Temi Oh: On Untangling Two Reactions to the Same Idea
Temi Oh graduated from King’s College London in 2015 with a BSci in Neuroscience. While at KCL, Temi founded and ran a book club called “Neuroscience-fiction,” where she led discussions about science fiction books which focus on the brain. In 2016, she received an MA in creative writing from the University of Edinburgh. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Temi Oh
Osita Nwegbu
In this post, Temi shares the idea that inspired her novel, her biggest surprise during the writing process, and more.
Name: Temi Oh
Literary agent: Judith Murray, Greene & Heaton
Film and TV writing: Emily Hickman, The Agency
Book title: More Perfect
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Saga Press
Release date: August 15, 2023
Genre/category: Science Fiction/Dystopian
Previous titles: Do You Dream of Terra-Two?
Elevator pitch for the book: At age 13, Moremi opts to receive an implant that will connect her brain to the internet and grant her access to the minds and dreams of others. She believes that the technology will cure her loneliness and depression forever until she meets Orpheus a young dream-hacker who is arrested for a crime that he is predicted to commit in the future.
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What prompted you to write this book?
I was watching my husband fall asleep and it occurred to me that he was traveling away from me. That I wouldn’t be able to follow him into his inner world. But when I said, “I’ll miss you, when you sleep,” he shuddered and said, “Ewww!”
Our different reactions—how romantic the idea of following him into his dreams seemed to me, versus what an invasion of privacy it seemed like to my husband—formed the central conflict of the book.
In this future, the Pulse can allow you to access the memories and dreams of others. Some think it will be the foundation of perfect love, an end to loneliness, and others believe it’s a violation.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
A long time! The idea came to me a couple of months after I got married, and we celebrated our eighth anniversary a month after publication. My husband jokes that he married this book too!
My first novel, Do You Dream of Terra-Two?, came out in between, so there were a couple of years I put this book aside. The idea didn’t change very much but I had a strong vision for what I wanted the ending to be, and it took a huge amount of tossed drafts to get me it.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Just how long it took. How difficult I found working on a second book when I felt as if I’d given my debut everything I had.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
My daughter was born while I was working through copyedits. When I asked if the doctor could delay my induction for another week so I could finish this book, the lack of sympathy in her eyes told me everything.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope the world feels familiar.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Download the Freedom app. It takes me five times as long to write 500 words if I’m connected to the internet.
While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.