You’d be hard-pressed to find any artist who didn’t spend their childhood dreaming. What’s considerably harder to uncover is an artist who chased those dreams so intently that they made them come true while they were still making childhood memories. But indie author Isabelle Knight turned one summer of boredom into an entire fantasy series. Nowadays, when she’s not surrounded by towering stacks of books, an army of stuffed pandas, and the occasional cat, she’s writing magical adventures, sharing writerly ramblings on her blog and YouTube channel, or dreaming up her next middle-grade fantasy. We recently sat down to talk about her writing journey, the magic of middle-grade fiction, and what comes next.
Nikki: Thank you so much for taking the time to sit down and chat with me, Isabelle! I’m so excited to learn more about your middle-grade fantasy series, but before we dive in, I want to get to know you. Is that also your favorite genre to read in?
Isabelle: It is indeed my favorite genre to read! However, I also enjoy a good deal of mystery, contemporary, and historical fiction. (And of course, all of the classics, because who doesn’t love those?) I just love writing middle-grade stories in general, because it is such a wonderful age group to write for. I also think that with middle-grade, you get to explore a lot of harder, deeper topics, and you get to ask all of these harder questions, such as who you are and what your place in the world is, while still keeping the fun and whimsy and adventure of a child.
Most of the stories I’ve written are also fantasy, because I just love magical things! I’ve honestly always loved fantasy stories, I think, ever since I was a little kid. I remember utterly adoring fairytales, especially those by the Brothers Grimm, and that has most certainly influenced a lot of my writing and reading tastes. And there’s a lot you can do in fantasy as well! You can have sorceresses, dragons, magical portals, and you get to build a whole world from scratch – which is pretty cool, in my opinion.
I do love the thrill of building a world from scratch. I want to learn more about the world you’ve built – tell me about your publishing journey and your published works.
I’m a self-published author! And I actually I first started writing the Enchantria series during the summer, when I was terribly bored and had nothing to do. I never really had much of a goal to publish my book or even to finish it. All I knew was that since I didn’t have school and I was desperate for anything to do, I decided, “Why not give writing that story of yours a try?”
I love that. I don’t think we quite realize how many debut books started as a project that the author didn’t expect to grow as it did. Tell me more about Enchantria… I love the name!
The Enchantria series is a middle-grade fantasy quartet following the adventures of a girl named Elena Ramirez whose mother mysterious vanished eleven years ago, leaving behind nothing but a strange, golden key. One day, that key unlocks a mysterious portal in Elena’s attic, and she is sucked in to the realm of Enchantria. But not all is as it seems there, and soon, she discovers that she is the subject of an ancient prophecy from the stars and may be the only one who can defeat this evil sorceress of ravens who is rising.
That sounds so fun. So you just sat down one day and started writing a book? How long did that first draft take you?
I didn’t know much about writing at the time (and soon found out that writing a book certainly is a lot more than stringing scenes together!) and struggled a lot with self-doubt and writer’s block, I eventually completed the first draft a few months later. That book ended up being my debut novel, Enchantria: Guardian’s Heir, and was independently published in August 2024, which was so incredible and just a dream come true for me. Ever since then, I have also met a lot of wonderful, supportive people, as well as fellow writers who’ve become my best friends!
I love the author community so much. Truly, there are some amazing people in it. You’ve published some other pieces too, correct? Are any of those traditionally published?
I’ve never been traditionally published before, and I must confess, I love having a lot of the creative control and freedom you get with independently publishing. Someday, I think I would like to attempt it, but for now, I am a happy indie author. But you are correct, I’ve also written a couple of short stories that’ve been published in anthologies, as well as a lot of poetry over on my Substack and blog.
I typically like to write fantasy, and while every project I work on is different – some are epic, heartwrenching fantasies, some are cozier, whimsical fantasies – I just hope that every story I write brings hope and encouragement to someone out there. Or, at the very least, gives them a good laugh at some of the antics my characters get up to! (Heartwrenching as some of my projects may be, there are still a great deal of funny moments throughout the story! As well as hilarious animal companions, because who doesn’t love those?)
The characters are always the real masterminds behind manuscripts, aren’t they? I always joke that my characters control the story more than I do. So let me ask, do you typically like your characters? Do they ever get under your skin?
[Laughs] I’d have to say both yes and no to the first question and a resounding yes to the second. I do love my characters because they’re my characters and I’ve spent so much time with them, writing their story, seeing the world from their perspective, and so they feel so alive in my head. Even the less than savory characters I really enjoy writing, because it’s just so interesting to explore their perspective and backstory.
But regardless of how much I like my characters, they do also get under my skin. I’m fairly certain that every author has probably experienced this, where they had a plan for the story, and then the characters took control and just said, “No no. We’re not doing that. We’re going to go here and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.” And then there is, of course, the villain who almost never reveals her plans to me, and so I’m just left in the dark with my MC until everything comes to light!
Oh no. Not the villain keeping her plans under wraps! [Laughs] That certainly makes it challenging.
I don’t mind it, though! I take that as a sign that the characters are alive and my job is just to scribble down and record what happens to them. At least, that’s the mindset I try to have. You don’t want to know how often I’ve been in the depths of despair because my characters have just been going wild.
Oh gosh, we’ve all been there. So while we’re talking about characters, I always like to see if they share any roots with the authors who dreamed them up. Have you ever set any of your stories in your hometown?
I’m actually from China! I haven’t written a novel set there yet (though I’d like to someday!), but I did write this sci-fi short story set in 3099 Beijing with a terribly tragic ending. My friends have been pestering me to write the YA sci-fi trilogy that’s supposed to continue that story ever since.
You definitely should! So many of my stories started as short stories. If not the sci-fi story, do you know what’s next for you?
