Ever fascinated and mystified by the world of words, Jane began to write in the 1790’s during her adolescence. Using only bound notebooks she embarked on a mission and began to craft her own novels including Love and Friendship. Much of Austen’s early adulthood was spent helping run the family home. Some of her daily rituals included; playing piano, attending church, and socializing with neighbors. Jane’s nights and weekends frequently involved attending cotillions, and as a result, she became a gifted dancer. On the evenings she would stay at home, Jane would choose a novel from the library and read it aloud to her family, occasionally selecting one she had written herself.
Austen continued to write, developing her style in more ambitious works such as; Lady Susan as well as beginning her first drafts of Elinor and Marianne, which were a series of letters and would eventually be published as Sense and Sensibility. Next, she began work on First Impressions, which we now know as the great Pride and Prejudice. Then in 1801, Jane moved to Bath with her mother, father, and Cassandra. Sadly, soon after in 1805, her father died after battling a brief illness. As a result, the family was plunged into dire financial straits. The three women moved from place to place, staying in family member’s houses to rented flats. Finally, in 1809 they settled down into a stable living situation, taking residence with Jane's brother, Edward in a cottage in Chawton. By her 30s, Jane started to anonymously publish her composition to help support her family. During the period of 1810- 1816 Austen pseudonymously publish Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. Then, in 1816, at the age of 41, Jane started to demonstrate symptoms of an illness which some say may have been Addison's disease. She made extraordinary efforts to continue working at a normal pace, editing older works in addition to starting a new novel called The Brothers. This piece would later be published after her death as Sandition. Sadly, Jane’s condition deteriorated to a point past recovery, forcing Jane to stop writing all together. Under doctor counsel that May, Jane and Cassandra relocated to a house a few blocks away from Jane’s doctor. Jane Austen passed away in the wee hours of the morning on July 18, 1817, in Winchester, Hampshire, England. She was buried a few days later in Winchester Cathedral. It wasn’t until after her death that Jane’s brother, Henry revealed to the public that Jane was an author. Austen is considered one of the greatest writers in our English history, academics and the general public.