‘Like a puzzle waiting to be cracked’ Writer Profile: Lizzy Cilla

Lizzy Cilla, Novella writer.
Young author Lizzy Cilla taking part in the Year of the Novella at Story Factory.

Reading and writing have been a lifelong love for 17-year-old Lizzy Cilla. When she was just 7 years old, she dreamed of writing her own book, so it’s no surprise she’s found her community at Story Factory.

Lizzy is enrolled in Story Factory’s Year of the Novella program, in which young people commit to writing a novella for professional publication.

“I can’t even put into words how much I love writing,” Lizzy says. “The different ways people write and use different techniques, the underlying messages, it’s like a puzzle waiting to be cracked with every line.”

According to Lizzy, there is no better way to express yourself and connect with others than by putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper.

“I have realised that what I want is to move people with words,” she says.

Stories can mean different things to different people and that’s what makes writing so amazing.

Coming to Story Factory’s programs has allowed Lizzy to express herself, and to imagine herself having a potential career as an author after she finishes school.

“I always thought writing was just something I do for fun,” she says. “But when I’m in the Year of the Novella workshops, I think, ‘This is something I could be doing with my life.’ I look around the room at all the amazing storytellers – my teachers – and they’re doing this for a living. If they can do it, so can I – they’re my role models in this industry. I would not be here without the support of my family, friends, teachers and most importantly Story Factory for guiding me through this journey.”

Lizzy’s debut novella, Our Love Was Meant to Be Till the End of Time, is due to be published by Story Factory in December, and we can’t wait to read it.

Excerpt from Lizzy Cilla’s forthcoming debut novella, Our Love Was Meant to Be Till the End of Time:

Night, now peaceful. As I watch the moonlight reflects off her porcelain skin and yellow hair highlighting the brown roots. As I slowly walk closer to Malvina, she takes a step back, crossing her creamy arms across her stomach, knuckles turning white, clinging to the sides of her dress, crushing the purple flower pattern on it.

“Why are you moving away?” I spoke, soft and slowly. “You think I am going to hurt you, Malvina. I am going to help you. Help us both.”

Malvina flinches away as I slowly approach her frozen body. Her wrist vibrates, stretching the garment away from her silhouette.

“It will be alright – I am here now.” I whisper in her ear, my finger slowly tracing the outside of it, in laps, while I speak.

She makes no attempt to move, I find myself gently starting to caress the top of her head. Moving my hand down her blonde hair, brings to light the sweet scent of cotton candy that I longed to smell again.

“Why are you doing this, Tim?”

“Because, I still love you Malvina. You are just too stubborn to know how to respond!”