Learn new things from the pages of a book.

Having started writing novels at the age of nine, what's fascinating about Cao Viet Quynh is that every time he picks up a pen, he can create his own world , guide his characters, and control everything...

Young writer Cao Viet Quynh. (Photo: Provided by the author)

Born in Hanoi in 2008, writer Cao Viet Quynh currently lives and studies in 11th grade in Ho Chi Minh City. He is famous for his novel series "The Comet Man," with the first volume published in 2020.

Not only was it displayed and introduced at the 20th Bangkok International Copyright Book Fair, the 50th Thailand National Book Fair, the 30th Beijing International Book Fair, etc., the three-volume work also helped him win the Vietnam National Book Award in 2022 and become the youngest Vietnamese author to win this prestigious award.

The power of imagination

Science fiction novels are a relatively rare genre in Vietnam, but when writing about this field, Cao Viet Quynh doesn't find it complicated or overly sophisticated.

He shared: “Everyone has the ability to create their own world, completely different from reality. I draw inspiration from all sources I have, foreign action movies, Vietnamese legends, or from science, history, society… combining them to create a unique story.”

In Cao Viet Quynh's "Comet People" world, there are aliens, superheroes, gods, witches possessing magical powers… With the freedom of a child, he doesn't try to conform to any particular character but freely imagines.

Sometimes, he focuses on the magical land with its spells and the dangers threatening the world, but at other times, he concentrates on the characters' inner lives, on the conflicts and darkness they must overcome. With each page, he learns something new about writing, acquiring new techniques to continue developing his skills.

Affirming that imagination is a natural human attribute, Cao Viet Quynh stated: “No one can force the brain to generate an idea or create a story. It will spontaneously emerge from deep within the author at the most unexpected moments. Everyone has the creative ability within them. The important thing is learning how to use it.”

According to him, to generate novel ideas, we often build characters from what happens in real life. Inspiration comes from observation, creating unique associations. This is particularly prominent in Vietnamese poetry: For the same stream, river, or mountain, each author describes it in a unique way, allowing readers to see the scenery through countless different lenses.

The young writer shared: “From the early days of nation-building, the Vietnamese people have possessed a powerful imagination. This has led to the creation of an extremely detailed and meticulous mythological system, with countless characters possessing supernatural powers. Each region has its own story, its own version.”

He believes that: "Once you've chosen writing as a profession, you should set a strict schedule for yourself, simply outlining how many words to write each day and at what time. This way, you can keep up with the pace and avoid procrastinating on your achievements. However, we must understand that you can't force words onto paper; they must come from the heart."

The novel series "Dragon Continent" has just been released in Vietnam. (Photo: Provided by the author)

Composing continuously

With that serious spirit, after the success of "The Comet Man," Cao Viet Quynh began writing five volumes of the novel series "Dragon Continent" and completed it in 2023, when he was 15 years old.

While maintaining a writing style that combines fantasy and science fiction, the young author brings a modern atmosphere and youthful spirit to her new novel.

Turning through the chapters of the novel, readers may encounter characters from Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian mythology, along with very familiar characters from Vietnamese folk legends and myths such as Son Tinh, Thuy Tinh, and the Au Lac people... but with a modern, emotional, and even kindhearted demeanor.

With hundreds of characters, primarily depicting action scenes and dialogue, Cao Viet Quynh demonstrates writing techniques and artistic thinking that are mature beyond her years.

It's not easy to construct the plot, structure, development, and create the unique characteristics and personalities of each character, but the author handled it subtly, breathing new life into existing archetypes, blending magic with science, technology, and engineering.

With its fast pace and numerous unexpected plot twists, "Dragon Continent" demonstrates Cao Viet Quynh's maturity in writing and also shows promising signs for the purely Vietnamese fantasy genre.

Not only aimed at children, the novel also targets readers who are interested in, support, and encourage new creative trends, providing access to contemporary world literature and fulfilling the aspirations for Vietnamese literature to reach further and higher.

Cao Viet Quynh's debut work. (Photo: Provided by the artist)

Good news

Speaking about his new work, Cao Viet Quynh said that the novel is more systematic, the story is told coherently with a more logical plot, but he hasn't lost the creativity and unconventional style of his previous works.

Writer Ha Thanh Van believes that "Dragon Continent" goes further than the novel "Comet Man" in both content and artistic aspects, being more distinctive in terms of meaning and creative literary thinking.

She emphasized that it is very difficult for established, older writers to write in a style different from their familiar one.

Therefore, in order to enrich and diversify Vietnamese literature, to meet the reading needs of a wide range of readers of different ages, social classes, and backgrounds, and to provide access to contemporary world literature, much of the expectation is placed on young authors. Author Cao Viet Quynh, with his fantasy/sci-fi literary universe, has initially met some of those expectations.

"His works showcase the strengths of fiction and imagination, something rarely seen in Vietnamese literature. Of course, recently many young authors have also been writing in the fantasy style, and that's a welcome sign for Vietnamese literature," writer Ha Thanh Van emphasized.

Having been aware of her chosen creative theme from a very young age, and with diligence and creativity, Cao Viet Quynh still managed to balance her studies perfectly throughout her student life.

Having just released his new novel, he has already conceived and is in the process of writing a novel tentatively titled "Merlin's Taxi Driver".

At the age of 16, the young writer asserts that she is still in a learning phase, gaining experience and striving to improve with each book.

He confided: “Each book is written with all the effort and dedication, to create the best work possible. Each novel is a different experience. With each story, I experiment with different genres, writing styles, plots, and storylines, in order to learn how to create unexpected twists, develop characters, and build a world…”

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/cay-but-tre-cao-viet-quynh-hoc-dieu-moi-tu-nhung-trang-giay-292915.html