Sarawakian Writer Overcomes Hurdles to Become Internationally Published Author
Last year, Kuching-born Nadia Mikail made headlines when her debut novel ‘The Cats We Meet Along The Way’ bagged the Waterstones children’s book prize in the UK. It seems that Sarawak is home to many young and talented authors as Malcolm Mejin, the author of the Diary of a Rich Kid series has now scored a deal with international publisher Penguin Random House SEA.
Rojak Daily spoke to Malcolm about his struggles to achieve success and his creative process. Malcolm is currently a full-time author and is a fixture at public and international schools where he inspires readers and aspiring writers. He started writing at age six and published the first three books following his friend’s advice.
If you’re familiar with the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and Dork Diaries his book will look very similar. The latest title in the series, Diary of a Rich Kid: Lost in Space marks his first book as an internationally published author as the first three books ‘Diary of a Rich Kid: A Novel with The Coolest Secrets’ and its sequels ‘Road Trip’ and ‘Secret of the Sea’ were self-published. The series revolves around the ultra-affluent set and the fantastical adventures they have together.
In the middle-grade book ‘Lost in Space’, the main protagonist Robin receives a phenomenal birthday surprise from his wealthy father: a trip to space with his family and friends! It follows a group of young astronauts on a thrilling adventure through the cosmos, but their journey takes a turn for the worse when trouble hits paradise. The lives of two little astronauts hang in the balance when they get lost in space.
Malaysian readers will appreciate local elements included in the book such as Robin’s craving for Sarawak laksa and the incorporation of local words such as pasar malam. Members of Robin’s crew such as Siti, Devi, and Ken Pok also feature Malaysian-sounding names rather than Western monikers. There are also multiple details revolving around Kuching.
Getting his book out to the public was not an easy process and involved a lot of trial and error. Malcolm said, “There were challenges to being self-published, but it was rewarding as well. As a self-published author, I had to do all the work: writing, editing, proofreading, publishing, distribution, and marketing. I didn’t have the know-how back then as I was new in the self-publishing industry, but I forged ahead because I knew deep inside, this was my biggest passion.”
“I learned everything from scratch, making mistakes along the way but gaining invaluable experience from it all. As a self-published author, I’ve learned to become somewhat of a ‘jack-of-all-trades' in the publishing industry, which can be a good thing, even though it can be stressful at times. Knowing the important aspects along the publishing line can help an author make the right choices in reaching out to a broader market with his books,” he added.
Having the support of a well-known publisher certainly took the weight off of Malcolm’s shoulders, “Now that I’m a Penguin Random House author, I don’t have to worry too much about publishing and distribution, because those areas along the publishing line are mostly handled by Penguin.
"I can just solely focus on my writing without micromanaging every aspect like I used to. Also now, I work alongside a structural editor, who gives constructive feedback on my writing, which I really appreciate. I can say that my books will also enjoy a broader reach across the world, as opposed to being self-published when my books were limited to mostly Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia only.”
Besides his writing skills, Malcolm has also exhibited his drawing talent in his books which heavily feature line drawings of the main character Robin and his high jinks, “I illustrated the books in the series partially, but there were overwhelmingly too many illustrations to be done for each book that I had to engage another illustrator to collaborate with me.”
Speaking about his latest book, Malcolm said, “Because I was so excited about the story, it took me about two months to complete Lost in Space.”
Even though it is set in the cosmos, one shouldn’t take the story at face value, but rather enjoy it as a fun tale written with artistic license. “People may think that I started reading huge chunks of articles about space to write this book, but that was not really the case. I just wrote whatever ideas that came into my head. I didn’t have to do a lot of research, although I had to fact-check certain parts to make sure I didn’t get side-tracked from the logical aspects of space.
“For example, when one of the characters in the story had his space helmet taken off in space, I had to find out how many seconds, or minutes, it takes to survive when you’re being exposed to the harsh elements of space.”
Malcolm shared that so far, he has gained the support from those hailing from his home state. “Most Sarawakians have been immensely supportive of my works, encouraging me to write more, which is something I’m passionate about. We don’t have a lot of Sarawakian writers doing this (writing a nationally successful series and going frequently on tours), and I’m proud, and at the same time, humbled, that I’m able to do this to elevate Sarawak on the literary map, and to inspire other aspiring Sarawakian writers.”
Speaking about his future goals, Malcolm said, “I never wrote Lost in Space, or this series, ever, with the intention of seeing my name on the New York Times Bestseller list, but if that happens, I would be blown away. I’ve always written my stories from the heart because after all, writing is my biggest passion.”
Malcolm shared, “Never dare to give up. Believe in your work and your vision. You may get rejected, but that’s part and parcel of writing life. If you keep holding on to your dream, you will achieve it.”
Those who enjoyed the first four books can look forward to its fifth instalment which is tentatively slated for release by the end of 2023.
Follow Malcolm on Instagram here. You can purchase the book online at MPH.
Image credit: @malcolmmejin, @penguinbooksea