This simple and encouraging guide offers a relatable story map for writers who are sitting on a historical fiction story but don't know where to start. Constance Hays Matsumoto was that person - until she wasn't. With no MFA, no background in creative writing, not even a journal to her name, she wrote Of White Ashes, an award-winning novel inspired by her family's remarkable World War II stories. With delightful candor, Connie shares how she embraced novel writing by learning the craft, creating helpful techniques, and asking repeatedly, "Wait, how do you do that?" Offering personal story, practical writing advice, visuals, and a healthy dose of humility, Connie shows how she turned confusion into confidence and how you can, too. Your story and voice matter. Let's dive in, get messy, and bring the novel only you can write to life!