How I Ended Up Writing for The Japan Times
My recommendations and tips for new writers
I’m always grateful to be in touch with readers and fellow writers. You’re the reason I keep writing, and your feedback makes me a better writer. And I feel really sorry when I can’t reply to all your responses and DMs.
Although I’m neither a native English speaker nor a famous author, I like to support new writers as much as I can because I was once there myself, helpless without role models and access to writers' retreats.
So let me address some questions budding writers frequently ask me and what I have done until today.
Q1: How Did You Start Writing?
It was nothing more than a whim. I just wanted to practice my English, and writing on Medium seemed a great exercise. I had nothing to lose.
My first few articles had less than a few dozen views. I kept self-publishing short pieces because both my second language and writing skills needed a hell of a lot of training back then.
My one and only (so far) cold pitch to a publication was to Reader’s Digest Asia, which didn’t work, of course. But I was fortunate to be discovered by brilliant editors.
