A.T. Qureshi, author of The Baby Dragon Bakery, with some words of wisdom for writers.
So you’ve decided to be an author—this is how not to lose your mind.
To start, a bit about me: My name is Aamna Qureshi, I am the author of six books (with four more scheduled), and I haven’t lost my sanity just yet (at least not entirely). I’ve been an author for about five years now, if we’re counting from when I got my first book deal in August 2020, though I spent about five years querying projects on and off before then. My first book was published in 2021, then there was another each in the years 2022-2024. 2025 has seen me publish two books, with a third coming at the end of August, and 2026 is following a similarly busy schedule of three books. A lot, I know!
While I absolutely adore being an author, it is absolutely work, which means that it can be quite difficult at times. To help manage that, I’ve had to find some strategies. The advice I outline below is what I have found works for me. Take it with a grain (or many grains) of salt.
What You Cannot Control
My first bit of advice: you must understand that nearly every aspect of this career is out of your control. It’s a maddening concept, but one you have to grapple with quickly if you hope to retain a semblance of sanity. You cannot control how much you will be paid, how much marketing your book will get, what type of distribution it will have, who will blurb it, if there will be special editions, and on and on and on. You can be clear in communicating to your agent, editors, and publishing teams about what you hope for, but there is never any guarantee—and that is all before the book has even been published.
Once the book is actually released, it is completely out of both your and the publisher’s hands how the book will do. You must accept this. There is no other way. You cannot make your book an instant bestseller, nor can you snag yourself a movie deal. You can try your best, but there’s no precise formula to a book’s success. So do not pour over reviews (ban GoodReads, I beg of you). Do not check Amazon rankings. Do not ask for constant sales reports. While it is good to be informed, I have found that too much information can be frustrating and disheartening, which then detracts one’s energy and effort from what is important.
What You Can Control
Which leads me to my next point: keep your focus on what is in your control. The biggest thing—and quite possibly the most important thing—that is in your control is your work: the actual writing. I’ve found it helps to always be working on the next thing. I had written a few novels before I got my first literary agent and book deal.
Staring at an empty mailbox is dispiriting, but there must be joy in writing, in creating. When I was starting out, of course my goal was to be published and have my work read, but there was a part of me that felt it would be worth it anyway, because each book had been a joy for me to write. You have to love the work. That doesn’t mean that it will be fun all of the time, but if you can find a way to enjoy crafting stories, that will set you up for so much more fulfillment.
In regards to the work itself, my advice is to always ensure that you are writing something that you are proud of. Do not bend and break your art to fit into an arbitrarily decided mold because it is never worth it; I say this as a Pakistani-American and Muslim author who has been told to make her work more palatable to the white gaze. I knew if I did that, I would lose the heart of my story and ultimately would not be proud of my final product. It’s alright to pass up opportunities if you don’t feel they are right for you. I think it’s more important to be pleased with your work because then even if it does not do as well as you had hoped, there is still satisfaction to be had. I would also say that you shouldn’t worry too much about what is trending; write the story that you want to write.
A.T. Qureshi: Be Mindful
My next point is that while it is a good thing to push yourself, be mindful not to push yourself too hard. You will burn out. There is no race to get published, despite how social media might make things appear. You are not behind. You have not missed your chance. The world is waiting for your work, whether it takes a year or a decade. Do not give yourself anxiety and rush yourself because of some imaginary deadline that you have imposed onto yourself. Your art will suffer and so will you. Additionally, if you have begun your work, there is no shame in needing to take a break, nor is there shame in needing to take your time with a project. Again, you set your pace; do not be cruel to yourself.
Lastly, I’ve had to learn not to revolve my entire life around writing. Having good work-life balance is absolutely vital to retaining your sanity. Try to learn when to set the proverbial pen down. Take days off. Spend time with friends and family. Read books for fun. Explore new places. Try new foods. Pick up a hobby that doesn’t involve words. Overall, live your life because that is what helps you strengthen your craft. There must be balance in all things.
Hopefully this is all helpful advice. I am by no means an expert, but these are some things that help me to stay sane in this incredibly fickle and erratic career. It is also good to remember that I wouldn’t be doing this unless I loved it, and god, do I love it. There’s absolutely nothing like it, and for all the pains writing has brought me, it has brought me that much more joy. It’s worth it, in the end. It is always worth it. If you keep working hard, you’ll get there eventually. Good luck!
(c) A.T. Qureshi
A. T. Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. Aamna grew up on Long Island, New York, in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Much of her childhood was spent being grounded for reading past her bed-time, writing stories in the backs of her notebooks, and being scolded by teachers for passing chapters under the tables. Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity.
About The Baby Dragon Bakery by A.T. Qureshi
Will it be a recipe for romance? Or a friendship up in flames?
Lavinia has it all. A loving family (complete with adorable pet baby dragon). A place at university training to be a magical animal vet. And a part-time job at the enchanting Baby Dragon Cafe. The only thing she doesn’t have is her one true love: Theo.
Theo is the local baker and her best friend. On paper, they’re perfect: he’s funny, she’s witty. He’s sweet, and she’s a little salty. That’s why they’ve been friends for as long as they can remember. They’ve never been without one another – and it’s clear to everyone that they’re meant to be.
Everyone except Theo. Because when Lavinia finally makes her move, he pulls away.
Lavinia is devastated. Has this friendship gone up in smoke? Or will Theo finally realise that he wants them to be more than friends?
The perfect dual POV, friends-to-lovers cozy fantasy, with HEA guaranteed!
Order your copy of The Baby Dragon Bakery by A.T. Qureshi online here.
And see here for more Resource articles on Writing.ie.
