Member Spotlight: Vanna Nguyen

Why is writing important to you and why do you think it’s an important medium for the world? Because I would want to share the most tragic and truthful moments of my life as Queena’s champion. I want to share my experiences for all who need encouragement and reassurance that families can make it through unimaginable tragedies and come out whole. I would want to share my life testimony about the power of God, the power to do things we never thought possible.

What are your tried and tested remedies to cure writer’s block? I do lots of research, which also means I have got to check my facts, even on a story that is my own and get some creative inspiration. My best way to address writer’s block is to continue jotting down notes whenever I find myself reminiscing. I used the Notebook app in my phone or just text myself. Because I never know when an idea might strike! Example if I had lunch with friends when something they say reminds me of a time I have shared with them, I recorded it immediately. That enough to motivate me to write about it when I returned home.

What is your favorite time to write? Every night after I put Queena to bed, I dedicated the hours between midnight and 3 AM to writing our story. I wrote the entire book in the Notes app in my iPhone. English is my second language and I struggle with technology. I never thought that I’d be able to publish a book, but I did it!

What’s the best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received and would like to impart to other writers? If you’ve ever thought “I really want to write a book someday”…then don’t let it become a regret! Sometimes all you have to do is just think about what could be possible and that will keep you going.

What excites you most about being a writer in today’s age? Because I can share my experience that readers can relate to—even if they haven’t had the exact experience I was describing.

Vanna Nguyen’s The Life She Once Knew: The Incredible True Story of Queena, The Bloomingdale Library Attack Survivor is out now with Ambassador International.