In a previous article I published on Balance Now, I analyzed the representation of Asian Americans in the U.S. publishing industry. I found that while most individuals working in the industry and the contributors are White, Asian Americans are marginally represented compared to their population size.
What is it like publishing as an Asian American?
With Asian American diversity in mind, I wanted to understand more about the publishing process as an Asian American. Today I am joined by Smrithi Upadhyayula, author of Games of Chance and reporter for the UT Dallas student newspaper.
What was your process behind publishing Games of Chance?
I did a hybrid model. I used Amazon books for my distribution, but I hired people to edit and design the cover because I thought that format would offer me more creative control. I did try a traditional publisher at first, but I figured out there’s a lot of stuff you have to capitulate to get through their process. I wanted my book to reflect what I wanted to put out into the world, which wasn’t happening with the traditional method. Instead, I thought the hybrid model, where I could draw on people’s expertise, have control over the final product, and receive more fair royalties, would be better for me.
Did you face any obstacles when attempting traditional publishing as an Asian American?
My obstacles were mainly related to a need for more knowledge and connections in the industry. Since my parents are immigrants, we only have a few contacts in this country. Also, some creative differences come inherently from your background. As a young person, you write about what you know because you don’t have much experience beyond that. What you know and what might interest you and your community may be challenging to explain to a broader audience.
My books were difficult for publishing to accept in general because people would ask, what’s the story here? Why is this interesting? I had to learn to provide context, and I had to learn to make the stakes higher so that people would be into it. I realized that a lot of your background goes into your books, and you make a lot of assumptions in your writing. As a developing writer, you have to learn to be aware of those assumptions and learn to explain things to people who don’t necessarily have the same context and background as you do.
What elements of your Asian American background did you incorporate, if any?
I don’t think I did it intentionally. My beta readers pointed out that my male lead is a math nerd, and my female lead is a princess. She reflects the eldest Asian daughter stereotype and gets out of that. I did not do that on purpose, but I see it now that my readers have pointed it out to me. My female lead has her role defined in her life. Then, she meets an American guy who says she can be a leader and a protector while pursuing her dream of becoming a superhero. Her family doesn’t encourage her because they believe it’s dumb and not something that exists in real life. However, she finds a way to respect her family’s heritage and history while pursuing her dreams through his encouragement.
I did not realize this when writing it, but I see it as entirely applicable to my life. As I have gotten older, I’ve understood my Asian parent’s perspectives more and why they demand the things they do. It’s not as authoritative as it seems when you’re a teenager. They have a background that shapes their identity and what they are looking for in life. It’s possible to do the things you love alongside what they want you to do, and there’s a reason they want you to do that. You can find a compromise that keeps your family relationship intact. And that’s been essential for my growth as a person, and that’s reflected in my books.
What do you hope the reader learns about Asian Americans from your work?
I don’t think people wake up and decide to wear their identities and go out into the world. Yet, all these things seep into the background of the things you do because that is the perspective you’re coming from, so I think that is the important takeaway. You might not do it consciously, but your views influence every aspect of it what you do. My two characters have such different perspectives. The guy is a total nerd; he spends all his time watching YouTube math videos and doing things like that. The girl is a princess raised with this mindset in her head. These perspectives influence how they work together on a team and what matters to them.
What are your future goals and aspirations in the writing world?
I hope to write science fiction continuously throughout my career because it’s an excellent outlet. I call it my metaphorical diary, and I also have this long-term goal of being a physician author someday and writing one of those books that influenced me to go into medicine. I love When Breath Becomes Air and all those books that capture the experience of being in the medical field and help demystify it for people. I want to take my experiences, use my writing skills, and heal that trust between people and the healthcare system after all that’s happened recently.
What Resources are there for Aspiring Asian American Authors?
From my interview with Smrithi Upadhyayula, I have learned that there continue to be obstacles for Asian Americans to publish their work in the traditional sense. She mentioned her and her family’s lack of connections since they are immigrants, her lack of industry knowledge, and her challenge in getting the publishers to understand her stories.
I am encouraged to hear that despite these obstacles, Upadhyayula still plans to continue writing even throughout her medical career. Since lack of knowledge, resources, and support seems to be a common thread, I set out to find some for readers. Poets & Writers has compiled a list of resources for the AAPI Community. The Asian American Writer’s Workshop has many fellowships and hosts many events for aspiring authors.
