Lang Leav: Write the Book You Want to Write
Lang Leav was born in a refugee camp after her family fled the Khmer Rouge. She spent her formative years in Sydney, Australia, in the predominantly migrant town of Cabramatta.
Among her many achievements, Lang is the winner of a Qantas Spirit of Youth Award, a Churchill Fellowship, and a Goodreads Choice Award. She has been featured on CNN, SBS Australia, Intelligence Squared UK, and Radio New Zealand and in various publications, including Vogue, Newsweek, the Straits Times, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Guardian, and the New York Times.
She lives in New Zealand. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Lang Leav
In this post, Lang discusses what role The Sound of Music played in inspiring her latest novel, how the book has felt destined, and more.
Name: Lang Leav
Literary agent: Alec Shane from Writers House
Book title: Others Were Emeralds
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release date: September 5, 2023
Genre/category: Literary Fiction
Previous titles: Sad Girls, Love & Misadventure, and Poemsia
Elevator pitch for the book: A stirring portrayal of guilt, loss, and memory, Others Were Emeralds explores the inherent danger of allowing our misconceptions to shape our reality.
(WD uses affiliate links.)
What prompted you to write this book?
I started writing Others Were Emeralds during the height of the pandemic. Living in New Zealand, we faced one of the strictest lockdowns globally, limiting my ability to visit my hometown of Cabramatta, a small immigrant settlement Southwest of Sydney. This experience ignited a profound sense of longing and nostalgia for my youth.
Every piece of writing I create, whether it is a poem or a novel, originates from a distinct emotion. Others Were Emeralds emerged from the profound yearning for home that I felt during that time.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
The idea for Others Were Emeralds came to me as I sat at my dining table, gazing out at the ocean and humming a tune from The Sound of Music—a moment etched vividly in my memory. It was then that I realized I had found the basis for my next novel. Initially, when I shared this revelation with my partner and stepson, their perplexed expressions reflected their confusion as I mentioned the movie as a source of inspiration. The profound connection between my own family’s escape from the Khmer Rouge and the von Trapps flight from the Nazis became apparent as I crafted the prologue for Others Were Emeralds—an element that has remained virtually unchanged throughout several rounds of editing.
Interestingly, the book took shape in a non-linear fashion, with different sections written out of sequence. In retrospect, this approach proved serendipitous as it highlighted the strange trick memory plays on you. Before the prevalence of social media, I had always perceived my own memories as factual. Now as I scroll down my social media feed, I often find it challenging to reconcile the chronological order of events. I would think, “Didn’t this occur before that?”
This was a new technique that I employed during the writing of Others Were Emeralds. The result gave a disjointed feeling to the book, that is reminiscent of memory. The entire journey from conception to publication has spanned nearly three years, encompassing various stages of refinement and development.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Despite my previous successes in the publishing world, the journey with Others Were Emeralds presented its own set of surprises and invaluable lessons. From the moment the manuscript began to take shape, I sensed an inexplicable magnetism surrounding it, as if it possessed its own gravitational force, attracting the right individuals and opportunities into my life.
Remarkably, the entire process felt effortless, from the initial stages of writing to the book being acquired in a pre-empt, a first-time experience for me. Reflecting on the entirety of the journey, it now appears destined, as if all the pieces were magically aligning in a way I have never experienced before.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope my readers who have ever experienced being the “other” will find themselves reflected in the pages of this book. As I trace back the footsteps of my own journey, I am reminded of the pivotal role my family played as pioneers in the first major influx of Asian immigrants to call Australia their home. It was a time when the echoes of the White Australia Policy, still reverberated through the societal fabric. Against this backdrop, I found inspiration to share a poignant chapter of Australia’s history, one that is often overshadowed or overlooked.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
The most important advice I received was to write the book you want to write, rather than chasing trends or aiming solely for critical and commercial success. Such success is often unpredictable and largely dependent on luck.
Instead, focus on writing authentically for yourself, rather than trying to cater to a specific audience. If your writing is genuine and true to your own voice, your audience will naturally find you.