Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Noah Lynch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Noah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I sometimes wish that I had started earlier. I started writing when I was 16 and published my first book at 17 years old. I see a lot of my fellow indie authors talking about how they had whole stories written and published by 13-14 years old. But, thinking back, I am glad that I did not start earlier. For one thing, my first story wasn’t all that great and I shudder to think what it would have been like if I had done it at 13. And second, I started on God’s timing, not mine. I have to remind myself that I started where I did for a reason. It may not be where I wanted to start, but it is where I started nonetheless. Everyone finds their stride at different paces. I even saw a post today from a fellow author reminding me that J.K. Rowling and J.R.R. Tolkien took many years before their masterpieces came out. That encourages me to do my best where I am at now and to focus on the present to build my future, which is in God’s hands.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have a very active imagination that continually has me fantasizing about worlds, knights, dragons, spaceships, gunfights, love stories, horrors unimagined, and so on. This has been a part of me since I was young. I wanted to get these stories in my head out and to share them with others. Thus, I turned first to video game programming. But that didn’t work out. So, I turned to writing at age 15-16. My first indie book, Squire of Valana was published in 2017 on Amazon. I mainly focus on fantasy fiction, but I have written, and hope to publish, several sci-fi and horror short stories. I love remaining in the mystical and beautiful worlds while having characters we relate to and want to follow. I’m most proud of creating these stories and inviting those around me to join in. As I mentioned above, I want to give my customers and fans well-written stories about characters who are relatable and well-developed. Through the stories, I hope to shine God’s light and show how we ought to live. God gave me a talent for writing, so I must use it to my advantage. I have hit a steady stride of writing at least 1,000 words a day. Yet, it isn’t always easy. Being an indie publisher, it is hard getting my books widely advertised or distributed. Still, I am glad of the community around me. Much of my pride comes from hearing how my stories, particularly The Silver Hand, impacted its readers and gave them courage and encouragement.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I really wish I knew about the Indie author community, particularly on Instagram before I started on The Silver Hand’s work in particular. They have been not only a resource for other stories as well as post sharing, but also a source of joy and encouragement when I have felt like giving up. They surround me with their love and empathy. Many of them have brightened by day with their kind words and reviews for my books when others ignored them. I will forever be grateful towards them and, at the same time, regretful that I didn’t meet them sooner. Canva, Inkarnate, and HeroForge are other resources that assisted me greatly in my journey. Canva gave me the abilities to design my books and my social media posts. Inkarnate and HeroForge allowed me to really breathe life into my stories and make them something that I could see and visualize.
Finally, Pinterest has provided me with many writing tips, tropes to avoid, ideas for names, ideas for stories, and other such things that have expanded my knowledge of the writing sphere. I would highly recommend getting an account there and searching for writing tips. You will not be disappointed with what you find. I know I haven’t.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

It is a difficult process. One that is nowhere near a straight line or anything as simple as sitting down and just typing in some keys. Even just typing down a few hundred words is hard! I have days where I will have the whole world of ideas and stuff to work on, and my brain will be blank. It is hard to keep on working and to be passionate about your craft. This is particularly true if you are an indie writer who is solely responsible for your own promotion, writing, editing, and so on. A book purchase is great, but reviews, shares, and even just kind words tend to help a little more than just buying the book. Reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations of the book really make our (indie authors’) books gain popularity. We often have to encourage each other and be encouraged. I rarely have a chance to talk about my books within my own home and when I do, there is no interest in learning more about what I am doing. Considering all the hard work I have to do for my books, it kind’ve hurts knowing that you alone are focused on your stories. Still, I know this is where God has placed me and it is what He has gifted me in. Put simply, I think non-creatives tend to undervalue the effort indie authors who really love their craft have to endure. We work ourselves half to death against many other people and promote it into what seems like an empty audience. But I have some encouragement for you indie authors: You’re not alone and you have been called into your role. Even the few people who’ve read my books have told me they’ve been helped by it. Even if your books reach a small number of people and non-creatives belittle or look over your work, your work isn’t for nothing. Someone out there will be blessed, encouraged, and/or entertained by the story you have in your head. Put it to paper and share it with the world!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silverhandpublishing/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Silverhandpublishing
• Other: GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22866193.Noah_Lynch