Published at 17 Years Old

by Hannah Hall
(Pembroke, Ontario, Canada)

I've always liked reading and writing and have been writing since I was in grade 1, where we had writing time every day to write and then share our stories. Ever since, I've been writing my own books. I have been to a writing workshop, working with and meeting published authors who are happy to help you along.

I wrote during my free time, and although I didn't always like my ideas, I wrote anyway because I love doing it. I would get ideas from other books I read or movies I watches, something that happened in my life, or once even a dream. Anything can become a story if you want it to.

When I wrote my book, The Dystopia, it was my favourite one yet. Two of my friends had been reading it as I wrote it, and they told me that I should try to get it published. My mom thought I should too, but I didn't know how. I was too nervous to send it to an editor, thinking they would reject it.

Then my mom found an article in the newspaper about a self-publishing webiste called Lulu.com. In the article, it had everything you needed to know about publishing any type of book you wanted by yourself. I checked it out at www.lulu.com and decided I would use this website to get myself published.

I edited my book myself first, and then I had my two friends read it over and suggest any changes, additons, or anything I should take out. After that, my mom read through it a few times for grammar and spelling, and of course, she had her own suggestions too.

When that was all done, I uploaded the book onto the site and published it.

Through Lulu.com, people can publish just about anything they want. They have options for hardcover and softcover books, comic books, textbooks, and more. If someone does not have the programs to create their own covers, lulu.com has their own set up so people can create the covers and set up their own prices through the website.


They have their own marketing system too. A person can get their own storefront to display their work, or purchase different marketing packages to help get their book out into the world.

At first, not many people knew about my book. It was mostly just close family memebers and friends that bought copies through me or through the site. Eventually, my friends and family started telling other people and they started to ask me about. Being a very shy person, I wasn't sure how to handle it.

The librarian at my school found out through my friends and bought a copy for the library. My music teacher then had the idea to have a book signing in the library to promote it. Everyone thought it was a great idea and it was set up.

The librarian had the local newspaper come in and do a write up about it too. Since then, everyone has been asking me about my book and where they can get a copy. I either give them the website or they buy a copy from me.

So far, people have seemed very interested in my book when I tell them what it is about. My friends and family who have read it all agree that it is good, and when they talk about, it helps promote it a lot.

I have also published a poem book through the same website. People have been buying it almost as much as my novel, which surprised me. I didn't think poems would be as popular as a novel.

I am still learning about publishing and marketing, and probably will be for a long time. But my self publishing experience has been a good one, and I encourage anyone who loves to write to try it. You never know who will be interested in your writing.

Visit Hannah's Lulu store.