My dear readers,
(Get comfortable - you know me, this is probs gonna be long)
When I started this story just over two years ago, I was about halfway through writing my first novel (which still isn't published—but I'm working on it. You'll be the first to know if it happens). I was 22 at the time, fresh out of college, and at a point where I knew I wanted to write. But while I told myself I was capable of writing a book (or several), I didn't know for certain.
Cause shit, it was HARD. I had only started it with a few ideas in mind, much like OOTO, and was plugging along trying to string everything together. Then I came on Wattpad. And I read a few stories. And I thought... hey, maybe I should start ANOTHER book, because clearly, I'm not doing enough already (note the sarcasm), but with this one, I can utilize my insane amount of love for Harry Styles.
And then it came to me... the most cliche idea ever... A GIRL IN A COFFEE SHOP WHO RUNS INTO HARRY AND THEY END UP FALLING IN LOVE.
Except, she wasn't a cliche at all. She had her own mind, and her own heart, and her own way of thinking about things. She wasn't falling over herself as soon as she laid eyes on him (or at least, not completely), and she walked away from him. Even after she'd decided she was attracted to him, even after she'd determined that he was flirting with her. She walked away.
From then on I knew I had to make my cliche storyline as unique as possible. I had to make her as unique as possible. The things she said, the things she did, the way she thought about things, the decisions she made, the way she interacted with him, the way they faced the course of their lives together. And for all those reasons, he fell in love with her. Hopelessly, deeply, and unconditionally in love with her.
But what made her so unique was that she was human. Flawed. Made up of contradictions. She was sure of herself, but also insecure. She was confident, but that confidence only stretched so far. She was independent, but she relied on her family and close friends more than she wanted to admit. She made mistake after mistake and had lots of regrets. She threw herself into her decisions, because Madelyn Freeman didn't do anything halfway. So, she threw herself into loving Harry, because she loved passionately, with all of herself, with all of her flaws. She didn't know how not to, even if it meant losing who she was along the way.
I heard her in my mind—I felt all that she felt. I laughed at all of her quick remarks. I hurt when she hurt. I loved just as much as she did. She's such a huge part of me. All of the characters are, but she helped me make the ordinary extraordinary. Even though I wasn't sure if I could.
But here we are. At the end of the book. 2 years, nearly 300,000 words, and 554 single-spaced pages on Word later. And I feel like I've changed just as much as Maddie - if not more than Maddie. Because not only did I write one book in the last 2 years...
I wrote two. And you all know I've already started a third for Radish.
And all the while, with every chapter published here, I became more and more sure of myself, more and more sure that this is what I'm meant to do, even though it took a while for OOTO to attract any attention. I wrote and posted 10 chapters over the course of a year before anyone but my close circle of friends started reading. But that was okay. It was a nice diversion from the sometimes (most times) frustrating work of writing my original novel. And it was absolutely a labor of love from the very beginning.
And then yellowdress1 was the first person to comment, and I'll never forget it. It was on my sister's birthday. April 9, 2015. She commented on Chapter 5. I've quoted that comment here for you to see: THIS IS SERIOUSLY SO CUTE LIKE HOLY SHIT I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS AND I'M NOT EVEN A HARRY GIRL. YOU'RE CONVERTING ME.
I still get excited reading it, and remembering that moment where I HAVE A NOTIFICATION?!?! OMG I HAVE A NOTIFICATION. SOMEONE'S READING IT. AND THEY LIKE IT!!!!!!!
From then on, more and more people gave it a chance, voting and commenting to let me know that they were enjoying it. And suddenly, I wasn't writing just for me and my friends anymore - I was writing for complete strangers. Strangers living all over the world. And it was THE BEST THING EVER.
I can't believe we've reached the end. Can't believe that such an important part of my life for the last two years has finally come to a close. I know I'm writing a sequel—and all of the same characters will be back (I can tell you that much)—but it's still strange. Almost like I'm letting my baby go off into the world and there's nothing more I can do. That may sound dramatic, but it's true.
