KYRYLO TESLENKO: “2022 Became The Push For Me To Start Writing Short Stories”

Kyrylo Teslenko is a Ukrainian writer for whom russia’s war against Ukraine became the turning point that pushed him to fully pursue his literary path. Kyrylo had been writing since childhood, but his first truly serious work became his novel Island.

The author didn’t want to portray people with superhuman abilities – on the contrary, his characters are ordinary individuals who, as part of a competition, find themselves on an island where only one of them can win the prize and survive according to the rules. Kyrylo opened up with Drive Music Media about the beginning of his writing journey, the first presentation of his book, and the deeper meanings he wove into his story.

Interviewer: How and when did your writing journey begin? What were your first steps in this field?

Kyrylo: My writing journey began when I was around nine years old. I used to write short prose stories – and, funnily enough, I still have them to this day, a few notebooks filled with my early pieces. I really enjoyed the process of writing itself, even though my school writing marks were quite poor. I never told anyone that I was writing not until recently.

I would describe my creativity as a wave: either I write very intensely, or I don’t write a single word for a long time.

Interviewer: Tell us about your book Island. How did the idea come to you, and who are the main characters? What meaning did you want to convey?

Kyrylo: The idea came to me back in 2022. I wanted to write something about ordinary people – without superpowers – from different countries such as Tunisia, Bulgaria, Kenya, Australia, Japan, and so on. They all end up on an island and must reach the finish line, but according to the rules, only one person can survive to claim the prize.
I didn’t have a favourite – the characters transform throughout the story, and I wanted to show how certain conditions can change a person in ways they would never expect from themselves.

Interviewer: Tell us about the process of finding a publisher and preparing the book for print. What was this stage like for you?

Kyrylo: 2023 was the year of writing. 2024 was the year of the “technical” part: editing, beta-reading, cover design, layout, and more.

At first, I searched for Ukrainian publishers and sent out submissions – around 30 letters. About 10 replied, but in different forms, all of which essentially meant “No”. It is quite difficult for a newcomer, especially with a debut book.
So I decided to publish it as “self-publishing”.

Later in 2024, I came across a small publishing house called Pantheon. They organise collective short story anthologies. I had already been published in a couple of them, and I noticed that they also publish individual books. I contacted the founder, we agreed on the terms, and began working together.

Why them?
Firstly, we already had established communication. Secondly, the price and quality of printing stood out among others.

I’m very satisfied with the result.

Interviewer: Which character from your book do you relate to the most, and why?

Kyrylo: There are quite a few characters – around 12. I don’t have a favourite; I treat them all equally. But perhaps I am slightly more fond of the Master (the organiser) and the first character readers are introduced to.

Interviewer: Tell us about the presentation of your book. What was that day like for you?

Kyrylo: It was a truly exciting event. My first-ever book presentation — quite a responsibility. There was also an unusual format called PechaKucha: 20 slides, 20 seconds each, switching automatically without the possibility to pause. It felt unusual, but in my opinion, it went really well.

Interviewer: Tell us about your participation in the collective anthology, where you contributed to the story Bosorka. What makes this anthology special, and what was the process like for each author?

Kyrylo: Oh… that was a truly amazing experience. I accidentally found a post in a Telegram group from the organiser, inviting writers to join a collective anthology in a new “patchwork” format. There is one main character (the Carpathian witch Bosorka) and a location. Authors had to write a story about her in that setting. I didn’t hesitate – I immediately joined and wrote my piece.
It was a challenge for me: I had never heard of Bosorka before, and it was the first time I wrote under strict conditions.

This format united 228 authors and produced 2,833 pages, setting two national records of Ukraine (the highest number of authors and pages). I was present at the record-setting event in Kyiv. There are more projects planned, and I’m also taking part in them.
It was likely the first time such a format was introduced in Ukraine, and many media outlets wrote about it – including those from Kharkiv, where I was mentioned.
All the stories can be read on the website Arkush.

Interviewer: What changes have you noticed in Ukraine’s literary landscape since the beginning of the full-scale invasion?

Kyrylo: People around the world began speaking about Ukraine – unfortunately, under tragic circumstances. But this also influenced the literary world. Books by soldiers, books on military themes began appearing, and Western publishers started paying more attention to Ukrainian writers.

For me personally, 2022 became the push to start writing short stories and finally sharing my work. Before that, I used to write “into the drawer”.

Interviewer: What is your mission as a Ukrainian writer? Why this one?

Kyrylo: One of my missions is to promote Ukrainian literature. In my opinion, writers are far less represented in the public media space compared to singers or actors – especially in the West.

Since 2022, interest in Ukrainian authors has grown; more bookshops have appeared; Ukrainian literature has become more visible — and this needs to keep developing. There is a huge amount of work to be done. I personally only became interested in contemporary Ukrainian writers in 2023 – before that, apart from Serhiy Zhadan, I didn’t know anyone. Later I discovered many more and was pleasantly surprised by how many there are. But still, in my view, there is not enough recognition, opinion leaders, or adaptations.
There is a lot to work on, but I see good perspectives and positive trends.

Interviewer: What word do you associate with your writing career? Why this one?

Kyrylo: “Forward.” Only forward – no stopping. If I had taken a more active part in this field earlier, I would probably have achieved more by now.

So I need to catch up – but, as they say, everything happens in its own time.

Pictures were provided by Kyrylo Teslenko. The interview was written by Asya Radko