Dashboard Literary Agents Success Story Interviews Ayishah Hasni

Success Story Interview - Ayishah Hasni

An Interview with Ayishah Hasni (AyishahHasni on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Tali Shammas of Storm Literary Agency.

07/31/2026

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?: Ayishah Hasni:
My book is titled ONE THOUSAND AND ONE VOYAGES, and it is a retelling of the Arabian Nights tale of Sinbad the Sailor. I was first inspired to write it after the release of Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin—despite being a huge Disney fan, I wanted to write something that captured the beautiful tales of the Arabian Nights in a much more historically accurate and culturally respectful manner. My mother used to read the Nights to me as a child, and I had always been fascinated by them alongside many other fairy tales and folktales, but rarely saw them as the subject of retellings compared to stories such as Cinderella or Beauty and the Beast.

During my undergraduate studies, I took multiple classes about Islamic history, civilizations, and folklore. This led me to develop a strong fascination with the nautical history of the East, and I knew that I wanted to write something that reclaimed popular pirate tropes, especially because a great many of them actually belong to the Ottoman corsairs that once dominated the Mediterranean Sea. As a lover of Pirates of the Caribbean—the theme park ride as well as the film franchise—I wanted to create a story with the same humour and high-stakes as that, just with my own heritage featured in it.

I am deeply passionate about ethical Muslim representation in literature, as well as writing fantasy that draws on the beautiful and diverse traditions of the East. I want more Muslims to see themselves represented in speculative fiction not just as secondary characters, but as heroes who face universal struggles and succeed in saving the world.
QT: How long have you been writing?: Ayishah Hasni:
I know that saying “my whole life” is cliché, but it’s true! When I was little, I would most often write stories about talking animals on scrap pieces of paper, and during elementary school, those evolved into stories where my friends and I went on magical adventures. After that came my Fanfiction.net and Wattpad phase, where I primarily wrote stories for Percy Jackson & the Olympians and Harry Potter. I only started writing novels when I reached high school.
QT: How long have you been working on this book?: Ayishah Hasni:
To coincide with my original comment about the release of Aladdin, I wrote the first draft of ONE THOUSAND AND ONE VOYAGES (with a different title) in 2019, when I was still in high school. From 2022-2024, I did a complete rewrite. Overall, while balancing university and work, I would say that the total writing and editing process took two years. Even after I started querying in October of 2024, though, there were a few times where I had to stop and edit before returning to the trenches.
QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?: Ayishah Hasni:
There were too many times to count! It is not uncommon to hear stories of writers getting their agent very fast—and while I love nothing more than seeing other writers succeed, it’s also easy to spiral into imposter syndrome and comparing yourself to others. However, my reassurance was that even if there was a chance that I would not succeed, the only way that chance would be definite was if I gave up. Meaning that in my opinion, quitting feels worse than failing—even if at first you don’t succeed, at least you know you tried.

I also had support from amazing writing mentors such as Aamna Qureshi (author of the Baby Dragon Cafe series) and creative writing professors who frequently reminded me that all I needed was one ‘yes.’ And sure enough, my first ‘yes’ was from one of the very last queries I sent after surpassing one hundred.
QT: Is this your first book?: Ayishah Hasni:
No—it’s my third. I wrote the first two when I was a teenager and have not returned to editing them since. Regardless, I am incredibly proud of them, because I would not be at the stage I am now without them. I have written two more novels since ONE THOUSAND AND ONE VOYAGES, one of which saw the query trenches only for a very brief period, and the other of which is still a first draft. Evidently, I am the type of person who strongly believes in the importance of always writing something—not only because it is a great way of getting your mind off the stress of querying, but because it keeps the creative juices flowing! And if one project does not work out with literary agents, you can always move onto another.
QT: Do you have any formal writing training?: Ayishah Hasni:
Yes. I have a degree in English Literature with a concentration in Creative Writing. My Honours thesis was also a creative project supervised by a published author who was an excellent mentor to me along my writing journey.
QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?: Ayishah Hasni:
I try my best to write every day, mostly because I enjoy doing it. I used to set a time of thirty minutes to an hour, but lately, I have been setting a word count—usually around five hundred words. Of course, this schedule cannot always be adhered to, and that’s okay. I always advise writers to do whatever works for them!
QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?: Ayishah Hasni:
Yes. I can always depend on my amazing friends, and two of them read the entire manuscript for me and gave advice. I also had the privilege of being connected with Aamna Qureshi and Chelsea Abdullah (author of The Stardust Thief) through a literary fundraising event, who both read the first fifty pages of VOYAGES and offered some very helpful feedback.
QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?: Ayishah Hasni:
I always buy a gorgeous journal that matches the vibe of the manuscript I’m working on and do my outlines in there. There’s something about pen and paper that just helps me plan and organize my thoughts. I am definitely a plotter, but that’s how I am in all aspects of my life (everything always needs to be organized).
QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?: Ayishah Hasni:
I have been querying since October 2024, with a few breaks in between where I stopped and edited. In total, I would say that I queried for approximately thirteen months.
QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?: Ayishah Hasni:
About 125. I believe that the first query that turned out to be a ‘yes’ was around 105.
QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?: Ayishah Hasni:
If there was an instance where their manuscript wishlist aligned perfectly with my book, then yes. I included a short line at the top which read something like, “Given your interest in [XYZ], I am thrilled to offer you….” I know there’s some debate about whether personalizing your query letter is necessary, but I would say that it doesn’t hurt to show agents that you’ve done your research on them.
QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?: Ayishah Hasni:
Query in batches of 15-20. If agents aren’t biting, don’t hesitate to stop and revise. Each time you revise, you get better and better. More full requests. More personalized rejections with specific critiques you can implement. More R&R’s. The more positive responses you see, the more encouraging the process becomes, too. Rejections also become easier to handle, because you actively build a thicker skin.

Participate in pitch events on Twitter/X, Bluesky, and Instagram. Not only are they extremely fun and a great way to improve your graphic design skills, but they offer you a chance to connect with other writers on social media and gain industry attention (from both agents and editors). The writing community is also incredibly supportive and they will always remind you that you are not alone in your journey!

Most importantly of all, do not give up. It can take hundreds and hundreds of queries before you get your first ‘yes.’ That is not a reflection of your talent, either—it just means that the right agent is still out there waiting for you.
QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?: Ayishah Hasni:
Absolutely! I want to mention that my query letter references a one-on-one pitch meeting I had with an editor at a writing conference, as well as an interaction from an editor with one of my Twitter/X posts. These are connections I simply had the privilege of making throughout my querying journey, but they are absolutely not required to search for an agent. However, if you have made similar connections, I would recommend including them in your query letter.

Success Story Interview - Ayishah Hasni

Query Letter: