My story is about an old man living in a hutong who overnight becomes a billionaire. 'I'm writing a story right now about Beijing. Having visited China twice, Van Booy says he is now working on a novel set there. He has contributed to the New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Guardian, ELLE Men (China), National Public Radio, the BBC, and has written for the stage. His first novel, Everything Beautiful Began After, was published in 2011. Van Booy has published two short story collections: The Secret Lives of People in Love and Love Begins in Winter, which won the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. They rely on artists to introduce them to diversified concepts.'

The worst thing you can say is 'What do people want?' People don't know what they want. 'I teach my students to trust their instincts.

'My advice is to work for yourself, meaning write what you think is good, not what you think people would want, not what the publisher wants,' he says.

By being inspired, you'll attract everything you need.'Īs his visit happened to fall a few days after Nov 11, which is called Singles' Day in China because of the date's resemblance to four single sticks, Van Booy was asked to give a talk on 'love in the age of singles' in the eastern city of Ningbo.įollowing the Ningbo event, he traveled to Beijing for a week-long writing workshop at the 600-year-old Temple Hotel, where he spoke to aspiring local writers. 'If you have an idea of what you want, it's good, but it never turns out that way. 'That sounds depressing,' he says, with a laugh. Known for his poetic and insightful portrayals of love, the award-winning author shared his views on love, which he says is far from the fairytale many people seek, and comes with a mixed price of sacrifice and moderate expectations. In the early 20th century a lonely man from southern China, tempted by wanderlust, set off to travel the world alone.Īlmost a century later, Simon Van Booy, his great grandson, has retraced his footsteps back to China, this time loaded with love. Provided to China DailyĪuthor Simon Van Booy has dedicated his work to exploring human emotions Simon Van Booy has been writing about love for decades but says he is yet to run out of ideas and inspiration.

Everything beautiful began after