Soo Young Yun on Winning our Novel Writing Competition
In her commentary on “Ankh”, Guest Judge Cath Crowley marveled at Korean writer Soo Young Yun’s ability to make “the reader feel as though, in a very short space of time, she has been taken through history and shown the future.” In our interview with Soo, she talks about how a trip to Egypt in the sixth grade made a lasting impression and inspired her prize winning piece. Soo also takes us through her editing cycle which includes a process of self-editing as well as enlisting the help of her friends, family, and the Write the World community.
What inspired you to write your piece, “Ankh”?
I actually visited Egypt during my sixth grade year. After touring the temple in Luxor, I became really interested in the hieroglyph “ankh,” which symbolizes life and eternity. There are so many aspects about Egypt—that go beyond photographs and documentaries about the pyramids and the Nile—that I became aware of only after visiting the country. I wanted to convey this revelation through “Ankh”.
Is “Ankh” part of a larger work?
It’s not currently part of a larger work, but I would like to extend this piece into a full-length novel, with each chapter named after a hieroglyph.
What was your process for editing this piece?
After vigorously editing my writing, I tend to let my work sit for a few days in order to read it again later with fresh eyes. For “Ankh”, I also asked some of my friends and family members to read it and give me their feedback. Even after I submitted it to the competition, I saw that AwkwardCrow had reviewed “Ankh”. I really enjoyed reading her comments on my piece.
Guest Judge Cath Crowley called your story, "a travel guide of Egypt." What steps did you take to make sure the story felt authentic to that area of the world?
It really helped that my story is based on a real-life experience. Although it was quite some time ago, I was able to pull out some pictures I had taken of memorable engravings and hieroglyphs during my trip to relive the experience again in my mind. Also, I did some research on Egypt to make the dialogue appear more realistic.
You're from South Korea, who are some of your favorite writers from your home country?
Some of my favorite writers are Krys Lee and Shin Kyung-sook. I especially loved reading Krys Lee’s “Drifting House” and Shin Kyung-sook’s “Please Look After Mom”. Also, one of my favorite novels is “Native Speaker” by Chang-rae Lee.