When did you start writing?

I’ve always written things. I have embarrassing notebooks full of stories that I wrote as a child. Writing is something I can’t not do. I started writing blog posts for Rhythms [now Tearfund Lifestyle] in 2014, but Christianity has always featured in my writing because it’s a part of me – the fingerprints of the writer are always all over the writing.

How did the book come about?

My mentor knew a publisher who was looking for young Christian writers, and I thought they’d want me to do a blog post series, but instead I got an email asking me to write a book. I was 17 at the time, and very surprised but delighted to accept.

What is God’s Daughters about?

It’s about the pressures we all face to be good enough – clever enough, good-looking enough, perhaps even holy enough – in order to be accepted, approved, and loved by other people. I think that on some level we all crave that. I wrote it specifically for girls because self-image for girls rather than guys is something I personally know more about; however, while it’s stemming from my own experiences, I think the message God's Daughters communicates is applicable to everyone. The book encourages readers to reflect for themselves, and helps them to discover the Bible – what God speaks into each situation. Each chapter ends with some questions for further thought and a song that is connected to the content of the chapter.

How do you find reading back what you’ve written – have you changed, or are you the same person?

A bit of both. There are some things in the book from when I’m 14 or 15, but there’s lots of parts in the book where I’m still learning the same lessons. There have been times when I’ve gone back to bits of the books and told myself that I need to listen to myself more. That’s part of the joy of it - that I can look back on it as a letter to myself.

Were you nervous about the book being published?

When you’re sitting in a room by yourself writing, you forget how much of yourself you’re putting into the work – your own anecdotes, stories and vulnerabilities. There are people out there reading the stuff I’ve written that I’ve never met and probably never will meet. And yes, that’s a little bit scary but quite exciting as well. I was only nervous about it being published once I’d sent the manuscript in and realised that this it was actually happening.

You study Theology at Cambridge. How does your writing interact with your studies?

Often as a Christian you get warned before studying Theology at a secular university that it’ll challenge your faith and that you’re not going to come out the same. But I’ve actually found it hasn’t challenged me to the point of breaking, but rather deepened my faith.

What about the future?

There’s more that I want to write, which could perhaps go in a book form. I’m in conversation with the publishers, but there’s nothing concrete yet. And it’s not just about what I write, but about giving other people a voice. I think I’d like to look more into working to give a voice to people who don’t have one.

Hannah Fytche’s novel, God’s Daughters, is available now. You can find Hannah on Twitter (@hannah_fytche) and on her blog, www.createdenough.wordpress.com.