> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://justincox.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Write Now with Xiran Jay Zhao - URL: https://justincox.com/blog/2022/03/write-now-with-xiran-jay-zhao/ - Published: 2022-03-30T11:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2023-06-16T23:42:36.000Z - Description: Today’s Write Now interview features Xiran Jay Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of IRON WIDOW. - Author: Justin Cox - Tags: Interview, Featured, #xiran-jay-zhao **I learned about Xiran Jay Zhao because of the brilliant TikTok algorithm. Scrolling through the feed, I was served [an amazing video](https://www.tiktok.com/@xiranjayzhao/video/7051307865553849606?ref=justincox.com) about how Xiran received a verified checkmark on Twitter — and became a bestselling author. The humor was pitch-perfect and made me want to know more about Xiran and IRON WIDOW. Today, I’m honored to share Xiran’s interview with you.* --- ## Who Are You? Hello, I am Xiran Jay Zhao, [YouTuber](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqSz%5FKlrE8%5FIDht7tWsQ-RA?ref=justincox.com) and [author of sci-fi/fantasy books](https://xiranjayzhao.com/?ref=justincox.com) inspired by Chinese myth and history! I’m based on the west coast in Canada. ## What Do You Write? My books are mostly sci-fi/fantasy mashups because I’m heavily inspired by mediums like anime and comic books, where that seems to be the norm. I’ve had stories in my head since I was little. When I was like seven, I spun out whole **Yu-Gi-Oh!* fanfics to friends at recess. But I never got around to writing any of it down — I was an easily distracted story planner — until I was 15 and met this guy at an anime convention. He told me he was a writer, and I was casually like, “oh, me too!” Then he wanted to see some of my writing… I was like, uhhh, and FINALLY wrote the first chapter of something down after I got home. It was absolutely terrible in hindsight, but his feedback encouraged me to keep going. So, I have him to thank for kicking me down this path, even though it took years and years of stress and disappointment before I finally landed a book deal. I have to be honest: I don’t actually LOVE the process of writing. It’s always an uphill battle to get a book done. But the stories in me demand to be told, and the final product makes it worth the work. As for words or themes I avoid, I never use slurs that aren’t rightfully mine to reclaim, and I stay clear of writing subjects too far outside my personal experiences. I’d never write a story set in pre-colonial Africa, for example. What do I know about pre-colonial Africa? No amount of research can make up for how there are many, many writers better suited to write that story than me. ## Where Do You Write? I write exclusively at home on an Alphasmart! It is my most prized possession because it lets me write distraction-free, then I edit on Scrivener. I’ve tried writing outside in a coffee shop or something, but I’m too self-conscious during the writing process and too easily distracted. ## When Do You Write? Oh, boy. Ideally, I want to get up at 9 AM and write for an 8-hour workday, but unfortunately, my brain refuses to let that happen. So I end up doing most of my writing in the middle of the night. I aim for 2,000 words per day, though that doesn’t always work out. Time limits are impossible for me. And deadlines… well, those are set by my publishers! ## Why Do You Write? It brings me great joy to share stories inspired by my cultural background, basically writing the books I wish I had when I was younger. As diaspora, it was very rare to find representation of my experiences in media. Writing for the next generation of diaspora is my biggest motivator. ## How Do You Overcome Writer’s Block? I don’t really get writer’s block in the sense that I don’t know what to do next since I always plan my stories, but I struggle with sitting down and writing. What I do is work on another task I’m procrastinating on, and then I’ll want to write instead! Like fighting fire with fire, HAHA! ## Bonus: What Do You Enjoy Doing When Not Writing? I love comics, anime, sci-fi/fantasy movies, and of course BOOKS!! Not much else going on at the moment, but I have the pandemic as an excuse =P --- **My thanks to Xiran Jay Zhao for today’s interview. [IRON WIDOW](https://xiranjayzhao.com/?ref=justincox.com) is out now and [ZACHARY YING AND THE DRAGON EMPEROR](https://xiranjayzhao.com/index.php/zachary-ying/?ref=justincox.com) is available in May.*