Nur-El-Hudaa Jaffar
Author, Translator, and Editorial Consultant

What’s your background?

I graduated from NUS in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts. My majors were English Language and Sociology. My first ever job was as an editorial assistant at Bookworm Publishing. It was my first exposure to the creative aspect of book publishing — I assisted the illustrators, writers, and editors. As it turned out, my subsequent career switches involved writing, translating, editing, and publishing, even though I never actively pursued a career in the publishing industry. Finally, in 2017, I became a freelance editorial consultant and translator.

How did you get started publishing your very first book?

Sometime in 2013, I attended a workshop on creating picture books. At that time, I was working as a publishing executive with Pustaka Nasional; the company was looking at increasing its titles for children. So, I wanted to learn more about children’s literature. The workshop was organised by the National Book Development Council of Singapore (now Singapore Book Council). After the workshop, NBDCS had an open call for picture book manuscripts. Alhamdulillah, my story about a kitten who lost her way home was chosen to be published as a bilingual book in 2014. The whole process was eye-opening.

What’s the title of your first book, and why you wrote it/ had to write it?

The title is Where is My Home?. I wanted to write a story that encourages the reader to know more about their environment – animals, their homes unique to them, and their larger habitat – and think about what “home” means to them – a place for safety, comfort, and love. After a series of emails with the editor, the story takes on another layer of meaning – that different creatures (read: people from different backgrounds) can live in a home together as a family. I must add, that during the process of developing the story, I was affected by real-life stories of children being displaced or abused; children have the right to be protected and given shelter in a loving environment.

Where are you at now? How many books have you written thus far?

From the first picture book for children, I have ventured into writing short stories and poetry. But writing for children remains the most joyful creative endeavour for me– I have 11 picture books published thus far – 4 in Malay, 3 in English, 4 bilingual (Malay and English), and 1 novel for middle-grade readers in Malay.

Any future books in the horizon?

I have 3 completed picture book manuscripts (looking for publishers!) and 3 works-in-progress for middle-grade and teenage readers.

Did you go through the self-publishing route or with a trade publisher? What were the challenges? What are some of the highs?

I have gone down both paths. For me, the challenges with both are more of the aspects of control and responsibility. With a publisher, my concerns are copyright issues, whether the publisher (and their editor) understands and accepts my vision and story, and building a solid relationship that is both creative and effective. As a self-publisher for Siri Azim, I had full creative control – but I made sure to engage people with experience and appropriate knowledge. I enjoyed the discussions I had with Evelyn, the illustrator for Siri Azim.

Self-publishing has more challenges, in that I had to source for printers, and distributors and take the lead in the promotion work. It’s tough when you see your stock of books not moving.

The biggest high is when I see people reading my books and being told by children and adults that they have read my books.

What are some of the things you had to do to ensure your books get noticed, sold, or distributed?

I sent out press releases to the media, had a book launch, and made postings on my social media accounts. Frankly, I still have to step up in this department.

Would you do it again? Why?

Would I do self-publishing again? It’s nerve-wracking and requires a lot of resources. But there is a likelihood that I may end up self-publishing because publishers may choose not to take up my stories. Then again, there are the big – huge – issues of funding and marketing.

Some advice for aspiring authors? What pitfalls to look out for? What tips to ensure some things work out better?

  1. Read and observe. Read the books out there, and see what new things you can introduce to your target readers here. Research. Be curious.
  2. Think of what makes your story unique; what is its appeal?
  3. Think back to YOUR childhood, your own experiences. What gave you joy, excitement? Why did a particular book or experience leave a lasting impression on you?
  4. Do not underestimate a child’s capacity to learn and imagine, but it’s good to be aware of the developmental stages of your target reader.
  5. Take part in workshops or attend suitable panels. The Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) is a good start.
  6. Be open to suggestions and comments from editors. Do not hesitate to ask the editor or your beta readers what they understand from your story. However, be clear on your intention for your story – the theme, the message, etc.
  7. If there are some specific things you want to have in your picture book, show samples, or make rough sketches, then let the illustrator do their magic; be open to their suggestions.
  8. If you are writing a picture book, remember that illustrations can tell the story, taking the place of words. (Also keep in mind, that an illustration in a book is not a movie scene – I am wearing my editor hat, here.)
  9. Remember that a publisher may reject your story not because it’s not good, but because they may have set different publishing goals. For instance, they may want to focus on fantasy or adventure, whereas your story does not fit into that genre. Also, note that publishers are not obligated to explain why they did not select your work.
  10. If you are self-publishing:
    • you must set a schedule and KEEP to it! Find someone to be your project manager/coordinator if necessary.
    • If you are receiving grants: keep to the schedule, make sure you achieve your milestones, and maintain your documentation.
    • get resource persons (for example, editor/illustrator) who are familiar with your genre and target readers.
  11. Be willing and be prepared to give appropriate remuneration.

 

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