Ten-year-old Tyhlar Holliway knew what she was going to be from an early age: a writer.
“Hi. I’m back. Did you miss me,” she wrote in her fourth grade journal. “Now I know what I want to be, which is a writer. I love to write, so this was easy for me to pick.”
Now, at 20-years-old, the LSU student has become a published author.
Holliway released her first book “Navigating the Maze: The High Schooler’s Roadmap to College Readiness” on Nov. 11, 2024. The book is a guide to help high school students have a successful transition into college. With 100 pages divided into eight chapters, it is a quick and insightful read that progresses from advice for freshman to seniors.
Holliway’s choice in the amount of chapters was purposeful, since the number eight represents new beginnings.
The main goal of her book is to explain how high school can be perceived as a maze, but one that can be successfully ventured through with guidance. Chapter one is about getting started as a freshman. This chapter answers questions on friendships, involvement, classes and more, which is used to guide students to finding their passion. Holliway writes about balancing challenging classes, while highlighting the importance of taking a break.
“The book is designed to be a companion that offers practical strategies, motivational stories that come from my life in high school and also insights to help high school students navigate throughout college,” Holliway said.
The final chapters in the book are focused on seniors, whether they are working on their applications or already admitted into their dream school. As a first generation college student, Holliway includes tips on creating an excellent resume and how to piece together all of their accomplishments from high school into one place.
Holliway started writing her book during the summer, the idea coming from her mentor DA Brittany Green. Back home in Shreveport, Holliway was acting as a mentor for students at her former high school, offering advice from her personal experiences as a first generation student, with a full ride to LSU. Green made Holliway realize that since she was already a mentor, she should put her insightful ideas into words.
Tyhlar Holliway posing with her book “Navigating the Maze: The High Schooler’s Roadmap to College Readiness.”
“She pushed the ideas and I grasped onto it,” Holliway said.
From there, she was partnered with the founder and CEO of the 10-time award winning author of “Dawn of a New Day 365”, Dawn Charleston Green. The two met up to twice a week throughout the summer to work on Holliway’s book. During the summer months, it was easier to knock more writing and editing out. Once the fall semester started, the English and political science double major, on the pre-law track, went from chapters being produced weekly to monthly.
Despite moments that challenged her, Holliway said everything she did constantly reminded her of her purpose. Even when things were slow, she remembered that this book was bigger than herself, and the book would be helping other people who were once in her shoes.
“After she returned to school, we adjusted our schedule, but her determination to complete the project never waivered,” Charleston-Green said.
Originally from Mansfield, Louisiana, now residing in Grovetown, Georgia, Charleston-Green mentors aspiring young authors through her Rising Author Academy. She has written five books and won awards such as the 2022 Best Book Award Finalist for her books “5-Day Morning C.O.F.F.E.E.” and “Heeeyy Dandelion,” along with the 2023 Golden Wizard Book Prize for “Rudy the Smart Kid.” Beyond being an author, she is a disabled veteran with 11 years of service in the United States Army.
Charleston-Green was first connected with Holliway during her internship at the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office with Brittany Green. Despite not having any relation at all, the Green’s both are from Mansfield, attended Northwestern State University and served in the military. She said Holliway stood out as an intern, and she was easy to work with as she already had the outline and goals for what she wanted to accomplish.
“Working with someone as driven as Tyhlar strengthens my own commitment to the process,” Charleston-Green said.
The process of publishing starts with having an idea and being intentional about saying it well. Then, you educate yourself on the publishing process such as copywriting, formatting, printing, distribution, branding, marketing and more. Charleston-Green emphasizes that her authors identify their “Advanced Readers”, who get to read the book before its published.
“This group of people are individuals who receive early access to review the manuscript for content alignment, structural consistency and aesthetics,” Charleston-Green said. “These readers also provide valuable testimonials that can be used for pre-marketing efforts, making this step a crucial part of the publishing process.”
Holliway’s next step is bringing her book to her old high school to further her mentorship over winter break. This is so students who have read the book or are working on reading the book, have the ability to ask her questions that might not be fully clear in the text. She does not only want it to be a book, but a conversation.
“It was so surreal that when I was 10-years-old I was like ‘I am going to be a writer’,” Holliway said. “Now, I am an actual writer, publishing a book.”
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