Sharissa: Have you always wanted to be an author?

Su Chang: I suppose that might be the case, although I can only safely say that I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I was an avid reader growing up in China, and since an early age, writing also became an essential act. But publishing and the professionalization of the act is a whole other ball game that I didn’t give much thought until recent years.

Sharissa: What was the catalyst for publishing your first book?

Su Chang: When I was growing up in China during the 80s and 90s, I was perpetually puzzled by the adults around me, whose daily arguments unveiled their hidden ire and pain, old grudges from a tumultuous time. But I could hardly trace that chaotic time in my history books, and gradually, I came to see myself as belonging to a generation with no history. It was only after I immigrated to North America as an adult that I began to have access to the tabooed past of my birth country, to start making sense of the incongruency that had haunted my life. Over the years, as I labored to find my footing in my adopted country, I also spent my evenings and spare time researching – from books, documentaries, lectures – the modern and contemporary history that was missing from my childhood textbooks. Part of this novel was inspired by the experiences of my parent who was a reluctant student Red Guard leader during the Cultural Revolution, part of it was constructed from narratives, oral histories, and witness accounts uncovered during my research, and part of it was based on my lived experiences and observations as an adult immigrant in North America. 

Sharissa: What route did you take to publish your book (self, traditional, hybrid?), and what was your publishing journey like?

Su Chang: I was fortunate to publish with a prestigious Canadian independent publisher House of Anansi. After completing the first draft of this novel, I was enrolled in the Humber School for Writers correspondence program to revise and refine my manuscript. My singular goal wasn’t so much to publish (I understood how competitive publishing is), but to do this story justice and to make myself proud. Along the way, I met generous and encouraging mentors who urged me to seek publication. I went through at least twenty drafts before a literary agent said yes. So many words and subplots were left on the cutting floor, but that was an invaluable learning process. The submission process was much more merciful; my Anansi editor decided to champion the book shortly after it landed on her desk.   

Sharissa: While you were writing your book did you face any self doubt?

Su Chang: Yes, I did. I was an avid reader growing up in China. I wrote and published my first short story in a national youth magazine in grade four. But after immigrating to North America in my 20s, I didn’t have the courage to write fiction in English for more than a decade. To learn the craft, I read a lot and took creative writing courses, until I found the confidence to write in a second language. My writing mentors were also instrumental in dispelling my self-doubt. But this is a cyclical sort of thing. Writing the second book brings back similar doubts, but I keep reminding myself that I’ve done it before and I will find my way.

Sharissa: Did you develop any tools to help you write your book?

This is not a “tool” per se, more of a process. Personally, I find outlining the book beforehand very helpful. I know many writers who are pansters, and that works out really well for them, but I get paralyzed in front of a blank page and need a kind of roadmap to boost my confidence before I get down to writing. So, whenever I’m struggling to complete a section or a book in general, I go back to outlining again and see where I am on this journey and what the end point is. It might take some of the surprise out of the process, but I find it a worthwhile tradeoff to avoid paralysis. And there are still plenty of surprises in store at the granular level of writing, so I’m not missing out on the fun. I also firmly believe in the value of a “shitty first draft,” and I’m resolute about not editing until I have a first draft down. Daily word count targets were also helpful to me in completing that first draft.

Sharissa: Once your book was published in the world did you face any feelings of vulnerability?

Su Chang: Sure. Publishing is a rollercoaster. We are in a crowded (and increasingly so) book market; the pressure on authors to promote their books is immense. I had never used social media before publishing the book, so I had to learn from scratch how to post on Instagram and connect with readers/followers while protecting my personal/familial privacy. It seems to me that writing and marketing a book require diametrically different skill sets, and yet anyone who wants to be an author these days needs to at least strive to acquire both.

Sharissa: Do you have any advice for female authors struggling to get their first book in the world?

Su Chang: To me, writing is part of my self-care and “me-time.” Yes, it’s hard work, but there are so many sublime moments of joy. It’s especially crucial for female writers to protect our writing time and remind ourselves that writing is essential to our well-being. As a mom, I sometimes still feel guilty sneaking away to my desk to write, instead of spending that time with my children. But I also know from years of experience that a happy and fulfilled mother is a better mother with more energy for our children. 

Something else I like to tell myself when I feel a bit stuck creatively: Don’t compare; you are not late or behind. The story you are meant to tell will wait for you, until you are strong enough to carry it.