From manuscript to marketplace: Students explore self-publishing

Two undergraduate students studying in the Department of English are leaving their marks through the self-publishing world. Their journeys may have started with the same passion for storytelling, but their paths to publication took different routes.

“As a kid, I made up stories,” said Aidan Mason, a rising senior who is double majoring in creative writing and professional and technical writing. “That was my version of play.”

The Department of English is home to hundreds of writers, but not all take initiative to self-publish their own novels while juggling the weight of heavy coursework.

“Classes in the English department teach students to find and use their unique voices,” said Ashley Reed, director of the undergraduate program. “I’m impressed but not surprised that Aidan and Ruhi are already making their mark on the literary world.”

Mason said one of the biggest obstacles with self-publishing is figuring out how the publishing industry works. Self-published authors take on the work of an entire agency: writing, editing, formatting, designing covers, printing, and marketing their novels solo. While demanding, many authors prefer to make these sacrifices for creative freedom.   

“When I was deciding between self-publishing and traditional publishing, I realized self-publishing would benefit me more,” said Ruhi Parikh, also a rising senior double majoring in creative writing and professional and technical writing. “Self-publishing is so underrated. It’s modern, flexible, and gives you full control. You can shape your own timeline until every piece fits perfectly into place.”

Originally, Parikh hadn’t planned to formally publish her work. She posted a few chapters on Wattpad, an online platform where writers can share their stories with a global audience, for fun and gained a lot of support from the writing community. A friend encouraged her to create a BookTok account on TikTok to share her creativity among a broader audience. After posting a few videos referencing scenes from her story, Parikh woke up one morning to find her account had gone viral. Thousands of viewers were hooked on her plot, flooding her comments with encouragement, asking her to release the full story, and telling her it had real publishing potential.

Mason and Parikh each self-published novels independently, but both credit the Department of English with helping them grow into more distinct writers. Their courses pushed them to develop their own styles and gave them the peer support they needed to keep writing and publishing. Both hope their journeys will inspire other students to take a chance, tell the stories that need to be heard, and share their visions with the world.

“The creative writing classes at Virginia Tech have been especially helpful,” Mason said. “Being around other writers is refreshing. You critique each other’s work, recognize flaws in your own, and it’s creatively stimulating. Even if what I’m writing isn’t for class, just being in that environment motivates me to write more.”

He said his style has not drastically changed since taking creative writing courses, but they have helped them evolve as a writer, particularly in writing detailed descriptions.

Both Mason and Parikh agree that while self-publishing offers creative freedom, it also demands a high level of discipline. Mason recalled the challenges of designing and formatting his early novels, saying small mistakes like misjudging page sizes were a big learning curve. Parikh had a similar experience and said breaking into the publishing world felt intimidating at first. However, their passion helped them push through the doubt and insecurity of the unknown.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” Parikh said, offering advice to other student writers. “Accept constructive criticism but remember what you’re doing is impressive. Be brave with your stories and take chances. I don’t care what fears your inner monologue has told you, your story will resonate with someone out there.”

Mason describes his writing style as dark and macabre with a touch of humor. His stories tend to carry the intensity of an R-rated film. He believes he is versatile across genres with his “Memory Incident” novel blending dystopian and mystery elements, while his “Blood and the Stars” duology leans into the science-fiction and fantasy realm. He’s currently working on a new novel, “The Conquests of Robo-Pig,” a thriller inspired by a comic he and his brother created as children.

“I want my readers to feel like they’ve experienced something different rather than another generic book,” Mason said. “Even if people don’t like it, I want them to remember that I had a clear vision and took a chance.”

Parikh describes her writing style as bold and character-driven, with a strong focus on dialogue to progress the plot. Her stories center on her characters’ thoughts, decisions, and interactions with others. In her “Subversion” trilogy, Parikh said she mixes all the ingredients for a dystopian world: division between the rich and poor, a corrupt government, and a group of outsiders dead set on putting out the fire rather than letting their leaders pour more gasoline on it. She’s currently working on a new untitled novel that highlights the experiences of South Asian women and gives a strong voice to her Indian heritage.

Mason and Parikh also agree that self-publishing is not just about putting work into the world, but rather it’s about creative freedom and encouraging others to share their own unique stories without waiting for permission.

Written by Elizabeth Gill, advertising major and technical and professional writing minor