Hi, all! This is my very first blog ever! I decided to give this a go because I wanted to share some insight into the thought process behind writing Weight of Her World, my debut novel that came out in 2022. I was equally excited and nervous about releasing it into the world.
When I first started writing, it came easily. I didn’t plan out my path beforehand. I just let the story guide me.
The relationship between Brynlee and her two brothers came naturally. I’m the oldest of six kids. I have two biological brothers and three adopted sisters. I was in my mid-twenties when my mom and stepdad adopted my three sisters. While I love all my siblings equally, the bond with my brothers is different because we grew up together in the same house. We played in the yard, fought when we got on each other’s nerves, and stood up for each other when it mattered.
The relationship with the mother in the story wasn’t as easy to write. While my mother and I butted heads quite often when I was growing up, we have a great relationship. She was a young mother, only nineteen when I was born, so in some ways, I think we grew up together. No matter our differences, my mom was always in my corner, unlike Brynlee’s mother.
Some of those scenes were tough to write, but they were necessary to tell Brynlee’s story. Though this story isn’t about me, there are still pieces of real emotion behind the pages.
Bullying is inexcusable, and I wish it didn’t happen. The reality is that it can exist anywhere, even in the places where we’re supposed to feel safest. I wanted to show that bullying doesn’t always look the same or happen in the same place. For Brayden, it happened at school. For Brynlee, it happened in the place where she should have felt safest—her own home. Their experiences were different, but both were carrying pain that other people couldn’t always see.
As a kid, it can be hard to stand up for yourself, especially when you’re shy or afraid like Brayden. Sometimes, though, the strength we have bottled up comes out when we need to step up for someone else. For Brynlee, that’s exactly what happened. Her love for her brother helped her find the courage to stand up to the person she feared most. She pushed her own insecurities aside because protecting him mattered more.
This story holds a special place in my heart. Bullying can leave wounds that other people never see, and having someone in your corner can make all the difference. Until you walk in someone else’s shoes, there’s no way to truly know what they’re dealing with.
Brynlee never imagined her life would turn out the way it did. But after everything she went through, she wouldn’t change the choices she made. Her love for her brothers meant more to her than the consequences of standing up for them.
Everyone’s circumstances are different, and so is the way they handle them. Whether you can relate to Brynlee’s journey or not, I hope you enjoy her story. We may not always understand the choices someone makes, but I think there’s something to be said for trying to see where they’re coming from anyway.
I enjoyed writing this story. It came from a good place, and these characters will always be a part of me.
If you took the time to read Weight of Her World, thank you. Your support means more to me than you know, and I’m incredibly grateful to every one of you who gave my first novel a chance.
Amanda
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