Book A Writer /Ng Ziqin

ABOUT

Ng Ziqin is the author of Every School a Good School and the fiction editor of Perks of Being Dumped, a literary anthology about the unexpected upsides of heartbreak. Her debut novel, Every School a Good School, was shortlisted for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2022 and longlisted for the Alan Chan Spirit of Singapore Book Prize in 2023. She is in her final year of undergraduate law studies at the National University of Singapore.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• 2024 - Perks of Being Dumped (Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions)

• 2022 – Every School A Good School (Singapore: Epigram Books)

ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2023 - Longlisted for the Alan Chan Spirit of Singapore Book Prize

• 2022 – Finalist for the 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize

TALKS

AN AUTHOR AT 20
For: secondary; assembly programme
Availability: 1 hour; single session
Description: When I submitted my post-A levels project for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize in August 2021, I never imagined that my manuscript would be shortlisted and that I would be published before my 21st birthday. In this talk, I share candidly about what motivated me to write my first novel, my writing and editing process, how I got published, and my advice for aspiring writers.
Learning Outcomes: Learn about different programmes for students that aid them in becoming a better writer; be exposed to the various publishing options available in Singapore; learn tips and tricks for staying focused on writing, and learn about software options you can tap on to manage your productivity while writing; get a better understanding of the the publishing process and what happens after your manuscript has been accepted by a publisher

WORKSHOPS

*NEW* MAD AT DISNEY: WRITING HEARTBREAK FICTION
For: junior college, tertiary; 5 - 25 pax
Availability: 2hrs; single session or multiple sessions
Description: Waited all your life for a fairytale high school relationship that never came? Spend your nights regretting a missed connection that could've been something more? Going through a painful breakup? This workshop is for anyone who has a bone to pick with capital-R-Romance. Through a crash course on heartbreak-related tropes and specially curated writing prompts, participants will learn new ways to turn the quintessential tale of heartbreak on its head.
Learning Outcomes: Participants will learn the basic elements of a short story, interrogate common experiences and themes in romantic relationships, generate plot ideas, and practise their general fiction-writing skills (through the theme of heartbreak).

PINAFORES AND POISON: WRITING STORIES SET IN SCHOOL
For: primary, secondary; 5 - 25 pax
Availability: 2 hours; single session
Description: It's often been said that you should write what you know. For most students, there is no setting more familiar (or mundane) than the humble school compound. From Harry Potter to The Teenage Textbook, schools have served as the backdrop for many a timeless tale. Although setting your story in a school might remind you at first of the dreaded English compo, what if we saw the school as a rich but overlooked source of story ideas instead? Whether it's a whodunit or a romantic comedy, learn how to set any genre of fiction in your very own classroom. 
Learning Outcomes: Learn how the unique features of common locations in school (e.g. classroom, school hall, koi pond, canteen) might be suited to different kinds of plot events; how to harness common school-related character tropes to build three-dimensional characters; how to pitch conflict at a suitable scale for different kinds of stories set in school, and how to inject meaningful commentary on broader social issues into a story set in school.