Ask the Author: Sumayyah Akhoon
Answered Questions (9)
Sumayyah Akhoon
hii! At first, I actually did not advertise my e–books anywhere, all I really did was share it to a few family members and friends to read and rate it. I didn't get many sales, because honestly sales are really hard to make on amazon KDP, but I signed up for this programme called KDP select, so if someone has Kindle Unlimited (where you pay monthly to read books for free), they can read mine and I get a small amount of money for every page they read, which helped.
Eventually, I made a Goodreads author profile, which actually helped a lot to get my book more noticed. Since you want to publish an e-book as well, i think Amazon KDP would be good for that (although I wouldn't think publishing a physical book on their because like i said sales are hard to make), as it is completely free, and it's actually really easy to publish on there, however like I said, it is really hard to make sales, which is why if you do it, i recommend signing up to KDP select, so more people can read your book. Good luck!!
Eventually, I made a Goodreads author profile, which actually helped a lot to get my book more noticed. Since you want to publish an e-book as well, i think Amazon KDP would be good for that (although I wouldn't think publishing a physical book on their because like i said sales are hard to make), as it is completely free, and it's actually really easy to publish on there, however like I said, it is really hard to make sales, which is why if you do it, i recommend signing up to KDP select, so more people can read your book. Good luck!!
Sumayyah Akhoon
Hii Ava! ahh that means a lot, thanks! So, even though Kidnapped is my most popular one, I’d probably say I think Killer at the Mansion is the best one out of them. I think because like it has more of a story to it compared to the other ones, and there's just like more going on in it too.
Sumayyah Akhoon
Hii Izzy! I only have a few short e-books out, but if I had to pick, despite Kidnapped being my most popular one, I'd probably say my favourite is Killer at The Mansion. I think maybe just because I enjoyed writing that one the most, and it was fun to put together.
Sumayyah Akhoon
Yes, I do get paid, monthly, but verryyy little, especially since I've only published short e-books so far! I self published on AmazonKDP, and from my experience, I find it very hard to make a sale, which is why I joined a programme called KDP select, so if someone has Kindle Unlimited (where you pay monthly to read books for free), they can read mine and I get a tiny bit of money for every page they read. So in the end I do get paid, although it isn't much, but it still is something!
Sumayyah Akhoon
Hiiiiii Mia!!! Such a good question, and a tough one too, because i haven’t been writing recently 😅, BUT when I was writing, I would try to do it every day. I aimed for around 30 mins to an hour a day. I didn’t always get loads done, but I’d set really small goals, like 100 words a day, just so I kept making progress. I used to write every day if I could, or mostly on weekends when I had more time. I was super motivated by certain scenes I needed to get to, like if one was stuck in my head, I had to write my way there, which helped a lot.
As for balancing writing with personal life, honestly the biggest thing that helped me was keeping it low pressure. I didn’t force myself to write lots every single day, but I made space for it when I could. I treated writing like something I WANTED to do, not something I HAD to do. That mindset made it way easier to balance with everything else going on.
So I'd say try setting small, realistic goals. U don’t need to write lots every day, just focus on showing up consistently. Even tiny progress is still progress, and it adds up more than u'd think. Good luck!! :)
As for balancing writing with personal life, honestly the biggest thing that helped me was keeping it low pressure. I didn’t force myself to write lots every single day, but I made space for it when I could. I treated writing like something I WANTED to do, not something I HAD to do. That mindset made it way easier to balance with everything else going on.
So I'd say try setting small, realistic goals. U don’t need to write lots every day, just focus on showing up consistently. Even tiny progress is still progress, and it adds up more than u'd think. Good luck!! :)
Sumayyah Akhoon
I keep reminding myself that every writer, even the ones you look up to, messes up a ton. The only way to get past that fear is to just do it anyway. Write the messy draft, read over it, fail a little, because that’s literally how u get better.
Also try to think of "failure" as practice, not a final score. And don’t be afraid to make messy first drafts, you can always fix them later. Remember why you started writing in the first place, ur love for stories and creating worlds. Keep that in your heart, let that motivate you, and let it push you forward even when you’re scared.
