Into the Unknown: A Guest Post by Hannah Nicole Maehrer
Have you ever wondered what a writer’s process looks like while they create your favorite characters? Hannah Nicole Maehrer — author of our previous Monthly Pick Assistant to the Villain — has penned an essay on her favorite parts of the creative process while writing Apprentice to the Villain, down below.
Paperback $19.99
Apprentice to the Villain (B&N Exclusive Edition)
Apprentice to the Villain (B&N Exclusive Edition)
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Paperback $19.99
Return to the world of TikTok favorite and former B&N Monthly Pick Assistant to the Villain. Fall in love with the villain — and have a deviously fun time doing it.
Return to the world of TikTok favorite and former B&N Monthly Pick Assistant to the Villain. Fall in love with the villain — and have a deviously fun time doing it.
It’s incredible to me that three years can pass in an instant. A blink, really. In the summer of 2021 when I posted my very first “Assistant to the Villain” skit, I never anticipated where this series would take me, how it would grow, and the entire world I’d gain along the way. When I began writing the sequel to Assistant to the Villain – Apprentice to the Villain – I was immersed in an amazing journey. All my dreams were coming true, I had readers who were looking forward to this book – nothing could’ve humbled me more. It should have added pressure, and in some ways it did, but it mostly added excitement, anticipation, and a slew of other happy emotions that made jumping back into this world and my characters so thrilling.
It might have been difficult to start writing again after months of planning, plotting, and deliberating, but I’m lucky. My characters were waiting on the page with open arms, eager for me to continue their story. The truth is, planning for me is fruitless! My favorite part of the writing process is that my characters go left when I say go right, and most of the time, I am following them into the unknown with as much enthusiasm as a reader uncovering the secrets of a story they’ve never read before. During my time writing Apprentice to the Villain, I became a vessel for my characters, particularly Evie – to tell the story the way she wanted to tell. I am nothing if not a good listener.
I didn’t think it possible to enjoy writing anything as much as I loved writing Assistant to the Villain. It was too precious, too special, too rare. However, once again, I was proven wrong by these characters, who are determined to keep me guessing. Writing Apprentice to the Villain turned out to be one of the most emotionally fulfilling things I’ve done in my life to date. I laughed, I cried, I felt everything. Even during moments of mental health hurdles where feeling anything was difficult, writing Apprentice was my safety, my home. Evie Sage was there, holding my hand anytime I doubted. Anytime I was afraid to move forward, I felt my characters’ hands against my shoulder blades, nudging me on. Apprentice to the Villain, much like its predecessor, was a labor of love and laughter, but it was also more. It was a labor of emotion, every single one, felt in beautiful, startling detail. I can’t wait for everyone to experience this book with me. I hope it makes them laugh, but mostly, I hope it makes them feel.