A messy beginning
I never intended to write a book.
Like many mothers, my day was packed with school runs, snack battles, laundry mountains, and endless noise. As a mom of three wonderfully energetic children, silence was a rare luxury—so was personal time. But in the middle of this chaos, something unexpected began to grow: creativity.
The idea for Born to be Naughty, my debut middle-grade novel, came to life during one of those typical summer days—wild, loud, and full of mischief. I realized I wasn’t living in a house of chaos. I was living in a goldmine of story ideas.
Naughty by nature
My children weren’t badly behaved. They were curious, opinionated, and constantly experimenting with how the world worked.
One day, I watched my daughter quietly cradle an injured baby sparrow she’d found in the garden. The next day, the same child taped her brother’s shoes to the floor as a “science experiment.” That’s when it hit me: this duality—tenderness and trouble—was magical.
That’s the spirit I captured in Born to be Naughty. The main character, Hanna, is a high-energy, wildly imaginative eight-year-old who rescues a baby bird and finds herself caught in one adventure after another. She’s not trying to be a troublemaker. She just sees the world differently—and that difference is her superpower.
Turning real-life mayhem into fiction
Writing became my secret escape. I would jot down ideas between chores, scribble dialogue during car rides, and edit paragraphs late at night. Every prank, every tantrum, and every unexpected hug from my children shaped Hanna’s world. The more real I allowed the story to be, the more magical it became.
In Born to be Naughty, Hanna’s pranks often get her into trouble, but they also lead to surprising discoveries. That mirrors what I’ve learned as a parent: mischief often hides meaning.
A spilled jar of jam might lead to a lesson in patience. A tantrum at bedtime might reveal a child’s unspoken fear. These moments became chapters in both the book and my parenting journey.
Why natured needed a place in the story
Another theme that kept returning to me was nature. Growing up in Pakistan, I once rescued a baby sparrow—just like Hanna. That emotional memory stayed with me for years. It reminded me how children are instinctively compassionate when given the chance.
Hanna’s bond with the baby bird, Diana, isn’t just a subplot. It’s the heart of the book. Their friendship becomes a way to talk about kindness, empathy, and our connection to the natural world—all while keeping the tone funny and relatable for kids.
In a world where screens are everywhere, I wanted to nudge young readers back outdoors—even just in their imaginations.
From motherhood to authorship
It wasn’t easy. I had no publishing experience, no agent, and no connections in the literary world. But I had a story. I self-published Born to be Naughty in 2022, and to my surprise, it found an audience. The book won the Literary Titan Gold Book Award and was featured on multiple podcasts. Parents began sharing how their children related to Hanna’s mischief and her big heart.
That was the moment I realized: my messy life had become a meaningful story—not just for me, but for others too.
What I’ve learned along the way
If I’ve learned anything, it’s this: creativity doesn’t need quiet. It needs honesty. Writing while parenting is unpredictable, but that unpredictability can be powerful. If you’re in a noisy season of life, don’t wait for peace and quiet. Start now—with the mess, with the mischief, with the magic already around you.
Because sometimes, chaos is just creativity in disguise.
Blending books with social media fun
To help young readers take Hanna’s journey beyond the page, I introduced themed hashtags that encourage creativity and real-world connection. Whether they’re drawing, cooking, or playing with pets, kids can share their experiences online using:
– #HannaTheGuardianOfNature
– #WelcomeToHannaBookFamily
– #MyCreationMyCreativity (for sharing artwork)
– #NewCuisineAdventure (when trying new foods)
– #MySuperCoolPet (for pet tricks)
– #MyBrainMyGameMyName (for clever ideas or fun facts)
It’s a playful way to combine storytelling, self-expression, and nature—all while building a safe, creative community around books.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you’ve ever tried writing while life spins around you, or turned parenting chaos into creativity, I’d love to hear your experience in the comments below!
About the author
Hina Nauman is a mother of three, a passionate storyteller, and the author of Born to be Naughty—a humorous, heartwarming chapter book about a lively girl who rescues a baby bird and stumbles into a summer full of mischief, nature, and unexpected lessons. The book won the Literary Titan Gold Book Award and has been featured on multiple children’s literature podcasts. When she’s not writing or parenting, Hina can be found daydreaming in her garden, looking for her next idea hidden in real life.
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