Teen author hopes to make a career in journalism

It’s a rare occurrence to see a teenager using a smartphone as a writing tool these days, but for 16-year-old published author Lacey Beasley, it’s a normal day.

“I don’t really have a certain writing process,” she said. “If an idea comes to me, I usually just jot it down in my phone and then put it in my computer when I get home. I really enjoy not having a certain writing schedule.”

Simply letting her creativity flow is a system that worked for this Hewitt-Trussville High School junior, and helped her to publish “The Forgiven,” in 2014, when she was just 14 years old. 

For Beasley, writing a book involved daily work. The 250-page novel took a little under a year to write and another four months to edit completely.

“The Forgiven” covers a few main themes including familial relationships, love and forgiveness. Beasley’s protagonist is a young girl whose parents are divorced and who doesn’t have a strong relationship with her father. After an extended stay with him, that relationship changes and she learns a multitude of new things about herself and her family. She also understands what it means to truly forgive.

Although “The Forgiven” is not based on Beasley’s personal experience and all of its characters are fictional, she undoubtedly has strong feelings about the concept of forgiveness.

“I believe that forgiveness is a way to show love by reflecting Christ,” she said. “I believe that forgiveness should be earned and not necessarily given away. Personally, I’m an easy person to show forgiveness. I’m not the type of person to hold a grudge because I hate breaking relationships.”

Beasley stands by the idea that anyone willing to mend the past and make things right is deserving of forgiveness.

“I also keep the mentality that Christ forgave everyone for our sins, so in return I should always forgive others whether they intentionally or unintentionally hurt me,” she said. “In keeping this mentality, I’ve realized that my life is so much better and happier without having to hold a grudge against someone.”

Two years later, she says writing and publishing her book was an invaluable experience.

“I didn’t know the process,” Beasley said. “And getting published wasn’t easy because I was so young, but my family helped me to learn the ropes with that. They were very helpful throughout the whole thing.”

Truly, it was what came after the book hit bookshelves that proved more difficult than getting published itself, she said.

“After my book came out, there were lots of different opinions flying around about it,” Beasley said. “That was hard.”

The criticism and notoriety that any author faces can be difficult, and anyone aspiring to become a published author should try to stay confident and not be distracted by what others think or say, Beasley said.

“It takes a lot of hard work and determination, but just be dedicated and persevere,” she said.

One positive that has come from Beasley’s experience is that many peers now seek out her help with writing school papers, and Beasley’s happy to give it.

“It happens a lot but it is kind of flattering,” she said.

Students, by 11th grade, have usually completed the often-dreaded research paper, with its endless reading, notes and outlines. Beasley said though she’s done it, she didn’t love it, and she prefers writing fiction and narrative stories.

Writing is something that she plans to pursue post high school. Looking toward a future in broadcast journalism, she is currently interested in the University of Alabama or Auburn University.

Beasley is also taking a closer look at some of the trailblazers in the broadcasting field.

“I would say I look up to successful news anchors, such as Diane Sawyer, because they are women who made a name for themselves in a male-dominant field,” Beasley said.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading her favorite author Stephenie Meyer, of the widely read “Twilight” series. She’s also in her fourth year on the school’s color guard team and plays the piano and the flute.

Beasley’s family has been very supportive of her writing, she said, including her parents Jenny and Robert, and her two older sisters, Holly and Sarah. Her grandparents live in Shanghai, China, and she has had the opportunity to visit the country multiple times and has traveled to the Great Wall and the Forbidden City.

“The Forgiven” is published through Tate Publishing, and is available online at Amazon.