I've toyed with the idea of going back and editing it, but after speaking with PaigeElizabeth841, and thinking about it extensively myself, I've decided not to. Because it'll be nice to go back and see the progression of my work. I can already see it when I look back (when I'm not cringing, of course), and whenever I'm down on myself, or things aren't working the way I'd like them to, I'll be able to look back and remind myself how far I've come, and remember just how much I've learned from writing this story—about my writing, and more importantly, about myself.
Because I can do it. I've proved it twice now. And I want to do it over and over and over again for as long as I can.
This is already so long and sappy—if you've gotten this far, thank you for caring enough to read all the things that I have to say. It's a lot of what's been on my mind for a while. Especially these last few months, as the read count seems to shoot up overnight. And I only have all of you to thank for it. All of you lovely, beautiful, intelligent people. THANK YOU for giving this story a chance, THANK YOU for voting, THANK YOU for commenting, THANK YOU for reaching out to me to say how much you're enjoying it. You're a HUGE part—probably the most important part—of the reason I have this confidence now, the reason I'm so certain that this is all I want to do with my life. And I'm so sincerely, incredibly grateful to you.
Which is why, over the course of the next two weeks—the countdown to the sequel—I've been toying with an idea of getting to know more of you. If you're up for it, of course. Basically, if you have Twitter and want to follow me, I was thinking I'd tweet a question a day, and anyone who wants to reply, can, and we can have a nice little chat. You've all gotten to know me, and I'd love nothing more than to learn more about you. I'll also ask a few questions about the story—what your fave parts were and stuff like that. So let me know what you think! A few of you already follow me there, but I'd love it if I could get to know more of you! My handle is @ilikereadingtoo :)
Another thing that's pretty exciting is that Wattpad is doing an NYC Wattcon event on October 1st! And I'm going to go! It'll be in Manhattan on W. 86th street, and it's free to register! Check out the details here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nycwattcon-a-day-of-all-things-wattpad-tickets-26972273797?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=order_confirmation_email&utm_term=eventname&ref=eemailordconf
So, if you're in or around the New York City area that weekend, COME AND MEET ME!!! I know it's a long shot that any of you are around/available, but seriously, it would be so fun. We can hang, chat, hope Harry shows up, whatevs. Who knows what could happen? ;) So if you think you might want to/can come, let me know!
Okay, anyway... I've already gone on too long, haven't I? I'll wrap this up. Back to OOTO... I full-on cried when I wrote the last word last night, so I'm REALLY eager to hear what you think of the ending. I'll be on vacation with the fam this week—we're leaving for Cape Cod, Mass. tomorrow and I'm SO EXCITED—so I probs won't be able to devote the time to responding to all your comments/messages until I get back, but like I said, I WILL be active on Twitter and insta and stuff like that. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but the next time I update here, it'll be the FIRST CHAPTER OF THE SEQUEL.
Aaaaand I still haven't decided on the title, but I've narrowed it down to two possibilities. Watch, though, it'll become something completely different once I've started writing. That's why I don't want to say anything yet haha. In the meantime, it would be SO COOL if we could keep this story active, so tell your friends about it! Post about it on social media! Go back and read your favorite chapters! That's probs what I'm going to end up doing lmao. Separation anxiety is so fucking real.
Oh, COOL. Story of My Life just came on my shuffle. WHAT IS IT WITH THE UNIVERSE AND MESSING WITH MY EMOTIONS????? Now I'm gonna start crying (again) in Panera. Anyway, I love you guys. SO MUCH IT HURTS. And I'll forever be grateful to you. You've helped me realize my dream. You've helped me realize I'm capable. You've helped me come to understand that this is what I'm meant to do. You've informed so much of the story of my life these past few years, and effectively, you've helped me leave the ordinary behind.
I'm forever in your debt.
All the love, babes. You deserve every ounce the world has to offer.
Signing off here for the last time,
Laura xx