With the Writer Spotlight Series, we create a positive image for young girls to refer to by having conversations with different writers and illustrators. This month we have been doing Q&As with many writers, to get to know more about them and their work. Here, we are showcasing all the questions we have asked author Sujin Witherspoon. We discuss her new book, Bingsu For Two.
What inspired you to write Bingsu for Two? Were there specific events or experiences that sparked the idea?
I was desperately craving a story to help re-spark my love for writing, and knew the best way to do that would be to write the most self-indulgent book I could. So, I compiled all my favorite tropes and elements–like fake dating, haters to lovers, found family–and combined them with the struggles I was currently facing as a teen,like “who am I? Who do I want to be?” I also was in a Korean cafe which was the perfect inspiration as a setting for a sweet romcom, and a way to pay homage to my Korean heritage. Plus, I worked as a barista as a teen, which is a more charming job on paper than it is in real life!
As a Korean-American author, how did your cultural background influence the setting and themes of the novel?
River, through the course of the novell deals with feelings of inadequacy and not “being enough” for anybody in his life. He feels torn between who he is, and who he knows his parents want him to be. As a mixed Korean American myself, I grew up never feeling Korean or white enough. If you have one foot in one world, where does that leave the rest of your body? These were questions I wanted to explore in the novel so that readers who also feel split by cultural and societal expectations could see themselves represented.
With that said, I have a lot of ties to Korean-American culture, and wanted to showcase this unique mixed, diaspora experience in the little details. Particularly, food as a love language, which I think many people will connect with.
River Langston-Lee and Sarang Cho have distinct and dynamic personalities.
How did you approach crafting their characters, and did they develop during the writing process?
River’s character came to me first! I wrote this book when I was nineteen, so not much older than he is in the story. He’s very similar to who I was when I was that age; anxious, an overthinker, someone who’s searching for answers and somehow messes up at every step of the way. His voice and personality came naturally to me because of how similar our backgrounds and struggles were. Stepping into his point of view was like slipping on an old coat. With Sarang, I was intentional about crafting a character who complimented all of River’s weaknesses, who was strong in the ways he wasn’t.
This causes them to clash at first, but over the story, it’s ultimately what brings them together. A lot of the other side characters developed in different versions of this story, but funnily enough, River and Sarang have always stayed true to my original ideas of them.
The story is told from River's point of view. What motivated you to choose a
male protagonist, and did you encounter any challenges in capturing his voice authentically?
I wanted to put some distance between myself and River by making him be male–like I mentioned earlier we have a lot of similarities, but I didn’t want to inject too much of myself into this character. I also think it’s important to showcase unique perspectives. Here, a romance told solely through the male protagonist, which is something I don’t see very often. Surprisingly, I didn’t encounter any challenges capturing his voice. He came very naturally to me, and I think it’s because River doesn’t necessarily fit the mold of the traditional rugged, masculine male love interest. He’s just a kid, figuring things out and falling in love along the way. That’s a perspective I think anyone can slot themselves into; I certainly could.
Having started writing at a young age and now achieving publication, what advice would you offer to young or emerging writers aiming to share their stories with the world?
To steel yourself for rejection, and embrace it not as a stop sign, but a stepping stone that will eventually get you to where you want to go. Publishing is a tough industry, so always remember why you want to tell stories in the first place, and continue writing books that bring you joy. I think that’s what will help motivate you through this journey, no matter what obstacles you come across.
Quick fire round
One word to describe your writing style?
Candid
Favourite writing snack?
More of a drink, but I always need an iced latte or matcha to fuel my writing sessions!
What is the last book you read?
Bones and All by Camille deAngelis
About the author
Sujin Witherspoon is a Korean-American author, artist, and lover of words she can’t pronounce. She gravitates toward stories that will either plague her nightmares or make her stomach hurt from laughter—no in between. Having earned her degree in English from the University of Washington, she spends her time writing, thinking about writing, or thinking about how she should be writing.