Dark Fantasy writing journey begins
Every story starts somewhere. Mine began with a headless cyclist and a haunted bathroom.
I still remember the first time a story swept me off my feet. I was curled up in bed, rain tapping the glass of my window, as my imagination spun worlds far beyond my tiny corner of reality. The kids in the book were cool, had exotic pets like werewolves, or went ghost hunting in the boy’s bathroom, while a headless cyclist roamed the streets. I grumbled to myself, disappointed that my school wasn’t as exciting as the Graveyard School from the novellas by Tom B. Stone. Nevertheless, those novellas planted the first seed of writing in me—a nudge to the darker side of fantastical worlds. And as soon as I discovered the magic of Harry Potter, I put my first words on the page.
It was nothing close to masterful storytelling—just fan fiction of what I was already reading, far too complex for my childish brain to fully express. But even then, I realized: with just pen and paper, I could create something out of nothing. It gripped me, and it never let me go.
When Writing Became a Calling
I remember the moment I decided to write my own story as clear as day. It was 2008. I was a second-year student at Klaipėda University, and I had just finished reading Christopher Paolini’s Eragon. There was a blurb on the back cover that said Paolini started writing his story when he was 15 and self-published it at 19 before landing a major publishing deal. That fact lit a fire in me. If he could do it as a teenager, why not me? I can write a story like that, if not better!
Fueled by this new inspiration, I started jotting down notes for an idea. My first experiments with real storytelling began. At that time, I had no idea how big of a mountain I was starting to move. Like many teenagers, I’d kept diaries, tried crafting short stories, and even wrote poems. I’d also written song lyrics, since I played piano for years, using music as one of my biggest creative outlets. But writing a full novel? That was a whole new level.
It didn’t take long to realize I had no idea what I was doing, and I pushed it aside. But the foundation was laid. New ideas for settings and lore started piling up. I got lost in the fun of world-building, crafting a massive fantasy map where my story would unfold, but I didn’t yet dare to write the story itself—not without knowing how to structure a novel, create compelling characters, arcs, plots, and outlines. Therefore I dedicated myself to learning. I read blogs like The Write Practice, watched YouTube videos by famous writers, and gathered notes. Slowly, I built up the confidence to sit down and start writing, only to realize that the world and story I wanted to tell were far bigger than I anticipated.
Over the years, I tried to tackle it—even participating in NaNoWriMo—but I failed flawlessly. By 2018, I still wasn’t ready to give the story the respect it deserved. I put it aside and took something new. That’s when the first sparks of Project Runes began to fly.
Dark Fantasy as My Chosen Realm
My dark fantasy writing journey trully began after my study years in Norway. At that time I had already discovered the hauntingly beautiful music of Wardruna and started exploring Viking mythology and runes as symbols of magic, reading about it in a couple of books sold on their website. Purely out of curiosity, I learned the Elder Futhark and its meanings, delved into the Poetic Edda, and found concepts of runic magic that lit my soul on fire. I finally had a story that felt completely my own, uninfluenced by other authors, books, movies, or games. Project Runes became a passion project—one I’ve built, written, and refined to this day.
Looking back, I see the patterns that drew me to the darker side of fantasy. I grew up poor in a big, cold house, cozying up with Graveyard School novellas. I spent my childhood as the only girl among boys in the yard, exploring a small grove near my home like it was an enchanted forest. As a teenager, I was one of the few “kinda gothic” girls in school, listening to H.I.M, Evanescence, and Nightwish, while rocking military boots and chains on my jeans. I studied piano for years, falling in love with the dramatic, melancholic moods of M.K. Čiurlionis and L. van Beethoven.
Then, during my two years in Norway, I soaked in the beauty of Nordic nature—the fjords, the winter fog, thunder rolling over the mountains—and the richness of Viking culture. All these experiences blended with my inner need to explore transformation and the deeper meaning beyond the material world.
Project Runes embodies that blend: the interplay of shadows and light, the battle between good and dark. With my stories, I hope to inspire readers to take their own leap into the unknown, carve their own paths, and transform into the best versions of themselves. I want to take them on emotional journeys—exploring the nuance between light and darkness—and leave them lingering in the world I’ve created long after the final page is closed.
Aspirations as a Writer
My journey as a writer has been rocky but steady. A slow build, like the best kind of romance in my favorite stories. Every step toward publishing my first book fuels my excitement for what’s to come. So many new ideas swirl in my head—so many characters and stories I want to tell. Some are secrets I can’t reveal just yet. But one thing is certain:
Stories have the power to connect us, to help us see the world through new eyes. I hope you’ll follow along as I share my dark fantasy writing journey.
In darkness and wonder,
Denna Valraven