The Heart Behind the Words

Now that I’ve shared how Unbound came to life, it seems only fitting that my second blog post be about how I actually crafted the story—and give you a peek into my writing process. As I mentioned before, the foundation for Unbound had already been laid through a short story I wrote years ago. That story—and the emotions behind it—sat dormant in my brain for a long time. When I decided to expand it into a novel, I knew I needed to extract all of those buried details and weave them together into a cohesive, character-driven, and emotionally charged narrative. I didn’t just want to write a compelling story—I wanted to write something that was inspiring.

From the start, I knew I’d be writing a work of fiction based on my own experiences. Doing so gave me the creative flexibility to shape characters and scenes in a way that best served the story, while staying true to the emotional heartbeat of it all. With those goals front and center, I began my writing journey one early morning—coffee brewed, fingers poised, mind racing a mile a minute. Before I even typed the first word, I reminded myself: this was for me. For the joy of writing, for the healing, and for the art. If I couldn’t write something that moved me, I’d never be able to move anyone else. So I paused and reflected. What did I want this story to say? Why was it so important to share it?

To answer that, I typed the word: Preface. And what followed was my personal message to the reader—an emotional letter of sorts, sharing the purpose behind the book. Once that was on the page, something inside me unlocked, and the words began to flow. At times, they came faster than I could type. I’ll save most of my writing habits for a future post, but I will say this—I don’t use a formal outline. I let the story guide me. I write what’s in my head and heart in that moment. That said, I do keep my iPhone close for jotting down sudden ideas. I’ve been known to sneak notes into my phone during work meetings or in the middle of a store aisle—whatever it takes to capture the spark before it fades.

Once the Preface was finished, I began mapping out the structure of the story. Would it be chronological? Scene-based? Narrative with flashbacks? First-person or third? I chose third-person because, while first-person offers deep emotional insight into the main character, it also has limitations. It can’t easily show what’s happening elsewhere or delve into the minds of other characters. Since I wanted to tell Andy’s full journey—while also exploring the roles of people around him—third-person gave me the scope I needed. I also decided to tell the story chronologically, spanning fifteen years to capture Andy’s evolution from a confused and tormented teenager into someone who begins to claim love, freedom, and identity. There were so many pivotal moments I wanted to explore—moments of heartbreak, growth, clarity—and I wanted them to unfold naturally, with time and emotional context. With the framework clear, I finally typed those long-awaited words: CHAPTER ONE. From there, it was off to the races.

As for character development, Andy is essentially a mirror image of me. Some characters are drawn from real people (with names changed), while others are composites or entirely fictionalized to serve the plot. Scenes were often adapted or expanded to add emotional depth and complexity. I’ll share more behind-the-scenes secrets in future posts—many people have already asked, “Was this person real?” or “Did that really happen?” Stay tuned for those answers.

One of the most challenging parts of writing Unbound was channeling my own emotional truth into the character arcs. In real life, I experienced deep heartbreak and trauma while navigating a home filled with dysfunction, abuse, and silence. Writing about that wasn’t easy. Some scenes drained me. Others filled me with unexpected healing. But every word written was honest—and I believe that honesty shows. Although I took creative liberty in fictionalizing certain details, I stayed rooted in truth when it came to the emotional beats. The heartbreaks in the book—while not word-for-word real—are based on people and moments that left a lasting mark. And just like Andy, I carried those marks for years until I could write about them and begin to let them go. That’s the heart behind Unbound.

Thanks for reading—and stay tuned for more posts where I’ll share some of the untold truths behind the story and the characters you’ve come to know.