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Q&A with students from Excelsior International School


Last year, I visited Excelsior International School for an author talk and signing. Here are some of the questions they asked, and the answers:

Why did you want to be an author?
Ever since I was a child I have always loved reading, writing and drawing. I used to make up my own stories, write them down in a jotter book and draw pictures to accompany them. They used to be about princesses and dragons. So I have always written stories. But it was only later as an adult that I decided to write and publish these stories.
How does a person become an author?
 If you want to be an author, you must love reading and writing.  My suggestion is to start by keeping
a notebook or a diary and writing down things that happen in your life or things you observe. Once
you get used to writing, try making up stories and writing them down. Sometimes you may have to
write a story a few times before you are satisfied.

When you are happy with your story, you may want to share it with a family member or friend and
find out what they think about the story. You may want to make changes to your story based on what
your family member or friend says.

When you feel your stories are good enough, the next step is to look for someone to publish your
stories and then…you are an author!
How did you get the idea to write the stories?
Most of my books are inspired by people, events or things in Singapore history. I have always felt
that there are not enough books for children on our Singaporean way of life, and I wanted to write
books that will fill that gap. I hope that my books will help children learn about our past and feel a
connection with the people who came before us.
Do you plan your stories before you start writing them?
Usually I have an idea for a story and I think about it for a few weeks before I write anything down. I usually have a plan, but as I write, the characters sometimes have plans of their own. The story often ends differently than what I had planned it to be.
Where are your stories set?
My stories are usually set in Singapore. Only Gasing Boy is also set in Malacca, the historic city of
Malaysia.
Do you write using pen and paper or type using a computer?
I usually write my ideas out using pen and paper, but I type the story out on my computer.
How long did it take you to write the books?
It depends. With picture books, I can take about a month but a chapter book can take from 3 months
to a year.           

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