Lina Xiao on Read With You Presents
Listen to the podcast here.
Notes from the show:
Lina Xiao is a well known author in China whose fiction has inspired and interested many people. She answers a few questions about her writing for Read With You Presents.
1. What interested you in writing?
I want to tell peoples’ stories who are not able to express themselves.
2. When did you start writing? I started to write when I was 6 years old. I used to write in my diary, short poems, and very short stories.
3. Where do you get your ideas? I like to observe people and find the coincidences in different groups. I love to see the conflicts and connections between strangers.
4. Tell us how you like to write. Be specific. Do you use a computer or pen and paper? Do you write a little at a time or spend hours working on a story? Do you have any rituals or routines that you use when you are writing? I use my cell phone to write my long fiction stories. I use both thumbs to type very efficiently in Evernote which backs the story up.
I write my story when I’m waiting at the airport or on the subway; every day, I only use 1 hour to write.
I will design the story 3 or 4 months in advance. The details, dialogues, and conflicts are outlined on paper and I follow them when I’m typing.
5. Who is your favorite character in your books? Why? Nicholas the raccoon because he is named after my son. Most of my books are long fiction, but Nicholas the Raccoon is an illustrated book. This is my favorite because it is a very warm /whorm/ story and talks about rebuilding a relationship between older parents and adult kids.
6. What advice would you give a young person who wants to be a writer? Try to observe the world and write what you really want to write.
7. What has been the best part about being an author? The best part is when readers discuss characters and the story-it makes me feel satisfied.
8. What do you do when you get stuck and can't think of what to write?
I go on a run. It helps design the stories in my mind and refreshes me.
