My Fun Interview With Michelle Liew

Hello Everyone!

I have decided to revive my interview blog this summer on Vocal. Michelle Liew has given me the pleasure of interviewing her yesterday, July 2, 2025.

I prefer to conduct blog interviews rather than vlog because it still gives my interviewees a sense of privacy. I usually have them on Facebook(Meta)Messenger because it allows my interviewees to respond quickly to my questions.

I have conducted interviews through email, but the response time was delayed compared to Messenger.

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Let's get started with an introduction to Michelle Liew.

Michelle Liew started writing on Vocal in September 2023. She has over six achievements, including Top stories on Vocal. She has written over 637 stories on Vocal and outside of the Vocal platform. She is an English teacher for children and teenagers. When she is not writing, she enjoys her three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy, and Snowball.

Fun Fact: Zorra's picture is Michelle's profile picture on Vocal. Snowball and Cloudy are both Westies.

Mariann: Good Morning, Michelle! Let's start by asking you, what part of the world do you live in?

Michelle: I live in Singapore! It's incredibly humid and hot!

Mariann: What is the best part of living in Singapore?

Michelle: We have a mix of cultures here, Chinese, Malay, Indian, and even Filipino. So, the best part about it is how multicultural and safe it is. It can get costly.

Mariann: How did you get into writing on Vocal?

Michelle: I started in 2023 when I was looking for a site where I could write my stories. Other sites focus more on how-to content and factoids. So, Vocal seemed like a great fit, and I was right.

Mariann: What is your favorite genre to write about?

Michelle: I love this question! It's horror, with a bit of inspiration and a lesson thrown in, as I am an English teacher. The mysterious can teach a few good lessons.

Fun Fact: Michelle teaches English to youngsters from 7 to 16

Fun Fact: Her first story on Vocal was "The Kampong Lottery." It was about a Singaporean in the 1960s who took on Shirley Jackson's The Lottery, in which a man wins a lottery with a twist. It's also one of her Top stories on Vocal.

Mariann: Did you write any stories before joining Vocal?

Michelle: Yes, plenty. One of my favorites is entitled "Amelia the Mouse Husk." It was about a girl who found her voice after losing it and being overshadowed for the longest time.

Mariann: What features do you like on Vocal? What feature would you like Vocal to have?

Michelle: One of the things I like about Vocal is how it helps writers grow...with the challenges and all: style and voice development.

Hmm. I like the challenges because they stretch writers' imaginations and creativity juices, especially the latest ones. Another feature of Vocal is the incredibly supportive community we have....I have had the opportunity to get to know many talented writers. Each one I have interacted with brings a unique voice and talent to the table, proving that we are all special.

I wish Vocal had formatting in the editing panel. That would make submitting work neatly easier.

Fun Facts: Michelle has a younger brother named Kaith, and she enjoys celebrating her parents' birthdays because it's the only chance the family gets to get together. Her parents' birthdays get celebrated together because they are a day apart.

Mariann: How do you prepare yourself to write a story?

Michelle: Another great question. I create a mind map first, using a proper story structure (intro, plot, climax, resolution, conclusion), and write each section as I go. I am lucky, as prompts have been plentiful recently, with all the unofficial and official challenges!

I draw inspiration from many things, including family, pets, and characters from movies and TV.

Fun Fact: The cover picture is one of the places Michelle walks her dogs and gets inspiration for her stories

Mariann: How long does it take for you to edit your stories? Did you use any software?

Michelle: I edit each section as I go. What I do is either read it back with a TTS reader or use ProWritingAid to check for grammatical typos.

Mariann: What social media platform do you share your Vocal stories on?

Michelle: I share them on X, Facebook (Voice in Minor and VSS, Great communities), Bluesky, Instagram, and LinkedIn. X has a fantastic community of writers!

Mariann: What message would you like to share with your fellow Vocal creators?

Michelle: "Keep Shining.....your stories are meant to be told."

Mariann: Describe your writing space and why you have it set up that way.

Michelle: Ah, another great question. I have a habit of having many screens on at the same time, so having a two-level desk allows me to do that.

I have a few tablets....so my desk is quite wide. Usually zoom from one to another, and to my Chromebook.

Thanks for stopping by to read my Interview with Michelle Liew. If you want to follow her, check her social media profiles. She plans to publish two children's books on ebooks, and she is currently working on a psychological thriller.