Celebrated Irish Author Shares Wisdom with Aspiring Writers
Cecelia Ahern, a best-selling Irish author, is set to grace the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai. Her participation is scheduled for a talk on February 3rd, aiming to illuminate her successful career and her popular novels that resonate with readers globally.
Ahern, known for her compelling narrative voice and relatable characters, provides aspiring writers with a golden piece of advice: to find and trust their unique voice. She insists that authenticity in writing comes from listening to one’s inner voice, which ensures a distinctive writing style.
Having written her first novel, “P.S. I Love You,” at the tender age of 21, Ahern has since had a prolific career, publishing annually and achieving international acclaim. Her books, translated into 30 languages and sold in over 40 countries, have reached a staggering 25 million copies worldwide.
Her disciplined approach to writing, she reveals, revolves around a set routine and ritual. She starts a novel every January, completing it by the end of May, and then dedicates the summer to editing. This process culminates in an autumn release in the UK and Ireland. Ahern emphasizes the importance of ritual in her creative process, including writing by hand to maintain a personal connection with her work.
Beyond novels, Ahern has extended her storytelling to the screen. She is involved in producing original TV series and is currently in development with Apple TV+ for a collection of her short stories, “Roar,” among other screen projects.
Ahern’s exposure to the media world from a young age, accompanying her father, the former Taoiseach of Ireland, on public engagements, has profoundly influenced her. Those experiences ingrained in her the skills of observation and behind-the-scenes insights into media operations, which she later applied to her writing and media career.
In anticipation of the Emirates LitFest, Ahern expressed excitement about meeting her diverse reader base. For her, the connection she makes with her audience is the most rewarding aspect of these events. This connection reaffirms the universal nature of emotions and experiences shared through her stories, fueling her inspiration as she writes.
