Meet Tycho Dwelis | Artist, Author, and Self-Publishing Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tycho Dwelis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tycho, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As soon as I entered the field of art and writing, I knew that I wouldn’t be happy working under someone else, unless on a freelance basis.

In the field of illustration, there are very few positions to begin with that require an artist to work under someone else, so that was an easy choice. I made a decision early on while I was still attending art school that I wanted to be a freelance illustrator that helped bring creatives’ comics, books, and dreams to life. That was an easy choice, and fortunately, because so many other artists already do it, I had a very clear roadmap on how to do it — I just had to get to the destination.

For publishing, that was an entirely different matter. I have always wanted to publish books. When I was in high school, I sent in query letter after query letter to agents and editors (even though my work at the time was not nearly good enough to make it out of the slush pile). Frustrated with the lack of response, I decided to do it myself. I looked into something that was very new at the time: indie publishing through print-on-demand services. That was the beginning of the decision to start my own publishing company, and what eventually led me to publish five award-winning books entirely on my own, creating the product from start to finish with no help from anyone else except book marketers. Everything that comprised the book was mine: the cover design, the interior design, the illustrations, and — of course — the words. Nothing compared to holding such a project in my hands, and I vowed to never let someone else decide whether or not my work was worthy.

Finally, after getting my MA in Publishing, I was ready to also set up freelance services that allow me to help others do the same thing, whether that be by editing their books, helping them navigate the process of publishing a book for the first time, or illustrating their books. I became a one-stop shop for publishing needs and never looked back.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art and books are, most importantly, storytelling tools. My goal as a creative has always been to tell stories that matter, whether that be by writing stories and creating art that champion the underdogs of the world and make people feel seen, or by including characters in my work that are typically not represented in mainstream literature. I love to write or illustrate themes that include LGBTQ+ folks, people of color, people with disabilities, or anyone else that is marginalized and forgotten. My main goal is to take people by the hand and pull them into worlds that they can get lost in, and introduce them to characters that they can call their friends and family.

The biggest challenge for me has really come in terms of visibility. Being a trans indie author and artist, I don’t have the luxury of having a multi-million dollar marketing team to help me get my work in front of people. I often am working down to the very last penny in terms of budget, and that results in stories that are very important to tell being seen by very few people. The main thing that gives me hope in all of this and that helps more than most people realize is reviews. Reviewers on Etsy, for example, are so important to me. To get real feedback from real people that tells me they love my art means the world to me. Sending out my books to reviewers and consistently getting five stars on all of the books I have ever written and published is the ultimate victory. It definitely helps me say, “Oh, okay. These books are not selling not because they’re bad – people love them. They’re not selling because I’m small right now.” And that’s *huge*. Definitely a lot of comfort from that, so thank you on behalf of all small artists and authors to the people who leave reviews because that means the world to us.

If there’s anything I’ve been forced to learn from all of this, it’s that patience is just the name of the game. As an indie creative, you have to just keep creating. Don’t stop. Make something new or work toward a new project every day. Eventually, something will catch, and when it does, all of your hard work will pay off! And that’s exactly what I plan on doing — even though it’s hard sometimes (okay, maybe most of the time), I don’t plan on giving up because I know that the stories I have to tell are going to make people laugh, cry, and maybe even grow.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Because I tend to hang out in both the Colorado Springs and Denver areas, I have lots of places to share!

1. I’m obsessed with sushi, so Hapa Sushi is a must. They have several locations all over Denver and the surrounding area. The late-night happy hour from 10 PM to midnight is a game-changer, and you can get so much sushi and other delicious hot food for an absolute deal. Their sushi is some of the best in Colorado at that price (and I would know. I’ve eaten a *lot* of sushi).

2. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of the best zoos in the country. This zoo was ranked at #5 in 2021, so if you know an animal-lover in your life who wants to get up close and personal with animals in exhibits that look almost like art, this is a great place to go. For those going on foot, the zoo is literally on a mountain so get ready for a hike, but for those who need accommodation they have a shuttle that runs up and down the zoo all day! Oh, they also have one of the oldest carousels I’ve ever seen (it was made in 1933).

3. Mount Princeton Hot Springs and Resort is the best hot spring in Colorado in my humble opinion. I started going there when they had one pool and still used the original historic shack to check people into the pool, and the hot springs has bloomed into one of the most luxurious getaways I have ever experienced. If you can, book a room and go hang out in the 21+ pool. Not only do they have a bar, but you can also avoid the screaming children in the lower pools. The best time to go is in the winter. Nothing is more magical than watching snowflakes melt into a hot spring.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to give a shoutout to the true MVPs that support my work, whether that be those that pledge to my Patreon and allow me to keep a roof over my head, the readers who decide to take a risk and read an indie book not published by a major publishing company, or the diehard fans that hang out with me when I stream live on Twitch throughout the week.

Website: https://www.tychodorian.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tycho_dorian/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tycho_dorian

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tychodorian

Other: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/tycho_dorian Full DeviantArt Gallery: https://www.deviantart.com/tychodorian