Ben Frazier · Children’s author & poet

And with my limited experience reading fiction, I wasn’t even sure I knew what one was supposed to look like.

I’ve since arrived at two possible conclusions about my writing. It’s probably going to be different from what readers are accustomed to. The question is whether that difference will be refreshing or just off-putting. For now, I’m choosing to consider it a strength. But I’m aware of the risk, and I’ve been making an effort to read more fiction.

In the meantime, the ideas kept coming. My next concept, The Edit, explores a future in which scientists believe human evolution is moving too slowly for humanity’s own survival. They’ve developed a way to intervene, but the solution raises difficult questions about trust, ethics, judgment, and the consequences of changing what it means to be human.

Then came Fourth Party, a story about technology that allows people to experience events they never attended, not through a screen or headset, but as memories that feel indistinguishable from their own. The story follows the inventor, the technology’s original purpose, and what happens as it makes its way into the world.

Fourth Party is the furthest along of my novel projects. I’ve begun writing scenes, developing characters, and discovering that the process is every bit as enjoyable as I’d hoped. The prospect of completing an entire novel is still pretty daunting, though.

My fourth concept, The Retreat, imagines a rather unusual wellness resort built around a simple observation: even the best medical care is only as effective as the patient’s willingness to follow through. The retreat solves that problem by temporarily removing the patient from the equation. Guests surrender control of their bodies to a medical team while spending weeks or months in a carefully managed, coma-like state. Treatments, surgeries, recovery, and physical transformations all happen while they’re effectively away.

The sales pitch is something along the lines of, “Captain, take the wheel. I’ll be back in a few months.” What could possibly go wrong?

These stories are all in different stages of development, and I still have a long way to go before I can call myself a novelist. But I’ve discovered that I particularly enjoy exploring the consequences of ideas that initially seem perfectly reasonable.

I enjoyed the experience enough that it stuck with me. I even returned to the same campsite the following weekend. And something changed.

There’s another nice part to that story. The woman who hosted that glamping trip is herself an author and poet, and we’ve stayed in touch. We’ve been exchanging poems, and she’s been introducing me to other writers and suggesting authors I might enjoy reading.

We’ve never actually had a conversation about her being my mentor, so I don’t know that she’d call herself one. But she’s certainly the closest thing I have to one, and I’ve come to really appreciate her feedback and encouragement.

For someone who has spent most of his life thinking analytically, putting creative thoughts into words has been a surprisingly rewarding experience. I had all these ideas floating around in my head, but writing poetry gave me a way to actually do something with them.

It also made writing feel manageable. I didn’t have to tackle an entire novel. I could sit down with a notebook, explore an idea, play with words, and have something finished in an afternoon.

I’ve since written humorous poems, shorter pieces, and longer narrative works, including The Bridge and The Bridge Part Two, which tell the story of a man’s struggles through poetry.

I prefer writing by hand, at least for now. Most of my poetry begins in a notebook, and much of Fourth Party has been written that way too. I’ll photograph the pages and use text-recognition software to bring everything into my word processor. It’s not the most technologically elegant process, especially for someone with my background, but I enjoy it. There’s something satisfying about putting pen to paper.

And when you’re a parent reading the same book for the forty-seventh time, you develop a special appreciation for the ones that are actually entertaining.

That’s something I think about when writing for children. The story needs to capture a child’s imagination, of course, but I also want the adult reading it to enjoy the experience. A little humor, some clever language, beautiful illustrations, or a story with something meaningful beneath the surface can make a big difference.

My first illustrated children’s book, Leave Only Footprints, follows a young explorer named William as he encounters animals and discovers the wonders of the natural world. It’s a playful story about curiosity, appreciation, and the importance of leaving the places we visit just as we found them.

I’ve continued developing other picture books, and I find the process surprisingly enjoyable. There’s a real challenge in telling a complete, engaging story with relatively few words. And unlike a novel, finishing one doesn’t feel impossibly far away.

I’ve also started reading some of my work aloud to family, including The Bridge and a few other pieces. The feedback has been remarkably consistent.

“Oh my gosh, that was surprisingly good!”

I’m still not entirely sure how to take the word surprisingly, but hey, I’ll take it.

In all seriousness, having people who are willing to listen, read, offer feedback, and encourage me to keep going has meant a lot. Writing can be a pretty solitary activity, and sharing something you’ve created isn’t always easy, especially when you’re still figuring out what you’re doing. Their encouragement has made that part a whole lot easier.

And then there’s the business of letting other people see what you’ve created. That’s been a surprisingly difficult hurdle for me. Sharing something creative feels incredibly vulnerable, and honestly, a little embarrassing. It’s not something I’ve had much practice doing.

So I’ve been making myself practice. I started a TikTok channel where I read some of my daily poems aloud. I’m not particularly interested in chasing views or becoming a social media personality. I’m doing it because I want to get comfortable putting something I’ve created out into the world.

And I think it’s helping. I’ve received some encouraging feedback, and each time I share something, the next time feels a little less intimidating.

I have absolutely no idea how to become a successful content creator. Maybe I’ll figure that out eventually. Maybe I’ll get better at it, and maybe I won’t need to. I think I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.

What once felt impossibly challenging is beginning to feel real.

I don’t know whether I’ll ultimately find my place writing children’s books, poetry, science fiction, or something I haven’t even thought of yet. I’m not particularly interested in limiting myself to one genre.

That’s part of why I created Been Writing. It’s a place to share the things I’ve written, the projects I’m working on, and whatever comes next.

I may have gotten a late start, and I’m certainly still learning. But I’ve discovered something I genuinely enjoy, and I’m excited to see where it goes.

As it turns out, I’ve been writing.