Sharon Bala (@sharon.bala) is is a Canadian writer and the award-winning, bestselling author of "The Boat People". This book is inspired by a real incident and is about a group of Tamil refugees who survive the perilous ocean voyage to reach Canada only to face the threat of deportation and accusations of terrorism in their new land.
Sharon joins Ara on this week’s episode of The Tamil Creator to discuss why she almost never pursued writer as a career, how writers make money, the "why" behind writing The Boat People, her experience living in St. John’s (Newfoundland) and much more!
Follow Sharon:
- Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sharon.bala/)
- LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharonbala/)
Timestamps
00:19 - Ara introduces this week’s guest, Sharon Bala
01:28 - Not believing she could pursue a writing career, the writing class that rejuvenated her passion
04:31 - Sharon’s experience living in St. John’s, Newfoundland
07:35 - How psychology and PR helped Sharon become a full-time writer
09:32 - Why did Sharon want to become a writer, how she developed the story
14:37 - Dealing with expectations as an author
17:58 - Does Sharon feel additional pressure as a result of her first project being a success?
20:30 - If you’re reading this, call Sharon’s agent
23:18 - How to make a living by being a writer; advances, royalties, etc.
26:00 - Aspiration of working in a writer’s room
27:36 - Macro changes in the writing industry and how it affects Sharon
28:46 - Sharon’s view on social media
32:34 - How friends and family view Sharon’s writing journey
36:13 - What drives Sharon’s writing ambitions
37:51 - What’s Sharon insecure about?
38:45 - Hobbies outside of work
40:03 - Sharon’s dream day (if money wasn’t an issue)
40:50 - The personal legacy Sharon wants to leave behind
41:23 - Advice for 16-year-old Sharon; journaling
43:04 - Books / podcasts that Sharon recommends, and the notion of history not being factually accurate
47:08 - Sharon’s puppy
48:03 - Who Sharon admires in the global Tamil community and non-Tamil community
51:31 - Creator Confessions
58:18 - The Wrap Up
Intro Music
Produced And Mixed By:
- The Tamil Creator
- Yanchan
Written By:
- Aravinthan Ehamparam
- Yanchan Rajmohan