Ooh, fun question! I currently have two works in progress, both of them middle-grade fantasies. The first is a book about storms, seas, and sisters, and its working title is Island Keepers. I’ve been working on that for a while, and recently I’ve been letting it simmer for a bit. The other is a rather new project that I just started this year, so I can’t share too much about it. I will give away that I’m working on the first draft of it and it is also a middle-grade fantasy and is a mix of cozy/epic fantasy with pixies, lanterns, and quests.
I love both of those pitches! So darn fun. There’s just something so warm and pleasant about fantasy, even when it’s an epic fantasy with high stakes. Is your favorite book a fantasy, by chance?
Oh my, that is such a hard question to answer! I love so many books, and so my answer changes sometimes depending on my mood. However, a book that has always been a favorite of mine is Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. It was the first novel that I read and fell in love with as a kid, and I just love the world, the magic, and all the adventures Ella went on! Aside from that, I also love When You Trap a Tiger, Little Women, and all of L.M Montgomery’s novels.
That’s such a fair answer… I always default to a childhood favorite of mine, because I just don’t know how to pick from all the favorites I’ve amassed. So was it your love of fantasy that made you want to be a writer? Or did something else spark it?
That’s a hard question to answer. I think, deep down, I have always loved reading and telling stories. I always say I didn’t read much when I was younger, which is true, but I still remember loving fairytales and always making up little stories for myself in my head. When I first started writing the Enchantria series, I wasn’t planning on publishing it or taking writing seriously. It was very much just an… experiment of sorts? Just to see if I could actually write a book and see where it would take me!
It wasn’t until I read Writing Magic by Gail Carson Levine that it really occurred to me that writing is something you can do for a living, and it can also be such a wonderful, fun, and freeing thing! So I suppose there was an epiphany of sorts, when I read that book, but my love for stories has always been a part of me.
I love that. And you definitely can write for a living – on top of writing books, I also work in corporate communications and content marketing, which is essentially just using psychology and writing to sell things. So I very much encourage you to continue chasing that love of language! But habits now set the stage for what we grow into. What does your writing routine currently look like?
When I write changes a bit every month or so, depending on my mood and what’s going on in my life. A few months back, when I was incredibly busy with traveling and homeschool and other stuff, I used to write for 45 minutes every night at 11 p.m. And now, I generally like to write in the mornings after breakfast, with a cup of tea. The general things I do in my writing routine are pretty much the same, though. I sit down at my desk. If I’m struggling with a scene, I’ll stare out my window and ruminate for a bit and just let my mind wander. And eventually, something comes to me and I start tapping away at the keyboard! If not, I take a break and eat a cookie.
Cookies are such an underrated part of the creative process. How many unfinished manuscripts has that sugar rush sparked?
Oh dear. Are you really sure you want to know, Nikki?
I would have to say… 10? 15? 20? Somewhere around that number. I have a great deal of novels that I wrote the first chapter (or maybe even first ten chapters!) of, found that it didn’t stick with me and needed simmering. I’d love to pick them up sometime in the future though!
That’s how some of my best ideas ferment, so I absolutely hear you there. There are just so many incredible worlds to explore, and some take time to come to fruition. Do you happen to have a “dream book” you’d like to read or write one day?
Oh, that’s a fun question! My dream book as a writer or reader is honestly just any book that is whimsical and magical and yet isn’t afraid to shy away from harder and dark topics. I’d love to see more middle-grade novels that tackle mental health and depression in a way that is relatable but also engaging. And any book that whisks me away on an epic fantasy adventure is always a favorite of mine!
I love seeing mental health representation in literature. So when you’re not writing, do you spend a lot of time reading?
I do. I love reading! Which is pretty close to writing, I guess. But aside from book-related activities, I love swimming, going on long walks around my neighborhood, painting, and also playing the tin whistle. I also really like baking, especially scones, though I’m no professional at it. And also, of course, traveling and hanging out with my family.
The tin whistle?! Girl, I’m bringing you back one of these days for an exclusive tin whistle performance, that’s so cool. Before we wrap things up, I just have one more question for you… What advice would you offer to aspiring authors?
My advice is probably the simplest advice possible. It’s so simple but so true and the absolute most important part of being a writer. Write. My advice for all young writers is to just write! You don’t have to worry about the quality, you don’t need to worry if others are gonna like it. Maybe those will come up again. But that’s later in the process. For now, focus on writing and creating something you love! Write and have fun with it. Write what you love, what you want to write, and what you know you just really have to write. And keep doing it! Don’t give up. Because the world can be harsh. There are people out there who simply don’t understand and people who’ll try to discourage you. But when that happens, keep going! You’re never going to achieve your dreams if you quit. The only way you could possibly fail is if you gave up.
I would also say not to compare yourself to other authors. It is so easy to see other writers and just see how well they’re doing. Maybe somebody wrote 10K words in a week. Maybe somebody got a book deal! Maybe someone has published multiple books and is going around doing all these cool events and tours and signings. But the truth is, a lot of the times what you don’t see are the hard moments. The times when they were riddled with self-doubt, when they were getting rejections, when they were wrangling a story that felt impossible to finish. Every famous author you see was in the very same spot as you, and success does not come overnight. But if you keep working hard and keep writing and believing in yourself, you will get there.
Beautifully said, Isabelle. Thanks so much for joining me.
Isabelle Knight is one of those writers who just reminds us of how far passion can carry you. Publishing is a challenging path that requires a lot of time and energy, and starting it while so young is truly an accomplishment. Swing by her blog to hear more about the Enchantria series and everything else she’s cooking up.
Want to discover more indie authors across fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi, and beyond? Keep an eye on my Indie Author Spotlight Series for more conversations with creative minds worth celebrating.