Welcome to Diary of a Novel. I never thought a novel would need its own diary. A written testament to its creation. But this novel is different. For one thing, it’s my first one outside The School for Good and Evil series. So that makes more than
I love that you are sharing your process because as a read I sometimes think that it would be fun to sit and talk to an author about the stories that they create so that I can have a better sense of the characters and world.
Thank you so much. This book is such a wild adventure and so crazy ambitious -- much bigger in scale and scope than SGE -- that I had to share the ride with readers and fellow writers. I appreciate you being here!
One of my closest friends and I met over SGE and had a race to reread the series each time a new addition was released! It’s been almost 6 years since then and you’ve continued to inspire me to major in English and hope to one day work in the publishing/editing field alongside writing the stories that have been chained up in my head for so long. Thank you for having this space where the writing process doesn’t have to seem so much like a magician’s trick!! ♡
I cannot express enough how excited i am for this!! SGE was the series that seemed to follow me as I grew up. I started reading the first book in early early middle school, the 6th book saw me graduate high school, and the movie dropped me off at college! So having yet another Soman series follow me into adulthood is more than I could ever ask for. I’m currently a writing, lit, & publishing major and so these diary entries feel like im getting a peek into the window of the magical writing world and i am so so excited for what’s to come. wishing you the best of luck on this journey!!!
I'm so honored you've given your time to me as a reader. This one is for older teenagers and adults so it'll fit right in with where you're at! Thank you for being here.
Hey Soman! My name is Ari. You may not remember, but we did a small collab together for my book podcast "Strawberry Milkshake". You signed your books for me and even recorded a short message that I included in the podcast episode. Thank you for doing that, it really meant so much to me. I'm so thrilled and excited to be on this amazing journey with you!!
This will be a full, doors open tour. Because I'm learning from it too. This is a strange kind of book in that it's never really been done before, so I'm going to need your support and help!
i'm thrilled you're giving us a peek into this book-making, art-making, soul-wracking process! i've tried to piece together your magical brain from all the interviews and podcasts and trail of hints over the years... but this. this is gonna be good. :)
(i'm currently on a "writing retreat" myself-- not in austin, but trying to "write scared!" and so far i'm just editing... but, you know... i'll get to the next blank page soon enough.) ;)
I am like the biggest fan of sge I even bought posters and made some myself sge has helped me grow and I finished reading all the 6 books and now I am reading the rise for the school for good and evil
"This time, though, the climb is so arduous and intense, the peak of the mountain so far away, that it would be nice to have your company along the way."
I love how you describe novels as "slow-cooked, deliberate, labored over". I am in University and I want to be a playwright and I feel the same way about plays! They are written with careful thought and then rehearsed by countless people before finally being shown to the public. I have loved The School for Good and Evil since I first read the first book when I was 10 (though I still haven't finished the story... I've had a lot going on over the years -- I'm working on it). I remember hearing my mom talk about having favourite authors and thinking that sounded impossible ("its about the stories not the people who write them" is what I thought as a child), but you've changed that. I know that no matter what I will read anything and everything that you publish, even if it takes me a while. Thankyou for creating a world that is so unique and wonderful, I can't wait to discover the next world you create.
so unbelievably excited for what you have to offer. As a newer fan of SGE, I truly believe that everything you write is magic, even though I’m only on the fifth book… you have me completely immersed and invested in your characters and what happens to them in the wonderful world that you created and I have complete confidence that with this new novel you will create an equally or even more amazing story for me to fall in love with.
Soman, you are a big inspiration to me.
Thanks for sharing this with us 💗
I wouldn't get to write except for readers like you!
I love that you are sharing your process because as a read I sometimes think that it would be fun to sit and talk to an author about the stories that they create so that I can have a better sense of the characters and world.
Thank you so much. This book is such a wild adventure and so crazy ambitious -- much bigger in scale and scope than SGE -- that I had to share the ride with readers and fellow writers. I appreciate you being here!
One of my closest friends and I met over SGE and had a race to reread the series each time a new addition was released! It’s been almost 6 years since then and you’ve continued to inspire me to major in English and hope to one day work in the publishing/editing field alongside writing the stories that have been chained up in my head for so long. Thank you for having this space where the writing process doesn’t have to seem so much like a magician’s trick!! ♡
There is magic involved but 99% of it is showing up and slogging and reminding yourself that you don't really know anything :)
I cannot express enough how excited i am for this!! SGE was the series that seemed to follow me as I grew up. I started reading the first book in early early middle school, the 6th book saw me graduate high school, and the movie dropped me off at college! So having yet another Soman series follow me into adulthood is more than I could ever ask for. I’m currently a writing, lit, & publishing major and so these diary entries feel like im getting a peek into the window of the magical writing world and i am so so excited for what’s to come. wishing you the best of luck on this journey!!!
I'm so honored you've given your time to me as a reader. This one is for older teenagers and adults so it'll fit right in with where you're at! Thank you for being here.
Hey Soman! My name is Ari. You may not remember, but we did a small collab together for my book podcast "Strawberry Milkshake". You signed your books for me and even recorded a short message that I included in the podcast episode. Thank you for doing that, it really meant so much to me. I'm so thrilled and excited to be on this amazing journey with you!!
I remember it well! I was so jazzed to be a part of it. Thank you for joining.
I love that you're sharing all this. I'm always interested in how the sausage is made. Take me on a factory tour! Let me sit in your laboratory!
This will be a full, doors open tour. Because I'm learning from it too. This is a strange kind of book in that it's never really been done before, so I'm going to need your support and help!
i'm thrilled you're giving us a peek into this book-making, art-making, soul-wracking process! i've tried to piece together your magical brain from all the interviews and podcasts and trail of hints over the years... but this. this is gonna be good. :)
(i'm currently on a "writing retreat" myself-- not in austin, but trying to "write scared!" and so far i'm just editing... but, you know... i'll get to the next blank page soon enough.) ;)
Oh my brain surprised me on this one. This is NOT the book I was expecting to write next. But man, does it have a hold on me!!!
So excited!
Excited to have you here :)
So excited for this new novel!
I am like the biggest fan of sge I even bought posters and made some myself sge has helped me grow and I finished reading all the 6 books and now I am reading the rise for the school for good and evil
Honored to have you!!!
Soman u r such a good Author and can u give me some tips
Soman,
I already know your new book is going to be great! All of your books have been😁 I hope to write like you someday😊 You inspire me so much♥️
"This time, though, the climb is so arduous and intense, the peak of the mountain so far away, that it would be nice to have your company along the way."
- It's nice to have you as company too.
I love how you describe novels as "slow-cooked, deliberate, labored over". I am in University and I want to be a playwright and I feel the same way about plays! They are written with careful thought and then rehearsed by countless people before finally being shown to the public. I have loved The School for Good and Evil since I first read the first book when I was 10 (though I still haven't finished the story... I've had a lot going on over the years -- I'm working on it). I remember hearing my mom talk about having favourite authors and thinking that sounded impossible ("its about the stories not the people who write them" is what I thought as a child), but you've changed that. I know that no matter what I will read anything and everything that you publish, even if it takes me a while. Thankyou for creating a world that is so unique and wonderful, I can't wait to discover the next world you create.
I love this.
I’m so excited!! I hope you find joy in your new novel❤️
so unbelievably excited for what you have to offer. As a newer fan of SGE, I truly believe that everything you write is magic, even though I’m only on the fifth book… you have me completely immersed and invested in your characters and what happens to them in the wonderful world that you created and I have complete confidence that with this new novel you will create an equally or even more amazing story for me to fall in love with.
I'm very honored to have you trust me to take you on a new journey!