When I came back to writing after years of putting it away, I chose to try to write in English, even though it isn’t my first language.
At that point in my life, I had a C1 certification and had just graduated from an international Master Degree programme taught in English and French, and I had to write my dissertation in English, so I was pretty confident about having a good grasp of the language. Since I started writing novels because I was completely lost and clueless about what to do with my life, I decided to do something that added an extra challenge, and I think it also allowed me to give myself a little bit more grace while I figured things out.
However, I have found myself questioning my choice a few times, because my native language is considered one of the most beautiful in the world: why wouldn’t I use it?
I absolutely love Italian, its sounds and structure, the way the words interlace with each other, its history… I am blessed with a native language that has a unique musicality, a symphony of sharp, round and soft sounds that seems to be appreciated internationally.
And I used to write in Italian, to play around with words and constructs, to use its musicality to bring my stories to life.
Then why did I choose to write in English?
I have two answers.
1. The Italian publishing industry is not a great home for my stories. In Italy, the novels that are sold the most /the most popular are historical fiction and crime. It’s very rare to find fantasy, YA /NA, and the genres of the kind of stories I am planning to write from Italian authors. I had to come to terms with the fact that there may not be a market in my home country for my books.
2. This is something my sister told me that I realised it’s kind of true: if I write in a language the people around me don’t know, they can’t read it. I am a very private person, and these stories hold some very dark and deep parts of myself that to a random reader may not seem like much, but to someone close to me may turn into clues about my interior life… And I don’t want to let in anyone to whom I didn’t give explicit permission.
I don’t know what your reasons are if you choose to write in a language that isn’t your first, but know that they are valid and matter. We are all on a unique path, actively trying to figure out what to do, and this choice has revealed to be the right one for me so far, but also for many other writers I’ve got the chance to connect with who have chosen to write in English despite it not being their first language.
Also, there are many popular and successful writers who decided to write in their second language, Ali Hazelwood, author of The Love Hypothesis, and fellow Italian.
If you also want to take this path but are unsure, here’s a some advice.
- Read a lot in your target language. You need to make the narrative patterns and flows a part of you, and the more you expose yourself to the language, in the genre and target you want to write in, the easier it will become.
- Keep a good thesaurus at hand. I love to use wordhippo.com but you can use whichever you prefer. Also, I keep Google translator open while I write and use that when I am stuck on a line or word or concept I don’t know how to express.
- Write, write, write. The more you write in your target language, the better you get! So, keep going, keep writing, you’ll get better!
You got this! If you are willing to put in the work and be patient, you can write in English or any second language of yours, and succeed! And, as always, a good community can help you: critique partners, beta readers, and editors are here to help and you should take advantage of that!
And if you are looking for some extra encouragement, tips, or a look into my tumbles and climbs to have some company on your journey, join the newsletter!
