At 17, Jane Austen is growing up in a small English village. She starts to write stories, culminating in Pride and Prejudice.

At 27, Jane Austen remains unpublished and faces family turmoil due to her father's death. Despite this, she publishes Sense and Sensibility, followed by the successful Pride and Prejudice.

At age 38, Austen faces financial disaster despite her publishing success. She writes Emma, takes control of negotiations with her publisher, and gains endorsement from the Prince Regent. Her struggles then inspire Persuasion, a tale of lost love.