One thing that really helped me was stop comparing my writing to others. Everyone’s path is different and honestly the only person you should be trying to beat is yourself. Think about it, do u really think all those amazing authors got here without facing fear or failure? Nopee, they got past it by not giving up! So be patient and don’t beat urself up when it gets tough or when you feel stuck bc that’s totally normal.
So keep pushing, keep writing, and don’t let fear take away what you have to say! You’ve got something only you can share, so keep going!
(thanks for asking!)
Also try to think of "failure" as practice, not a final score. And don’t be afraid to make messy first drafts, you can always fix them later. Remember why you started writing in the first place, ur love for stories and creating worlds. Keep that in your heart, let that motivate you, and let it push you forward even when you’re scared.
One thing that really helped me was stop comparing my writing to others. Everyone’s path is different and honestly the only person you should be trying to beat is yourself. Think about it, do u really think all those amazing authors got here without facing fear or failure? Nopee, they got past it by not giving up! So be patient and don’t beat urself up when it gets tough or when you feel stuck bc that’s totally normal.
So keep pushing, keep writing, and don’t let fear take away what you have to say! You’ve got something only you can share, so keep going!
(thanks for asking!)
Sumayyah Akhoon
My biggest writing tip for young writers is to not give up! Be patient and persistent. Writing is a skill that grows over time, and every draft you write teaches you something new. Don’t worry about being perfect from the start, focus on finishing your story FIRST, then go back and improve it. And always stay curious: ask questions, explore new ideas, and don’t be afraid to take risks with your writing (have fun with it!)
Also try getting feedback. Listen to advice and feedback, but always trust urself and your own ideas. Your story is special because it comes from you.
And last of all, I know being a young writer sometimes feels like you’re not good enough or that you r too young to write something great. but don’t let that stop you. Your age gives you a fresh, special perspective that only you have. So keep going!
(thanks for asking!)
Also try getting feedback. Listen to advice and feedback, but always trust urself and your own ideas. Your story is special because it comes from you.
And last of all, I know being a young writer sometimes feels like you’re not good enough or that you r too young to write something great. but don’t let that stop you. Your age gives you a fresh, special perspective that only you have. So keep going!
(thanks for asking!)
Sumayyah Akhoon
Yes I’ve definitely felt imposter syndrome before in little ways. Like wondering if my writing is even good enough or if I am even an actual writer, just because I’m young or self-published or even the fact that all that I have published so far is only short e-books.
But honestly what helped me most was holding onto the reason I started writing in the first place, because I love it. I had this strong motivation inside me like “I have stories to tell, and I’m going to tell them no matter what.” I kept reminding myself that someone out there might connect with what I write, even if it's not perfect. I didn’t wait to feel confident or even like “qualified”, I just wrote.
And trust me if u r feeling this rn, that feeling fades when u see even one person connect with ur work. Every kind comment, every person who says they enjoyed my story, it reminds me what I’m doing matters.
So if u ever feel tht way pls know your not alone and ur voice is valid. You don't have to be super experienced, or traditionally published or anything like that to be a real writer. You just have to write. And keep on writing. And believe in your story and urself. That's enough :)
(also thanks for asking this!)
But honestly what helped me most was holding onto the reason I started writing in the first place, because I love it. I had this strong motivation inside me like “I have stories to tell, and I’m going to tell them no matter what.” I kept reminding myself that someone out there might connect with what I write, even if it's not perfect. I didn’t wait to feel confident or even like “qualified”, I just wrote.
And trust me if u r feeling this rn, that feeling fades when u see even one person connect with ur work. Every kind comment, every person who says they enjoyed my story, it reminds me what I’m doing matters.
So if u ever feel tht way pls know your not alone and ur voice is valid. You don't have to be super experienced, or traditionally published or anything like that to be a real writer. You just have to write. And keep on writing. And believe in your story and urself. That's enough :)
(also thanks for asking this!)
Sumayyah Akhoon
At 2:49 am, she woke to the sound of relentless whispering crawling out from under her bed. Just as she leaned over to have a quick look, her phone buzzed with a message from her sister: "It says if you look, it will take you next."
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