A.F. Steadman, author of the 'Skandar ' series - Bestselling children's author discusses why experience makes things tough, a frantic five years, and trying to find your voices
Feb 14, 2025
auto_awesome
A.F. Steadman, a bestselling children's author known for the 'Skandar' series, shares her transition from law to writing fantasy since it took the literary world by storm. She talks about the frantic five years of juggling multiple books and her struggles to find the perfect writing routine, emphasizing the challenges of experience. A memorable train journey inspired her debut, and she reveals how humor helps navigate the pressures of authorship. Steadman reflects on the unique magic of children's literature that allows for playful world-building.
A.F. Steadman highlights the importance of morning productivity, claiming she feels most creative and motivated during the early hours of the day.
She discusses the challenges and frustrations of the writing process, emphasizing the need to trust the journey for continual improvement.
Deep dives
A.F. Stedman's Morning Writing Routine
A.F. Stedman emphasizes the significance of morning hours for productivity, noting that she feels most creative during the early part of the day. While she aspires to wake up earlier, she typically starts writing around 9 to 9:30 a.m., which she considers reasonable but not ideal. She enjoys the feeling of having ample time ahead of her, which motivates her to accomplish more. This morning routine includes cereal for breakfast, checking emails, and using an old iPad to limit distractions from social media.
The Rapid Success of the Skandar Series
Stedman's Skandar series, known for its unique take on unicorns, has rapidly gained popularity, leading to a seven-figure book contract believed to be the largest for a debut children's author. The series revolves around Skandar, a boy who discovers a magical island and tames a unicorn while battling the ominous Weaver. With the third book recently released and plans for a fifth installment, the franchise has resonated widely with young readers. Stedman's swift ascent in the literary world is a significant inspiration for aspiring authors competing in a market often dominated by celebrity writers.
Navigating Challenges as a Writer
Stedman candidly shares that writing can be a challenging process, even for seasoned authors. As she drafts her adult novel, she finds it hard to ignore the extensive revisions required to refine her work, particularly as the stakes seem to rise with each new project. The confidence she has gained from previous accomplishments does not negate the frustrations she feels on the writing journey. However, she recognizes the importance of trusting the process, understanding that every draft paves the way for improvement in future iterations.
Inspiration and Writing Environment
Stedman creates an inspiring writing environment filled with her published books, fan art, and meaningful tokens from her creative journey. Her workspace includes a corkboard with reminders and diagrams that help her keep track of various elements in her stories. She finds inspiration from the books around her and maintains a habit of collecting items that reflect her interests, such as pin badges. This curated space aids her focus and keeps her motivated throughout the writing process, highlighting the power of a well-thought-out creative environment.
This week we chat to A.F Steadman, the bestselling author behind the phenomenal 'Skandar series'. The fantasy saga has taken the literary world by storm, was reported to have sold for a seven-figure deal, and was believed to be the biggest advance ever given to a debut childrens author. The series is praised as the biggest children's fantasy since Harry Potter.
In this episode, we dive into her journey from practicing law to becoming a celebrated writer, explore the inspirations behind her imaginative world of bloodthirsty unicorns, and look inside her working day.
The first, 'Skandar and the Unicorn Thief', was selected as the Waterstones Children's Book of Year 2022, and won an Indie Book Award in 2023. The 3rd, 'Skandar and the Chaos Trials' is out in paperback right now, and the 5th and final book is released in August 2025.
You can hear why it was inspired by a train journey listening to James Blunt, and why she sat on it for years simply drawing ideas before finally getting the first book out in a frantic rush. We discuss her busy 5 years, sometimes working on 3 books at the same time, in a rush to get these stories published. Annabel runs through why big screens don't work for her, how she knows she's good in the morning... but struggles to get up and make the most of it, and whether she's found her voice yet.
You can get a copy of the books here - https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine
Support the show
patreon.com/writersroutine
ko-fi.com/writersroutine
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER - https://writersroutine.substack.com/