Today we’d like to introduce you to Dylan West

Hi Dylan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.

The book Salamandastron, by Brian Jacques, turned me into a reader and writer when I was in the 8th grade. This was the first book I read purely for fun, not for a grade. That summer, I wrote a 400 page novel on wide-ruled notebook paper with a number 2 pencil. And though the book was terrible, it gave me valuable experience, which led me to write another novel I wouldn’t publish. But novel number three was Scribes’ Descent, my first published work.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

My biggest struggle was getting chapter one “just right” in Scribes’ Descent. I rewrote that chapter about 105 times over a 6 year period. I joke with people that chapter one was harder than the rest of the novel combined. There were times I wondered if I could ever get it right. As a writer, there are a million ways to mess up a work. If you fix one flaw just to create a new one, it can get discouraging fast. Luckily, something in me just wouldn’t stop fixing problems, making new ones, and fixing those too. I even wrote over 500,000 words of critique of other works as part of these writing communities. All that editorial mileage has utterly transformed my writing. My main critique partner of over 12 years tells me that my first drafts are better now than my latest drafts when I got started.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I write Christian-based, young adult sci-fi and fantasy novels. I’m known for massive world building and including hard science and engineering into the story without overwhelming readers. I’m most proud of the attention to details that I pour into each book and for giving readers something they can’t find in other books. I create new sapient creatures–I don’t use trolls, dragons, orcs, dwarves–any of the familiar fare. Readers come to my work for a completely new experience. I draw from 8 years of experience as a nuclear operator and electrician in the US Navy to make the science as detailed and realistic as I can. Reviews often cite my writing as clean, smooth, and easy-to-read. I believe the hundreds of critiques I get for my books and the hundreds of hours I spend focusing on readability gives the readers a good experience. I’m one of the only authors who writes Christian sci-fi and who has built a related video game, too.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?

So far, it’s all been good luck. Well, it’s really God’s answers to my many prayers over the decades. I found a talented and faithful friend over 13 years ago who has read everything I’ve ever written in that time and gives extremely helpful feedback at all stages of the work, including the initial brainstorming and outlining. That friend also cut me a check for $2,500 to help me start my own publishing company–Pickle Jar Press, LLC! I live in Hampton Roads, VA, which has a super supportive indie author community and lots of well-organized farmers markets where I sell over a thousand of my books each year. My family and friends are supportive of my writing and so are my local writing groups. And I have a fervent fanbase now, some of whom have read Scribes’ Descent over 12 times in the last two years! One shopper at a comicon bought 2 of my books with $200 and told me to keep the change! I am gradually understanding just how blessed I am.

Pricing:

• Scribes’ Descent paperback $9.99 (Amazon)
• Scribes’ Descent hardcover $19.99 (Amazon)
• Scribes Aflame paperback $12.99 (Amazon)
• Scribes Aflame hardcover $20.99 (Amazon)
• Scribes’ Descent ebook $2.99 (Amazon)-Kindle

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dylanwestauthor.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanwestauthor/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078540828516
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/DylanWestAuthor