Creator Chat: Vicky Fang

A new series where I interview fabulous creators

Each month I’m chatting with a creator and gathering tips to help me with my career and yours! My first chat is with my long-time critique partner and dear friend, Vicky Fang. We first met in early 2017, when we were both complete beginners, so we’ve been figuring out the book world together. Read on for Vicky’s advice on fitting in writing around babies and a job, how she made the transition to author-illustrator, and more.

Thank you, Vicky, for being my first guest! I’m so excited to interrogate… I mean interview you. On with the questions…

We both came into the book-writing world after having many other jobs. What careers did you have before embarking on your writing career? 

I had so many! I was an actress, then a game designer, then a software engineer, and then finally a product designer. I feel like they all inform my writing actually!

I know that being a parent informs your writing too. And you started writing with small kids in the house and a full-time job. How did you fit in your writing as well? 

When it first started, I would think about stories while I was rocking my baby to sleep or nursing. Then later, I would think about my stories in all the cracks of the day—while I was driving, late at night, early in the morning, during my lunch break.

What would you go back and tell that beginner-writer self if you could?

Oh gosh… Right now, I’m feeling sort of overwhelmed at how much I have going on. Which is a great problem to have! But it does change my perspective a bit. I think I would say, take your time, be patient, and write the best, most thoughtful, most meaningful story you can. Maybe this is what I’m telling myself now!

“take your time, be patient, and write the best, most thoughtful, most meaningful story you can.” - Vicky Fang

What’s been the most rewarding moment of your creative career so far?

There have been so many rewards along the way, it’s hard for me to think of one most rewarding moment! I think that the moment that makes me feel most happy is when I meet a reader who loves my book. Somehow, knowing I made an actual difference to that one kid makes it worth it to me.

We had so much fun doing a school visit together. Meeting kids who enjoy her books is a highlight for Vicky.

Do you have any I-need-to-pinch-myself-to-make-sure-this-is-real moments that you can share? 

Really, I have a sort of on-going sense of awe that this is my job! I never expected to be writing books, let alone illustrating them. Every once in a while, I pat myself on the back. And then I’ll poke my husband and say “Aren’t you proud of me??” (He always says yes, haha.)

“I have a sort of on-going sense of awe that this is my job!” - Vicky Fang

I remember when we first met you wanted to be an illustrator, but your first published books were author-only. How did you make the transition to author-illustrator? 

Like everything on my journey, it started with this excited idea of wanting to do it and then the terror of realizing what it would actually take. So I shelved the idea for a while, but eventually, I felt less overwhelmed and took baby steps toward illustrating. It started with submitting concept sketches with my manuscripts. Then it became dummies with myself listed as illustrator-optional. One of those dummies became a revise-and-resubmit from my to-be-editor, Andrew Arnold at HarperCollins, who gave me my chance to illustrate my first books, the Friendbots series! I feel like I’m still learning and growing, which is exciting and fun!

What three pieces of advice would you give any creators hoping to get published?

Three!? Okay, let’s see…

1. Persevere! A lot of writing and getting published is really about persevering. It’s a long, slow journey, and if you keep going, bit by bit, eventually it will happen.

2. Be true to yourself. The stories that will be great will be uniquely you. Find that story and it will resonate and stand out from the rest.

3. Find your people! The kidlit community is truly wonderful and finding critique partners and friends is so helpful in becoming a better writer but also in persevering! (See tip 1.)

“A lot of writing and getting published is really about persevering.” - Vicky Fang

Do you have any rituals that help you get a creative session started?

I like to take a bath. It forces me to stop everything else. (You can’t clean the house when you’re in the bath!) I also love retreats, which have the same effect on me, but alas, I only get to do that once or twice a year.

Quick fire round

Forest or Ocean?

Ocean!

Sushi or Fish & Chips?

Sushi. Nom.

Coffee or tea?

Ouf, this is terrible, but decaf coffee. I love coffee but I can’t handle caffeine!

I’m so looking forward to a decaf coffee and sushi by the ocean with you sometime soon! Thank you for answering my questions.

Vicky Fang is a product designer who spent 5 years designing kids’ technology experiences for both Google and Intel, often to inspire and empower kids in coding and technology. She started writing to support the growing need for early coding education, particularly for girls and kids of color. She is the author, and sometimes illustrator, of twenty new and upcoming books for kids, including the Layla and the Bots series, Invent-a-Pet, I Can Code board books, Friendbots series, and the forthcoming Ava Lin series, Best Buddies series, AlphaBot, and The Boo Crew Needs You!. You can visit Vicky at vickyfang.com.