Although Elizabeth Lim grew up with her nose in a book, she never quite imagined she would one day become a published young-adult fantasy author.
Lim attended Harvard College for a degree in music, later furthering her education by receiving a doctorate from The Juilliard School. Lim began as a music composer for film and video games, but her passion for creating stories led to the publication of her two books: Spin The Dawn and Reflection: A Twisted Tale, a reimagination of Disney’s animated feature film Mulan.
Lim’s love for reading, especially of the fantasy genre, stems from her childhood. “Books kept me company,” the author explains. “Fantasy books in particular transported me to new worlds that fed and exercised my imagination.”
Despite being intent on becoming a composer during her college studies, Lim still loved crafting stories in her spare time. Her interest for creative writing began by writing fanfiction in middle and high school. Lim believes posting her stories online developed her skills as writer, as the open nature of the Internet allowed immediate feedback from a strong community while also helping her understand the importance of persistence. “The whole experience sparked my love for writing!” she says.
If you dream of becoming a published author, Lim would advise you to read as much as you can, listen as much as you can, give yourself goals, and don’t let rejections get you down.