Alicia Oldjohn published her first two books at just 10

Alicia Oldjohn was just 10 years old when she published her first two books, Losing My Best Friend and Two Sisters On A Journey.

Now a Grade 11 learner, Oldjohn continues to pursue her passion for writing, which she says was inspired by her mother, a published author.

“My mom was the one who encouraged me to write down my feelings on a page and tell it how I feel. My passion comes from the fact that I was and still am sometimes in my own ‘little world’. Once I found out I could write down all those ideas onto a page, I became unstoppable,” said Oldjohn.

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Losing My Best Friend was her first published book. Oldjohn describes it as a story about moving on from a friendship that helped her through the first few years of primary school, while learning that change can happen suddenly and is not always a bad thing.

Her second book, Two Sisters On A Journey, explores the relationship between siblings and the quarrels that can come with growing up together.

Oldjohn said she came to realise that beneath the arguments between siblings is often a strong bond of love.

She said the characters in both books are inspired by real-life experiences, allowing her to connect with readers through situations they may also have experienced.

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“In Grade Two and Three, I had found a BFF, which was something I wanted to hold onto at that time, but she unfortunately had to change schools, which made me feel a lot of emotions,” said Oldjohn.

“During that time, my mom was my anchor and not only did she encourage me to write down my feelings, but she also showed me I could use those words to tell others that they aren’t alone and that it’s just the beginning.”

Oldjohn’s mother assisted with the publishing process, but balancing writing with school became increasingly difficult as she progressed through the grades.

At one point, she experienced writer’s block as her school commitments increased.

She said she became so focused on her studies that it felt as though her ideas were no longer flowing as easily.

Oldjohn found herself having to choose between writing and studying before eventually finding a balance between the two.

She also credits her Christian faith with helping her through the period, saying she began entrusting her worries to Jesus.

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Eventually, she found a way to dedicate time to writing, studying, exercising and spending time with friends and family.

Her achievements also drew different reactions from her peers.

“Most teachers were proud and others were excited, knowing they had a ‘prodigy’ amongst them, but that didn’t mean my peers acted the same,” said Oldjohn.

“A few of them ignored me and acted like I didn’t exist, some spread gossip about me that wasn’t true and others were very excited and curious about how I published books.”

Oldjohn said becoming an author at a young age reminds her that she is capable of achieving her goals.
She hopes her writing journey will also inspire others and demonstrate how a shy young girl was able to turn her ideas into published books.

“I learnt through the process of writing my books that I am a deep thinker and I take consideration into what I say and think about before I tell anybody. To always look at everything from the bigger picture,” she said.

“I want my avid readers to know that the world isn’t a scary place when you’re young. It will feel like that at first, but over time, you will realise it wasn’t that scary, it’s just your first time.”

Oldjohn is currently working on her third book and plans to write many more stories for children before eventually focusing on stories aimed at readers in her own age group.