Wisconsin’s Aniya Warren became a children’s book author ahead of her first season with the Badgers

MADISON — Aniya Warren’s Wisconsin volleyball teammates were in for quite the surprise when they saw an Instagram post from the freshman libero.

When Warren was not preparing for her first year of college volleyball this summer, she was writing a now-published children’s book.

“Charlie (Fuerbringer) was like, ‘Aniya, you wrote a book? What is this?’” Warren said. “And then she read it, and she was like, ‘That’s actually really good, I actually really liked it.’”

Warren’s book — “I Am Human,” which is independently published and available for purchase on Amazon — combines her off-the-court writing passion with an important message about it being OK to make mistakes.

“We are human beings, and we make mistakes on a daily basis,” Warren said. “Even playing a sport and getting to this level, I made mistakes all along the way, and I’m still going to make them.”

The book includes illustrations of a volleyball player in a red No. 16 uniform — Warren’s number — in various situations where the character makes a common mistake with the common message that “I am human.” One of the pages, for example, shows the character at a classroom desk looking sad and says, “I am someone who sometimes gets a bad grade … but I am human.”

Warren has enjoyed writing, as it is an “easy way to open up my heart.” But that usually has been for herself rather than an audience of anyone who buys the book.

“I’m a very outgoing person socially and everything,” Warren said, “but for me to actually be on a deeper level and talk about mistakes and things going on in my life, I don’t really talk about those things.”

When she wrote “I am Human,” it was not necessarily with the intent to share anywhere.

“I was in my room one day, in my dorm room, and I just decided to write it,” Warren said. “I was talking with my mom about it. I never actually thought I’d publish it for real. And then Mom was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ And I was like, ‘Oh wait, we’re actually doing this?’”

The writing process “didn’t take long at all because it just came from the heart.” The illustration process, which she did herself with the help of AI, was not as fast.

“It’s actually harder than you think. … ChatGPT wants to change the person. No, I want to keep the person.”

She had the help of her parents and someone who has experience as a branding agent to then get it published and available for sale on Amazon, where it currently has a perfect five-star average rating.

The feedback from the book since its August release has been encouraging for Warren.

“The way that it’s actually being bought and people are reading it and are actually enjoying it — it makes me feel good that it’s actually having an impact,” Warren said.

Warren’s book endeavor unfolded all while she competed with fellow freshman Kristen Simon for the starting libero spot in the preseason. Simon won that competition, but Warren is “nipping on the heels” and “working hard,” Wisconsin coach Kelly Sheffield said Sept. 8.

She subbed in as a defensive specialist during Wisconsin’s matches against Kansas, UC Davis and No. 21 Georgia Tech and earned her first career start at libero against Chicago State. She had 17 digs against Chicago State, which is the most for any Badgers player this season in a three-set match.

“She’s talented,” Sheffield said. “She hasn’t gotten a ton of playing time primarily because our three pin-hitters do a really good job in the back row, and they take swings, which our defensive specialists don’t do. … So it’s a tough lineup to crack if you’re not No. 1 in the libero position. But I thought she did a really good job (against Chicago State).”

As for Warren’s writing outlook, she said there’s a 99% chance she will write another book. But the libero (and business student) wants it to be something she can “choose to do” rather than be obligated to do.

“Right now, it’s not a job, it’s a hobby,” Warren said. “And I enjoy the hobby. So I think, yeah, there probably will be another book. But I’m not going to say a deadline. … It’ll be more on my timing.”

Don’t count on her making a big deal of the next book, though. After all, Sheffield first learned of the first book when the Journal Sentinel brought it up in an interview.

“Hey, Aniya has a book?” Sheffield said to one of his players, who explained what they recently learned from Warren after the Instagram post.

Said Sheffield: “That’s pretty badass.”

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin’s Aniya Warren became a children’s book author ahead of her first season with the Badgers

Reporting by John Steppe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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