Wood reveals how her mother’s death at 30 catalyzed an unwavering dedication to writing, leading to *The Natural Way of Things*, a novel ignited by outrage over real institutional abuse at places like the Hay Institution for Girls. Though often compared to *The Handmaid’s Tale*, she wrote it without having read Atwood’s work—instead channeling documented histories of silencing and control into a stark, speculative fable. A pivotal shift from naturalism to magical realism unlocked the novel’s power, later amplified by the global attention surrounding her Booker Prize-shortlisted *Stone Yard Devotional*. She reflects candidly on the double-edged nature of literary acclaim: while it brought financial stability and international reach, it also intensified pressure. Her advice centers on intrinsic motivation—using tools like 'The George Costanza Approach' to reframe resistance—and sustaining practice through personal manifestos, not external validation.