ALI Larson knew she would have to be disciplined to finish writing her second novel, Blue Flames.
For the past eight months the year eight Hunter School of the Performing Arts student has woken at 5am and written for four hours each day for a few days every week.
"It's hard when you go to bed a bit later and then you wake up and think 'Can I sleep in or do I have to [get up]?', but it's about the sense of accomplishment you feel at the end, it's amazing," said Ali, 13, who juggles writing with school, art classes and bouldering, which is rock climbing without a harness.
"When you write a book you get attached to the characters and the storyline, you just get addicted, it's a part of you. You can't really not do it, otherwise you feel bad."
Ali self published the novel in May through the website Blurb. Blue Flames is the second in her Snake Charm duology, which started with Deep Water.
She wrote Deep Water over a year, starting at Christmas 2020, and published it in February this year.
Ali said the duology was a "coming of age" story that spanned the genres of fantasy, action and adventure.
It follows teenager Alex, who uses special objects to harness energy inside her and directs a spark, or "extra ability left over from 'the before', the stage where fantastical beings actually existed that were [later] cast away".
"Alex has a spark that involves a snake," she said.
"I was a bookworm, I still am and I've read a lot of fantasy books, they were my favourites. It's something you can lose yourself in, you end the book and you wish you lived in that world."
Ali has been writing stories since she was six and started thinking about publishing her work after a friend told her about Blurb.
"I just wanted to get it out there and inspire younger people," she said.
"It was incredible [holding the book in my hands]. I'd never done it before and it arrived and Dad tried to wipe it down with sanitiser before I opened it.
"I was very jiggly, I was sitting in the chair and couldn't stop moving. I was very excited and called my friend and she has a bunch of very interesting screenshots of me going crazy over Facetime because my book had arrived."
Ali's books are available in her school's library, Carey Bay Service Station and online at Blurb.
She sold copies of Deep Water at markets in Lake Macquarie earlier this year, after which she was contacted by a young girl who had bought it and was eagerly awaiting Blue Flames. They arranged to meet for ice cream.
"She was very cute and very beyond her age of reading and I thought she felt a lot like me when I was younger," Ali said.
"I was pretty happy to meet her. I was surprised [at her interest], I wasn't expecting much from my first book... heaps of people are supporting me and it's really lovely and I appreciate them a lot."
Ali has already started work on her third novel, this time trying science fiction, and said she would like to be a professional writer.
"Absolutely, a career is obviously my go-to place but it takes a lot to get started as a writer, so you really need to get out there."
Ali's English teacher Amy Tickner said Ali was "gifted".
"I'm halfway through her first novel and it's outstanding," Ms Tickner said.
"I knew she was talented but I was overwhelmed with the creativity and her complex character development, her mastery of the genre of fantasy.
"I was very impressed for what she's produced for a first novel for a 13-year-old. As her teacher I can't take any credit for what she's done, but I was very impressed and I can see what her future holds, I can see her potential and I'm excited to see what else she'll produce in the future, whether that's in writing or whatever she chooses.
"She's gifted. She's got that persistence. I'm certain with her character and how much she values creativity and writing that I think she'll do great things in the future."
