Ariel Ceylan is a senior at William Paterson University and has written several fantasy books.
How did you come to self-publish? Did you try to get published traditionally?
I self-published because I was frustrated with traditional publishers. I wrote my first book when I was 13 and I felt that I was ready to publish, so I did so when I was 17. Of course I did try to get published traditionally, but I was rejected. It never was because they didn’t like the story, it was because I was “too young”.
What self-publishing service did you use? Happy with the service?
I published with XLibris and I’m pretty happy with them. I was involved with the publishing process and nothing happened without my approval, which I adore.
What avenues have you taken to market the book? Have you gotten reviews, interviews, TV, print media coverage?
I have mainly done online marketing. I have a Facebook page as well as a Twitter account. I have a few interviews and reviews, but I did not market myself seriously. My main concern was to finish high school at the time.
Are your books in any one particular genre? Is it a genre that’s familiar to you?
The books are fantasy, and that has been my favorite genre, but recently I am growing to appreciate other forms of storytelling.
Who are your greatest writing influences?
The greatest writing influence in my life was J.R.R. Tolkein. I finished reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy and then I wanted to write books. I love Emily Rodda’s style when she published Deltora Quest. That was my favorite book series and I did my best to model The Tales of Whithith after her style.
What’s your writing regimen? Any tips for keeping focused?
My writing regimen is to squeeze in ten to fifteen minutes every day. I do this during lunch. Do I have any tips for keeping focused? Not really. When you find something out, let me know because I could use it!
Would you self-publish again?
Of course I would self-publish again! I love having artistic control over my book that I wrote.
Any final words of advice for those looking to self-publish?
To those who are looking to self-publish, I recommend that you just finish writing your book. You need to learn to love your book on many levels and that includes leaving the characters and at other times, ripping them apart. If you self-publish, do it because you truly love what you’re doing.
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