Bio

Ayesha is an Author Accelerator certified book coach in fiction. She has interned in the publishing industry for both literary agencies and small presses, and has student taught eighth grade social studies. In 2023, she decided to put these two together to become a book coach. She now runs Writing Power Up.

Ayesha ticks quite a few minority boxes: she grew up with a visual impairment, recently started taking ADD/DEPRESSION medication and grew up as a Pakistani Muslim post-9/11. This, plus her living in both the U.S. and Canada, gives her the opportunity to understand a lot of different perspectives, even those that seem to contradict each other. She uses this to help her clients write the novel of their heart.

Pronouns: She/Her

MSWL

My primary love is fantasy. Big, epic worlds or smaller scale stories focusing on a single community/group, I'm open to it all. I love the feeling of sinking into someone else's experience, living their life and exploring different possibilities.

Other genres I love are grounded sci fi, historical fiction and all genres of MG. My preferences focus more on writing style than subgenre, so if what you have doesn't quite fit my list but you're vibing with my tastes, I'm happy to read it.

The most important thing to me is character. Whenever I DNF a book, it's because I either don't understand why the protagonist is doing what they're doing (motivation) or the character has very little personality beyond what the plot requires. I love complex characters with deep emotions and motivation. In real life, I don't believe that people are all good or all bad, that there's always a reason for their actions, and this extends to fiction. This, to me, is very different than morally gray characters. I want to root for characters who strive to do good, but I love it when the definition of "good" varies from situation to situation and person to person.

That said, plot is also very important to me. I want something to change in each chapter, whether that's a "big" plot reveal or a "smaller" character shift (the quotes are there because I don't consider anything in a story "small"; if it works, it's all big). I'm not a fan of anything described as "cozy" or "atmospheric."

Other things I like:

• Nuanced character relationships: Stories truly come alive for me when the secondary characters influence and complicate the narrative as much as the antagonist.
• Multi-POV: Not a must, but a story feels deeper to me when there's at least one other character providing contrast.
• Well-thought out worldbuilding: Even if it's a school or a neighborhood or a cabin in the woods, I like details that make the location feel lived-in.
• Inclusion of mental health. You put your characters through a world of difficulties both before and during your novel. I want to see how that impacts their lives and how they deal with it.

Things I'm hesitant about

• Romance: I was one of those teens who was against anything "cute" or "romantic," and I've only started recovering in the past 3-4 years. I love the idea of enemies to lovers, so I don't mind some unhealthy behavior at the beginning, but what I really want are relationships that keep developing long after the first sex scene and feelings that thrive on more than just looks.
• Stories set in our world. Real-world stories hit a little too close to home for me so I usually prefer second world fantasies. That said, I enjoy a solid MG or YA story set at school or a small-scale adult story that explores nuance. An example of the latter is Nowhere but Home by Liza Palmer. The death penalty is the reason Queenie gets her job but instead of taking a stance, Palmer focuses on the impact it has on all people involved, including the police officers.
• Stories that involve fantasy races. Multiple races can very easily slide into racism but, again, if your story focuses on nuance rather than broad strokes, I'm all for it.
• Horror. Maybe I'm un-scare-able or maybe I start to disconnect when it shows up; either way, horror doesn't work on me. Unless the horror elements serve more than one purpose, I prefer not to read it.
• Oppressive empires. You can have an empire in your world, but if it's only purpose is to demonstrate its might and dehumanize a certain group, then I don't want to read about it.

Authors I love and what I love most about their work

• Brandon Sanderson, especially his complex character work in The Stormlight Archives and the Skyward series.
• Suzanne Collins and how she handles difficult topics in an effective, but not gory, way.
• Rick Riordan's Greek mythology series and how his characters solve conflict with the resources they have.
• Tamora Pierce's worldbuilding
• The Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo and how the stakes build with each new POV chapter.
• The Three Dark Crowns series by Kendare Blake and how the characters themselves drive the conflict.
• Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman and how, just like Percy Jackson, the characters solve problems in creative ways and the fostering of community in such dire circumstances
• The Goddess Girls series by Suzanne Williams and Joan Holub and the organic character arcs that teach, but not preach, important life lessons to young kids.

Q&A

How can a manuscript’s first five pages make you sit up and take notice?

Immersion. I like to be right inside the character's head and "see" every detail filtered through their worldview.

A character whose reactions are shaped by the pressures in their normal world. Whether they are actively doing something to alleviate those pressure or just trying to get by, I like a protagonist who is very clearly a product of their upbringing. Give me opinions, give me emotions, no matter how strong.

Good use of exposition. I'm not someone who believes you must cut out all exposition in your first pages because there's no way I'll connect with a character without knowing who they are or what they care about. But I appreciate a writer who can keep explanations down to 1-2 sentences at a time.

What can writers expect from working with you during #RevPit, including communication?

My motto is that I will work with what's on the page; no tropes, no preconceived notions of how I think stories should be told. This means that on my first read through a manuscript, I'm seeking to find the heart of the story. This first pass results in an editorial letter where I outline your strengths (because of course you have them!), a big picture analysis of character arc and plot progression and some suggested next steps.

From there, it's up to the writer how we proceed, whether they want to take my suggested next steps or focus on another aspect of their story. I'm always available to answer questions through email and will respond within twenty-four hours. I use craft-based techniques (there are a lot of them, so don't be afraid of being trapped in a box) and provide specific feedback that can immediately be acted upon. I strive to create a safe environment where you feel comfortable to make mistakes, ask questions and share whatever emotions come up for you.

Remember, we're both working toward the same goal: for you to craft the strongest, most authentic stories that you're capable of.

What do you expect from writers during the #RevPit revision process, including communication?

I like to tailor communication to my client's needs, which means I expect them to know what their needs are. Are you someone who needs to read and digest feedback? Are you someone who likes to talk things out? Are you someone who wants to study an aspect of writing while you make changes? I also appreciate it when writers know what kind of story they're telling. This way, when we look at structural changes, we're moving toward your vision and not away from it.

What hobbies do you have outside of writing and editing?

I'm a die-hard hockey fan. I don't just watch the games of my favorite team, the Montreal Canadiens, but enjoy watching any game in the NHL or PWHL. I have two black belts in martial arts: one in Tae-Kwon-Do from when I was young and more recently in Muay-Thai. Besides that, I love all types of physical activity, all except hiking (I got wittwe wegs). I'm not a gym buff, but I honestly find working out to be fun. In the past year I've started to get into D&D and, of course, I love writing.