Maggie O’Farrell, a renowned author, is deeply intrigued by the stories that often find themselves on the periphery. This fascination has given birth to the plots of her acclaimed novels, such as Hamnet centered around William Shakespeare's son and The Marriage Portrait about Lucrezia de’Medici, the third daughter of the last Duke of Florence. As she tells PEOPLE, “It’s not always the famous people that captivate me; it’s the ones in the shadows, with histories like water.”

O’Farrell's Latest Book: A Tale of Self-Acceptance

Her latest book, When the Stammer Came to Stay, out on December 10, follows Min, a young girl who wakes up one morning to discover she can't utter certain words. With the support of her sister, Bea, Min learns to navigate her new stammer and realizes the significance of self-acceptance. O’Farrell initially intended to write a children's book about two sisters embracing their differences, but Min's speech impediment took center stage.In fiction, it's rare to encounter a character with a stammer treated seriously. Often, it's used for comical effect, making the stammerer seem odd or weak. However, O’Farrell believes stammerers are not defined by these stereotypes. She wanted to write a story that gives a genuine portrayal of stammering, including both the hardships and the potential benefits.O’Farrell herself has a stammer, and it has influenced her as an author. She learned to "rewrite" sentences in her head to avoid difficult words. For example, with her name being Maggie, which has an "M" she often struggles with, she had to find alternative sounds. This process, she says, has made her a better writer. Writing itself became a liberating experience for her. She still remembers as a child watching her pen move across the page, freely expressing her thoughts without judgment.

Challenges of Writing for Different Audiences

O’Farrell is also the author of children's books like Where Snow Angels Go and The Boy Who Lost His Spark, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini. Writing for kids comes with its own set of challenges, similar to writing for adults. The narrative must be clear, but one can't underestimate the readers as kids are quick to offer feedback. O’Farrell learned this by reading her work to her own children. If they lose interest, they simply walk away.Confronting a personal topic like stammering in her latest book was a daunting task. It was like looking at the sun – one doesn't want to stare too long for fear of it getting worse. But facing it was necessary and rewarding. She credits other stammering writers like David Mitchell, John Updike, Margaret Drabble, and Colm Toibin for portraying the speech condition positively in their works.She has a message for the readers of her new book: “We all face challenges in life, but some are more visible than others. We should treat each other with compassion and kindness as we have no idea what others are going through.”When the Stammer Came to Stay is now available from Walker Books US.