MEET OUR WINNERS – Emily Ge Ruining

Q1: Tell us a little about yourself. What are you up to at the moment?

I am currently a Grade 10 student at Maple Leaf International Academy, and writing is one of the things that bring me pleasure. Recently, I have been preparing to participate in another writing contest.

Q2: Tell us a little about who your creative inspiration or mentor is and why?  This might be a favourite author or place to work.

I was inspired by the famous book The Little Prince and also the animated version of it. When I was creating my characters, I suddenly remembered the old man and young girl in the movie. I really liked the old man, whose character was based on the original novel’s aviator. He had strange but unique characteristics that differed from all the grownups around him. I admired how the old man was consistently being true to himself and how he changed the young girl showing her how precious childhood is and all the little wonders and happiness in life. Parts of the idea I want to express in my story are based on the theme of the movie The Little Prince.

Q3: Why do you write? Would you rather choose prose or poetry? Why?

Writing is a creative way to express my feelings and ideas. Through words and stories, I can convey my perspectives and what I want to say about certain subjects. I would rather choose prose when given a choice between writing prose or poetry. At the moment, I’m still unable to compose a poem that I’m satisfied with and fully express my ideas. Therefore poetry is something that I have to work on more in the future.

Q4: What are you writing next? Might this story be the first of a collection?

Next up, I won’t be writing a fictional story but rather an essay regarding a STEM-related issue. Currently, I haven’t thought about writing a collection of stories.

Q5: What are your aspirations as a writer?

I want to convey my ideas and how I see the world around us through my stories, and as I write, I might discover a different side of the world.

Q6: Does the place you live or are from inspire you in your work or life, and if so, how?

The place where I live really inspires me in my life. The society we are in and the people around us can teach and impact us a lot. Everyone has their own point of view and own thoughts, and by interacting with people around me, I learn a lot about people. As I`m growing up, I’m discovering more about society and learning a lot about the world around us.

Q7: What would you like the reader to take away from your story?

We should all keep a part of our true selves inside us, and the outside world shouldn’t influence it. Growing up can be challenging; things we once believed in might turn out to be false, and we will face many difficulties. Even so, we should always love life and treasure the little happy moments. Time will tell us the answer to our problems and heal the wounds. Last but not least, there is no going back in time, so cherish the present.

Q8: Did you learn anything about yourself by writing your story?

My writing skills still require much improvement, so I will keep learning and practising.

Q9: What are your 3 top tips for writing a short story?

• Follow your ideas and create your imaginary world.
• Reread the story a couple of times, and make sure the sequence of events is logical.
• Check if there are grammar mistakes or punctuation mistakes.