Ask the Author: Wai Chim
Answered Questions (7)
Wai Chim
I have two cousins who moved to the US from China when I was young. There was a bit of a following out and I haven't been in touch with them since I was 12. A couple of years back, I googled them and found one entry of note - an arrest record for a small crime in 2012, with accompanying mug shot. I haven't reached out or followed up more on this thread, but I'm sure this is the beginning of a story exploring family dynamics, migration experiences and personal self-discovery waiting to be unraveled.
Wai Chim
I did a creative writing course at the University of Sydney with Australian author John Scott and he had a great tip for this: 'You can research your way out of anything.'
I do a lot of research if I feel like things aren't coming together. It's also useful to take a step back and reexamine the elements of my story - a bit like they do on TV crime shows. Usually things aren't working because some elements need to be rearranged or I just haven't found the solution yet. The beauty about fiction is that you can always change things to make sense!
I do a lot of research if I feel like things aren't coming together. It's also useful to take a step back and reexamine the elements of my story - a bit like they do on TV crime shows. Usually things aren't working because some elements need to be rearranged or I just haven't found the solution yet. The beauty about fiction is that you can always change things to make sense!
Wai Chim
I wrote Saving the Farm knowing it would be the last title in the series - and in so many ways it felt right. Little Mei has grown up so, so much, going from her entire world being her Ma, Guo and her chooks to opening up her heart to embrace first Cap and Jin, and finally the entire village. Ir felt like I had come as far as I could as the creator. It's hard to say good-bye but I hope my lovely little characters will live on in children's imaginations for a long time to come. :)
(Is that a sappy answer or what? ;-) )
Thanks for the awesome question!
(Is that a sappy answer or what? ;-) )
Thanks for the awesome question!
Wai Chim
The thing I absolutely love about being a writer is being able to bring something to life and share it with others, who then embrace these characters and happenings as their own and actually care for them. How incredible is the human spirit and its capacity for empathy and love?
Wai Chim
Stop dreaming and get to it. Work hard. Really really really hard. Enjoy the fun and pleasure of being open-minded and playing with wacky sounding/impossible ideas. Always be moving forward and writing, no matter the setbacks.
And be kind. :)
And be kind. :)
Wai Chim
Lots and lots of walking - I go through sneakers like other people go through packs of gum. I also get ideas from random things that I read, newspapers, blogs, facebook rants - the list goes on.
Wai Chim
Okay Goodreads has default questions for Authors to answer - like a bit of a challenge to see if you actually answer these things or something. Alright, well I'll show you.
The idea for my most recent book (Chook Chook: Saving the Farm) came from a newspaper headline I saw. It was about a duck farmer in China whose house was sticking out of a newly constructed road. As it turned out, the farmer had refused to give up his house when the government demanded the area to construct the freeway, so the construction team built the road around his home, so that it was literally sticking out of the middle lane! I thought this was a great idea for a story that featured Mei and her family standing up to the authorities to keep their home.
The idea for my most recent book (Chook Chook: Saving the Farm) came from a newspaper headline I saw. It was about a duck farmer in China whose house was sticking out of a newly constructed road. As it turned out, the farmer had refused to give up his house when the government demanded the area to construct the freeway, so the construction team built the road around his home, so that it was literally sticking out of the middle lane! I thought this was a great idea for a story that featured Mei and her family standing up to the authorities to keep their home.
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