Adrian So is a young writer that lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In his free time, he likes to read, write, hang out with his gang of crazy friends, and play soccer. He is currently a high school student. His debut book, The Groundworld Heroes will be released in August 2024, by Monarch Educational Services.
1. What did you like to write and read as a kid?
As a kid, I initially liked reading non-fiction because I thought fiction was all made-up stories and not worth my time. But then I discovered Roald Dahl’s books and loved reading them. Since then, my interests gravitated towards writing fiction, but I still read more non-fiction than fiction to this day.
2. How do you come up with titles for your books?
Unlike most other authors, every time I start a new project, I write the title before anything else. I’m a pantser, which means I don’t outline the plot of my manuscript ahead of time. The title kind of helps me decide where to go with the story, as when I picture the draft, the first thing I think of will always be the title. My thoughts for the project branch off from that title and develop into concrete ideas.
3. Do you let people read your work before it is finished?
I used to do that, but right now I find it harder to concentrate on completing the draft if I have readers reading it and giving feedback halfway through the manuscript. So, no, not anymore.
4. Do you only write for one genre?
Currently, yes, I’m mostly focusing on writing fantasy because this is what I am used to writing, but in the future, I look to expand to other genres or maybe even other demographics.
5. Do you write on the computer or freehand?
I write on my laptop because I think writing by hand takes too much time, and is a lot less convenient if you want to edit it. It’s difficult to track your word count or go back to make changes on the story. Also, it takes me much more effort to scribble a letter on a page than to type a character on my computer, so if I’m given an option, I will always choose to write with a computer or something that has a keyboard.
6. What do you do when you feel stuck?
I just straight up don’t write. Many authors get upset when they don’t hit a certain word count goal, but I don’t think that. To me, writing is a hobby and if it causes me pain to write, then why should I write? I usually come back to a project when I feel like I want to or have any ideas. If not, I’ll likely move onto something else, writing-related or not.
7. What are common traps for new authors?
One common trap I see in writers, especially myself, is worrying about getting published. I always think the only objective of writing is to get it published, get it read by others. But in reality, not every project will get accepted, so what we should do instead is to write for ourselves, and this is something I’m learning to do as well.
8. Do you prefer ebooks, printed books, or audiobooks most of the time?
I prefer printed books over the other two by a wide margin. This is because I find it hard to concentrate on reading while using a device and audiobooks just don’t work for me. I’ve only finished less than a handful of ebooks while I can read printed books much faster.
Thank you, Adrian, for your insightful interview and congratulations on your upcoming release. Please check out Adrian's debut, The Groundworld Heroes, in our Bookshop and pre-order your copy today! Keep shining!
Website: adriansotheauthor.my.canva.site
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Adrian62852188
Comments