Over time, I’ve noticed how often writers turn obstacles into art. Some authors discover storytelling through lifelong dreams, others through unexpected encouragement, and many through sheer persistence. Marilynn Vicente’s journey is one of resilience, imagination, and refusing to let limitations define her. Despite growing up with dyslexia and not receiving the support she needed, she never let go of her love for stories. In 2024, she officially became a published author with the release of Annaecy, and honestly? That’s the kind of determination worth celebrating. I had a blast sitting down with her and hearing her story.
Nikki: Thanks so much for chatting with me, Marilynn! I always love hearing about people’s writing journeys. Was this something you always knew you’d do when you grew up?
Marilynn: I honestly thought I would be a famous author or have my own designing firm for people with disabilities. But even though I’m not a famous author, I did publish my own novel.
And that’s huge! The first step to becoming famous in any specific area is to become active there. I’d love to hear more about your journey to publication.
I am self-published. One of the college classes that I had to take in 2011 was a creative writing course. The writing teacher assigned a one sentence assignment. I remember being nervous that day since I had to read that one sentence out loud. The teacher then suggested that I should start writing. Because one day I’ll be a famous writer.
[Laughs] I don’t know about the being famous part. As soon as I got home, I wrote the fantasy part of Annaecy. The science fiction portion was later added in 2020 after numerous drafts, many endings, and writers block. By 2023, I was writing the last chapter, and by 2024, I released Annaecy on April 19.
I love that — my debut book was also an April release back in 2024. It was such a lovely time to enter the writing scene. I’d love to hear more about the writing routine that brought you to that release. What does it look like?
If I’m starting a new story, I have to start with at least knowing what genre it is. I go to YouTube and select that genre’s ambience to listen to. Once I am at least two to three chapters in, I try to listen to trance without vocals. Sometimes I am able to listen to trance with singing. It usually depends if I am confident and comfortable with listening to words when writing. In the end it depends on what genre I am going to write.
Love that. When you’re not writing, what do you listen to?
I listen to a lot of EDM, metal, rock, and classical music.
Me, too! The pathway from metal to classical has always felt so natural in my mind. And your debut, Annaecy, what’s it about? I want to envision the soundtrack you described.
Annaecy is a young adult sci-fi fantasy. It is a short read full of laughter and friendship. The characters learn from each others’ home planets. Content warnings can be found on my website.
I can definitely see trance music setting the scene for a sci-fi fantasy. What’s next for you as an author?
I am planning to self-publish a collection of short stories in the future — my 20 unfinished manuscripts. I already made the hard decision to pick which stories will be included in the collection. Most of those work in progress are between 20,000 to 60,000 words. It’s definitely going to be difficult to size them down to 8,000 words.
That’s a big task! I always love pairing text down, though. It gives me a chance to really reflect on the characters, even though they sometimes get under my skin. Do you find that you usually like your characters, or do they ever bug you?
I like most characters, like the nice ones, but it’s the villains that will get under my skin. I would like them to be nicer to the other characters. But the villains are necessary to the story.
They sure make a difference. [Laughs] I’ve heard some people joke that they started writing because they just had to write those characters out of their mind to get them to calm down. Was it like that for you, or did you kind of always know you’d be a writer?
Publishing a book was one of my childhood dreams.
I’ve loved writing since I was a child. While most of my friends went to the movies or to the mall, I found myself writing stories in my journal either on my bed or on the floor.
Since I have dyslexia and was diagnosed late, in middle school, I was only allowed to listen to Old MacDonald Had a Farm on cassette repeatedly. I was indeed miserable.
Once I got to high school, the reading material was modified. I wasn’t allowed to read freely. I still remember the titles The War of the Worlds, Macbeth, Lord of the Flies, The Crucible, The Great Gatsby. I was excited to read Frankenstein and fell in love with the first page, but it got yanked out of my hands and deemed “too dark” by a special education English teacher. I was devastated. I was allowed to read at least one book without the teacher stopping me: Ender’s Game.
I’m glad that I got to at least experience some reading, which left me wanting to read more books.
And write them, too! I love that you’ve always had that sci-fi fantasy appetite. What’s your advice for aspiring authors?
Be sure to do your research before you publish, whether it be in traditional publishing or self-publishing.
It’s important to treat other authors with respect and kindness. You’ll never know who is watching. Simply ignore the numerous arguments and drama that other authors make on social media.
Find writer friends, they’re nice to have and will support you along your writing journey. They will completely understand what you’re going through.
Its okay to take breaks. Have writing goals, and if you’re struggling to write, be sure to take few weeks away or give it a few days. There is no need to put yourself through writer’s block. Remember, writing is supposed to be fun and it’s not a marathon. Finish whenever you’re ready.
It’s okay to post and ask other authors for help when you’re ready to find an editor, cover book designer, where can you submit your manuscript, and so on. Oh, and be wary of scammers!
Excellent. Thanks so much for chatting with me today, Marilynn! Just one last question. What’s the best thing a reader has told you?
They enjoyed reading the story and felt like they were there alongside the characters and already knew them.
Honestly, that’s one of the best compliments a writer can receive. It means the world felt real. Thanks again for chatting, Marilynn!
Marilynn Vicente is an indie author whose determination and imagination deserve recognition. From overcoming obstacles with dyslexia to publishing her debut science fiction fantasy novel, she’s proof that storytelling belongs to anyone willing to keep writing. If you’d like to learn more about Annaecy or follow her future releases, check out her website.
Want to discover more indie authors across fantasy, horror, romance, sci-fi, and beyond? Keep an eye on my Indie Author Spotlight Series for more conversations with creative minds worth celebrating.