Stacey Nash's Blog

There are moments in life that feel almost surreal, like looking back through a window at a younger version of yourself. Recently, I had one of those moments when someone pointed out a major milestone.

It’s been ten years since Oxley College first found its way into the world. Ten years since my story set in an Aussie country town somehow gathered actual readers who cared about these characters.

I don’t think I understood, back then, what that first Oxley book would give me. A community. A chance to grow into a new-to-me genre. A place to share stories about imperfect people that mattered.

A decade makes me feel old, but it also feels like no time at all.

Anyway, today I wanted to mark the anniversary. Not with fireworks or a big marketing push. That’s never really been my style, but with something small and honest.

A quiet thank you.

I wrote a brand-new Oxley short story. Something sweet and meaningful, and a character that I’ve wanted to explore for ages. It’s a fun little read to mark the anniversary, and it’s free for anyone who wants it.

There’s no catch. It’s there for the taking, no matter if we’re old friends or new. Because milestones like this need celebrating.

If you’d like to read it, you can download the anniversary short story here:

—> Download the Oxley 10-Year Anniversary Story

Free Story

Writing the Oxley books took me through some great times. If there’s one thing the last decade has taught me, it’s that our time here is limited, so we should pursue the things we love.

Whether you’ve read all four books, dipped in once, or just enjoy hearing about my writing life here on Substack … thank you, it makes my heart smile that you’re here.

Here’s to ten years of Oxley and to whatever comes next. (that one’s still hiding up my sleeve, for now).

~ Stacey

If you do read the anniversary story, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just leave a comment, or send me a message. And if you want more little moments from Oxley or updates on future books, you’re always welcome to join my mailing list. No pressure, just an open door.

~ My mailing list is here.

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Over the years, I’ve done a few school visits and spoken at a couple of events. One question I’m often asked by people wanting to craft their own stories is how do you write that many words? How do you create an entire world and a whole story from start to end without giving up. Many of these people had tried their hands at writing but never actually finished what they set out to achieve. Sometimes because they kept going over the same opening words, sometimes because it was all just too much. Back then, my answer was always,

“Just stick with it. Keep writing new words even if they’re bad and eventually you will have the first draft of an entire manuscript.

You can’t edit and fix what isn’t on the page.”

These are wise words and good advice, but looking back now I realise that wasn’t really an accurate answer for how I wrote. It’s not how I achieved the outcome of an entire story, sometimes in as little time as a few months. Those first drafts were messy, raw, and needed a hell of a lot of edits and rewrites, but they were the bones of a manuscript. The first outline of it taking place, and good god they needed to sit and breathe, so I could come back to them with fresh eyes. But, as I’ve found my way back to crafting worlds and honing old manuscripts, I now realise for me it was never really persistence and maybe I didn’t have the issue of losing interest and it taking to long because once I’d found a character, their world, and a compelling plot I literally could stop typing new words until I’d typed ‘The End.’

Dirty dishes would collect in the sink, clean laundry would pile in the basket, my usual homemade cakes and biscuits would be replaced with something I could grab from the supermarket shelf. Friends I had regular coffee dates with would wonder why I’d disappeared. Because for me, the first draft is the only thing I can think about. They characters are tapping inside my head trying to escape. The worlds sending tendrils of ‘what if’ through my very soul. My dreams filled with scenes and dialogue. For me,

First drafts are all consuming. My fingers bleed words on to the page.

Now, years later I realise that feeling has a name. A diagnoses. You see, ADHD comes with hyper fixation; a trait that blesses me with an intense, prolonged focus on a single task. It makes me hella productive … with drafting, even editing, just maybe not so much on everything else around me.

The downside of this is when I don’t have the words … they just aren’t there, because creativity also needs space to breathe.

Tell me, how do draft — all at once, or adding new words little by little.

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A few years ago, someone asked if I was working on a new manuscript. I told them I didn’t have the headspace right then, and honestly, at that point, I was scared I’d never draft fiction again.

Not because I didn’t love crafting stories anymore, but because life got louder. The type of loud that drowns out the quiet voice that used to say, “What if?”

In those years away, I’ve learned that creativity never disappears when you stop using it. It waits, lying dormant, until you have the headspace. Until you remember who you are. You see, I’ve learned

Creativity needs space to breathe.

And between all the ‘stuff’ going on, there was no space. My mind was too consumed with things I’m not ready to talk about here.

When I finally came back to writing, it wasn’t with big plans. It was because I had that headspace again, which allowed little things to creep back in … a sentence I couldn’t shake, a character whispering in my head, a moment that made me feel. The other thing I’ve learned is,

An idle mind helps creativity grow.

This is where my mind is most idle.

Now, when I sit down to write, I make sure my head is clear. I’ve learned that rest is an important part of the process. And the most exciting part, stories never really leave us. They evolve while we’re away, growing into something better than they were before.

If you’ve ever stepped away from something you loved. Writing, painting, dreaming, creating. Please know it’s still there, waiting quietly for you to come back when you’re ready.

Keeping it real,

Now, I’ve got a question for you —> What’s something creative you’ve picked up again? Or something you’d love to come back to one day?

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It’s a heck of a lot more than a hot minute since I last posted a newsletter. I’ve imported my subscriber list from Mailchimp over to Substack … because, well, this is a pretty cool place. So, if I’ve bought you with me, thanks for hanging around. If you’re new here, welcome and thank you for subscribing! I’m excited to meet new writer friends, and so glad you’ve decided to join my little corner of the YA book world.

Why you’re seeing me now…

It’s been a while since I shared anything on my newsletter, and if you’re a longtime reader, you might have wondered if I’d stepped away from writing for good.

I didn’t.

But life, as it tends to do, sent me on a side quest which shifted my focus from publishing and writing to other less exciting things. What didn’t go away, though, were the stories. The characters I created. The worlds I built. And the people who connected with them.

So, I’m back. Not with a new release … just yet, but with new energy and a fresh drive.

What drew me back

My creative streak and love of writing never really disappeared. It’s been persistent, simmering in the background the whole time, but as the technology around us grew and the magitech featured in The Collective Series started showing up in real life, that world I’d created just kept calling me.

I mean, who thought 11 years after Forget Me Not was published we’d be able to buy translating earbuds and smart glasses? What’s next, teleporting tech?!

(This is an AI image)

Even though Anamae and her world simmered in the back of my mind, it wasn’t that world that made me squeeze writing back into my busy schedule. It was an unpublished high fantasy that I began writing at the same time, which has been sitting on my hard drive for too many years.

This is a real image. Taken inside my writing space.What now…

Now that I’ve returned to writing, I’ll be sharing more regular updates here and exploring the speculative side of things at The Real & The Unreal: Secrets & Strories Between Worlds.

If you stay for the ride you’re likely to see the messy behind-the-scenes writer life stuff, character spotlights, fun polls, and maybe even progress updates on my next project. I’m slowly making my way back to the usual socials (and figuring out how to drive this platform, so bear with this lack of formatting for a bit).

Thanks for being part of this journey. I’m excited to be back — and more excited than ever to tell stories again.

Catch you soon,

Know someone who might like to join us on this crazy journey?

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