Interview with Arielle Zajas

Arielle and I met while we were participating in Crazy Editing Week hosted by the Young Writer's Workshop. We exchanged emails at the end of that week because we wanted to stay in touch.

What are your published works? (books, articles, etc.)

My published work is The Land of Oddities, which I wrote in 2023 and published in 2025. I am currently working on a sequel.

Have you won any awards? Which ones?

I have not won any awards yet.

When did you start seriously writing?

I started to write seriously in 2025, when I was editing The Land of Oddities, although I wrote stories inconsistently much earlier.

How long have you been an author?

I have been an author for at least 6 years. I wrote stories outside of school throughout my childhood, but around 2020 I decided I wanted to be an author and I haven’t stopped since!

What is your favorite genre to write?

My favorite genre to write is fantasy! I have experimented briefly in writing other genres— including sci-fi— but my favorite remains fantasy.

What is your favorite part of writing?

One of my favorite parts of writing is world-building! I have always been very imaginative and world building comes naturally to me. When I discovered I could draw maps of different countries and worlds, create diverse creatures and foods, and make whole histories, I became hooked! I also enjoy the writing process and mostly have fun with the process of editing.

What the hardest part of writing?

I struggle with finishing writing projects and meeting deadlines. Though I fail deadlines mainly due to the fact that they are self-made and too ambitious, finishing writing projects has been slow and difficult to learn. I am gradually getting better but it remains a fight. I also struggle with knowing how to plan out my books and in weaving all of the ideas together. Some of my goals as a writer include learning how to plan out my books better and to learn more about character arcs, an area that I am beginning to explore and discover.

What advice to you have for other writers?

I have two tips for young authors to follow: 

1) Cut the amount of works in progress (WIP) you have down to only one. I used to have many WIPs and found that I never made any progress on them because my attention was divided between 5+ different writing projects. (Also because I was busy with school and other commitments.) At first, cutting all of my WIPs down to one was difficult, and I felt creatively restricted. However, I soon realized that I was making progress on my remaining WIP. I also realized that all the other stories that I had ‘put aside’ were still going to be there for me to use when I wanted them! 

2) Try to write a little every day. Even ten minutes each day is so helpful! I have seen my writing grow so much when I set the goal of writing every day. I became motivated in my writing again when I realized I was making progress on my story! It doesn’t have to be an hour, or even thirty minutes— it can be as small as a sentence, or as large as a chapter.

What do you like to do besides writing?

Other hobbies I enjoy besides writing include playing piano, rock climbing, and reading. And —this may not count— petting my adorable tabby cat.

What is your favorite book? (besides the Bible)

One of my favorite books is The Lord of the Rings. This book specifically has impacted me so much. Tolkien’s works have heavily inspired me to write deep, meaningful stories! He also set a wonderful example of world-building that I try to emulate: a real, believable world with deep histories and ties that lead back to their heritage.

What is your favorite Bible verse?

One of my favorite Bible verses is: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalms 119:105 

Do you have a website or blog that we could check out?

No— currently I do not have a website or blog. Another thing on my to-do checklist :)

Thank you for coming! Readers, come back soon for another interview!