Sophie Gonzales: Write for Yourself As Often as You Can
In this interview, author Sophie Gonzales discusses the decade that went between having the idea to publishing her new YA novel, Nobody In Particular.
Sophie Gonzales is a young adult contemporary author. She graduated from the University of Adelaide and lives in Adelaide, Australia, where she can be found ice skating, painting, and practicing the piano. She is also the author of Perfect on Paper, Only Mostly Devastated, and The Law of Inertia, and If This Gets Out with Cale Dietrich. Follow her on X (Twitter) and Instagram.
In this interview, Sophie discusses the decade that went between having the idea to publishing her new YA novel, Nobody In Particular, her hope for readers, and more.
Name: Sophie Gonzales
Literary agent: Jessica Mileo, Inkwell Management Literary Agency
Book title: Nobody In Particular
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release date: June 3, 2025
Genre/category: Young adult
Previous titles: Perfect on Paper, Only Mostly Devastated, and The Law of Inertia, and If This Gets Out with Cale Dietrich.
Elevator pitch: Young Royals meets The Prince and Me when a disgraced princess falls for a new student at their all-girls boarding school, but the two must hide their forbidden love at all costs.
What prompted you to write this book?
The idea came to me while I was working in a supermarket when I was 21. I have no idea where the idea came from or what prompted it! There weren’t many similar books in publication at the time.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I wrote this book in February 2014, and it’s due to release June 2025, so a while! The core of the story has remained the same throughout, though certain subplots (like the exploration of grief) have been introduced, it’s changed genres from thriller to rom-com to romantic drama, characters have been consolidated, and the writing itself has changed quite dramatically over the decade. But our two core characters, their main conflict, and Bramppath College, have been there from the start.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Well, I certainly learned that just because a book isn’t published on your first attempt doesn’t mean it won’t ever make it to publication! That has encouraged me to continue writing whatever idea sparks my imagination and passion, even if I don’t think it’s right for the market at the moment. I hope to still be publishing books decades from now, if life allows me the opportunity, and that’s plenty of years for the market to shift.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I also learned the specific satisfaction of polishing a book up a decade later, once you have the skills to make it what you couldn’t achieve the first time around. It’s like renovating a kitchen. Taking something functional and making it shiny and beautiful.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
If somebody picks up my book and thinks about the characters again once they’ve read the last page, or they find themselves revisiting a line or a concept, or they read a sentence that makes them feel particularly seen or understood? That’s the greatest achievement to me as an author. It’s my biggest hope.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write for fun, for yourself, as often as you can! It’s so much more freeing to write when you know nobody else will read it (at least for now) and it really helps you to take risks and grow without becoming preoccupied about what other people will think of it—or you.
