It is very difficult to keep up with the 'different' readers.

Interestingly, this author, born in the 1980s, is currently teaching in Binh Dinh province. Yet, her children's books such as "Dau Dau, Sau Sau & Be Be," "If One Day We Disappear," "Street Musician," and "In a Place with Many Dragons"... have been published one after another, adding a fresh voice to the genre. With the manuscript "In a Place with Many Dragons," in 2023, Moc An was awarded the Cricket's Aspiration Prize in the Cricket Children's Award system.

PV: In a relatively short period, Moc An has consecutively released several children's books. Each one is more captivating than the last. May I ask how you got into writing children's literature?

Author: Moc An. Photo: Provided by the author.

MOC AN: I started reading children's literature when I was very young, reading a lot and being very passionate about it. That was the era of books printed on golden straw paper, which opened up an incredibly vast world for me.

Growing up, I never lost my interest in this genre of work and animation; the innocent world of childhood brought purity to my heart, and I also learned so much from it.

When I became a mother, choosing and reading books with my child strengthened my connection with children's literature, and at times I even considered getting involved in this field. It wasn't until a student, who is also a fellow writer, inspired me that I officially began writing children's books, and I find it very enjoyable.

When writing for children, do you face any pressure? For example, because you're a latecomer in the field?

- When writing for children, I don't feel too much pressure. In literature, we're always the ones who come later. (Laughs). If you set a goal to become, you'll create pressure for yourself. But if you decide that you're involved in this field, and that contributing even a little bit is enough to make you happy, then you'll feel happy.

For me, writing for children is the gentlest response to life, so joy is always present in the writing process; sometimes I genuinely laugh to myself while writing.

What about the works of established children's authors who came before you, such as To Hoai, Vo Quang, Pham Ho, Vu Tu Nam, Vu Hung… Do those names put pressure on you, or have they helped you learn any writing lessons?

- Our generation has inherited many achievements from the literary works we read by our predecessors. I remember being captivated by "The Adventures of Cricket" and how much I loved the stories in "Homeland." The beauty and purity of the Vietnamese language, the ability to write concisely, subtly, and elegantly... these are things I have always admired and aspired to. However, the new era will demand different things than before in terms of emotion, content, writing style... pushing the flow of literature to continue uninterrupted.

Moc An just said that the new era will demand things differently than before, in terms of emotion, content, and writing style… So when writing for children, especially children of the 4.0 era, you must have some experience or concept to be "different"?

- Demanding a work that is completely different from previous works or authors is very difficult, because the flow of literature always involves continuity and inheritance. If there is any difference, I hope my work will have a slight "difference." This slight "difference" can come from my own perspective and personal reflections. What I hope most is that my later work will be somewhat different from my earlier work. However, one thing that is certain is that the reception psychology of children has changed, and figuring out how to keep up with this "difference" in the new readership is the real challenge.

How do you usually begin a new project?

- A new work comes to me quite by chance, an idea suddenly pops into my head. I also receive many suggestions from my son; when he's my first target reader, I try to write about what he likes to read. But more deeply, the work is often the result of observations, feelings, and reflections on life over a long period. For example, "If One Day We Disappear" was inspired by something right in my little garden, by a tiny snail that crawled into my garden in the autumn and nibbled on the chrysanthemum pot I had just bought.

However, it wasn't until several years later that I was able to write about her. "In a Place with Many Dragons" was written because the little girl at home loved dragons, and I wrote it for her to read, and then for other children as well, and even for adults who want to relive the world of childhood.

For you, is it more important to find the theme of the book, or to find the voice and storytelling style; or to nurture the emotions needed to complete the book?

- It's probably a combination of all those factors (laughs). For example, I often think about what I'm going to write about, then I'll figure out the appropriate narrative voice and style. Before and during the writing process, the emotions must be strong enough, compelling; the abundance of emotion will make the pen flow smoothly, and there will be moments of unexpected inspiration that even the writer doesn't anticipate, creating the highlight of the work.

The book "In a Place with Many Dragons" by Moc An. Photo: Thu Hoang.

Some people say that there are still too few Vietnamese children's literature books today, not enough to meet the needs of readers. Can Moc An share more about her perspective?

Compared to the vast landscape of translated children's literature, even original foreign-language works, domestically written children's literature seems to lag behind.

But in fact, when we say "few," there is already an inherent impetus and movement. The increasing number of writers participating in children's literature, the diversity in themes, content, genres, styles, and tones... shows that children's literature today has undergone a significant transformation to keep pace with the increasingly new and rich spiritual needs of children.

Based on your observations, what are your thoughts on young authors writing for children today?

- Young authors promise a new look for Vietnamese children's literature. Le Quang Trang, Nguyen Chi Ngoan, Trong Khang, Lac An… are names that inspire much, not to mention a team of young authors with astonishing writing skills.

They possess youthful energy, dynamism, the ability to observe and vividly portray the lives and psychology of children, a broad understanding integrated from many cultural backgrounds both domestically and internationally, and a talent for blending literature and painting…

We have every right to believe and hope that Vietnamese children's literature will one day approach the standards of children's literature worldwide.

Thank you!

"

For me, writing for children is the gentlest response to life, so joy is always present in the writing process; sometimes I genuinely laugh to myself while writing.

Moc An

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/lam-sao-bat-kip-su-khac-cua-doc-gia-la-dieu-rat-kho-10280871.html