Episode 362: Writing at Middle School with Kristina Naydonova

I catch up with the very thoughtful 13 year old novelist Kristina Naydonova to learn how to carve out our own paths.

Kristina Naydonova is hands down the youngest guest I’ve had on the show. Aged 13, she’s already published a novel, The Black Sisterhood Files, and writes for Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global. She’s also a Sunday Times bestselling mystery author, regular podcast speaker, and occasional contributor for Buzzfeed-Books – all while she’s at middle school.

I’ve always had a passion for reading and writing from a young age, so it was great to connect with this kindred spirit and fellow night owl. Join our conversation as we explore bullet journaling, handling peer pressure, and how she’s achieved so much success from such a young age.

Talking Points

  • Setting time aside to write whilst still being a kid
  • Handling peer pressure
  • Simple ways to practise mindfulness
  • Navigating social media and leveraging its strengths
  • Mastering TikTok
  • Kristina’s daily routines that balances her education and writing
  • Kristina’s long-term to-do lists
  • Her favourite book genres
  • Seeking inspiration from the likes of Stephen King and Greta Thunberg


“Take time to experiment and figure out what you really want in life.”

Kristina Naydonova


Enjoy the show? Want to keep up with the podcast? You can subscribe to the podcast feed by clicking the “Share” button in the player above – and you can share it further using the same button as well. You can take things even one step further by rating and reviewing the show wherever you listen to podcasts. (FYI: I use Overcast on iOS.)