From the young age of nine, Aaron Hall was drawn to the world of words. In his fourth grade class, he and his classmates were assigned to write short stories for Halloween. Although for some this was just another assignment, for Hall, it was the beginning of a lifetime of writing.
Hall is a UVU alumnus that studied public relations. Originally, he was studying film at Dixie State, but felt like switching over was the right move. During his experience at UVU, Hall had the opportunity to present at the National Conference of Undergraduate Research and represent UVU at a Public Relations Student Society of America regional conference in Los Angeles.
Since graduation, Hall published his works Foreordained in 2014 and My Name is Hammerfist in 2020. When he was 15, he finished his first draft of Foreordained. After returning home from serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Boston, he spent a year and a half revising the book and then self-published it at the age of 22.
Foreordained is the tale of Jason, a boy who is appointed by a dragon deity to replace a ruthless king. He faces internal conflict with the role that has been bestowed upon him and external conflict with the problems in the kingdom. Jason’s story continues in Purged, which is set to release March 1.
A year ago, Hall was let go from his job due to the pandemic. With more time on his hands, he got to work as a full-time writer. Within months, he was able to create a rough draft of Purged.
During his mission, Hall met a man named Russ. He also was a huge fan of writing and literature, so the two quickly became friends. July 4, 2019, Hall was scrolling through Facebook when he saw a suicide note from Russ. Hall immediately called him over and over. After many attempts, he was able to get through to him, as well as other friends and family. Thankfully, Russ is here today, and the two still share their love for stories. In his honor, Hall decided to donate all the royalties from Purged within the first month of its publication to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
In his years of writing, Hall said the most important things he learned are that you need to have a plan when it comes to both finishing the book and getting it published. He explained the importance of giving readers an experience.
“When you have the reader finish that last page, you want to leave them with something that they can carry with them and cherish,” he said.
For students that may also aspire to pursue a writing career, he recommends reading a lot of books by authors who have plenty of experience in the industry and learning about internet marketing.
Going forward, Hall has plenty of plans in the works. His quota is to write at least one book a year and he has ideas for the next 11 or 12 years. Foreordained and Purged are the beginning of a five-book series called The Wevlian Chronicles and Hammerfirst will be part of a trilogy.
To those struggling with suicidal thoughts, Hall says, “Reach out. It’s so easy to say there are people that love you. It’s never worth it. Reach out, get the help you need, there are professionals available. Get therapy. Utilize the resources around you and never hesitate to reach out to a friend or loved one.”
To learn more about Hall and his work, visit his website aaronnhall.com or Instagram. Those who sign up for his newsletter on his website get the first five chapters of all his books for free. Hall’s latest book Purged can be purchased here.
*If you or anyone you know may be suicidal, please contact the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or UVU Student Health Services at 801-863-8876.
