p>\n

Feedback from readers helped shape my characters, my worlds, and even my writing style.<\/strong>
\nSometimes, a character you love just doesn\u2019t work on the page. Sometimes, a story twist doesn\u2019t land. But hearing from readers gives you a second set of eyes. And every critique is a chance to grow.<\/p>\n

From Draft to Masterpiece (Eventually)<\/h2>\n

When I look back at the first book I published on Galatea\u2014just one year ago\u2014I can barely believe it. I would change almost everything if I rewrote it today. But I\u2019m still proud of it. Because that version of me did her best. And every draft you write, every book you finish, brings you closer to your voice.
\nYou don\u2019t have to be perfect to be published. You just have to begin.<\/p>\n

Trust the Process and Yourself<\/h2>\n

There will be days when your story doesn\u2019t make sense. When the words don\u2019t come. When you hate everything you\u2019ve written.<\/p>\n

Step away.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Take a breath.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Come back later.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll see it differently. You\u2019ll see how beautiful it really is.
\nWe are our harshest critics. But if you give your story a chance to live, it might become something even better than you imagined.<\/p>\n

So, Here\u2019s What I\u2019ll Leave You With<\/h2>\n