Level 3 IT & Computing student Keith has put pen to paper to write and publish his first novel at the age of 19.
Growing up, Keith was a shy child with little confidence to be himself. He went on to develop close relationships with peers who held similar views to himself, and this inspired his determination to find his own voice.
When he started at Merton College, Keith began a journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, freedom to be himself and a sense of community. This triggered a desire to write a novel as a way of expressing his voice.
Keith’s tutors at Merton encouraged and supported him to start this project and much of the story is based on his own experiences of heartbreak and relationships. In addition to his novel, Keith has also been working on a film script based on the similar theme of self-acceptance.
Keith said: “My novel focuses on our own personal development and I use my own experiences to help others relate and realise they are not alone in this world.”
Keith submitted his finished manuscript to Amazon, designed the front cover and drafted the blurb to ensure his self-funded novel was available for others to purchase.
Once he receives his results at Merton, Keith intends to study Media at university in September. He believes the combination of his technical IT skills and the creative skills he’ll learn at university will help him on the road to a successful career in either media, journalism or writing.
Well done to Keith for his fantastic achievement of writing and publishing his first novel, available to purchase on Amazon: The Heart of a Sparrow
Follow Keith’s journey of self-discovery on his Instagram account
