About Salem Miles:
Salem Miles is a dynamic young adult author with roots in South Africa and Zimbabwe. She discovered her passion for storytelling at the age of 14 and has since committed herself to crafting narratives that resonate deeply with readers, ensuring everyone feels heard and seen. When she’s not writing, Salem enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones, often accompanied by a cup of coffee and a fresh baguette.
What inspires you to write?
I think what inspires me to write is the idea that my work might make someone laugh or might make someone feel seen in this world. That has always been the reason I write; to make people feel something.
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
My Favorite authors have to be Danielle Steel, Chelsea Cameron, and Ana Huang. My first hard copy was My Favlrite Mistake by Chelsea Cameron, and I read it as a comfort book when I'm not writing. Fun fact, I do have her socials and whenever I'm in doubt or want tips, I shoot her a message and we talk! I think that's pretty cool really, being able to talk to one of my favourite authors now.
Tell us about your writing process.
So my writing process is sporadic. I do like to make a playlist before anything else, once the idea has come to mind and get a feel of what I want. Then I go to this park nearby me, sit there and just think. I'd like to call myself a planner, but as of late, I write as I go with a soft outline and then go back and edit later if I don't like it. I have this wall in my room where I just scribble like plans about the book I'm writing and throw things to see if it fits with what I'm trying to describe. Once that's done, I use Google docs to write down my first few drafts, then polish it with word, or sometimes just finish writing then and there. I used to sketch characters out but as of late I haven't, I'd often go on Pinterest and be like "ah yes that's who I want as my main character" and then tweak the appearance in my book.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Whew, I think to some extent I do listen to my characters. Sometimes I want to give my story shock value, but the more I write the story, the more I realize what a character needs versus what I want for a character, and if it doesn't fit in their development, then I won't include it.
What advice would you give other writers?
I would say three things; write the book, connect with others, and believe in yourself! There is so much you can achieve by believing in you and your capabilities, and even when the road gets tough (of which it does) it's really important to reflect on why you started writing and how far you've come since you said "I want to be a writer".
How did you decide how to publish your books?
So I've had a nitty gritty experience with a vanity press, and ever since then I've been an independent author, publishing my books myself. Of course, not everyone prefers this, but if you know what works for you, you know what works for you, and this definitely works for me! I would say explore your options before anything else, be well informed before publishing, and talk to people you may know both indie and trad authors to get a feel of what you want!
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I think we have a promising future as of book publishing. While the success of both trad and indie authors may vary, I do feel like we've come a long way in terms of inclusivity, diversity and technology! The world of book publishing is expanding, and I'm excited to see what it'll look like.
What genres do you write?: Young Adult and New Adult Romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
