Unlocking the Inner Writer: A Workshop with O Thiam Chin

Written by: Thorsten Lee Rui Zhe (1A1, 2026)

A group of Secondary 1 students had the opportunity to engage with Singaporean writer O Thiam Chin, whose short story “Grasshoppers” is one of their set texts. Organised as part of the Secondary 1 DSA Humanities Enrichment Programme, the workshop, held on 13 April 2026, offered valuable insights into the craft of writing and the power of imagination. Below, Secondary 1 student Thorsten Lee reflects on his experience. 

Honestly speaking, this activity was unforgettable. I still remember stepping into Library Classroom 1 and seeing the “legend” in front of me. I was brimming with excitement to meet such a renowned local writer and could not wait to learn more about his writing techniques and ideas.

By the time I reluctantly left the classroom, two powerful thoughts remained with me. First, that a written page, no matter how good or bad, is always better than a blank page. Second, that instead of trying to figure out what others want from us, it is more important to discover what we want to express, as that is something within our control.

One of the first activities we did was to read one of Mr O’s short stories, Garoupa. Although it is named after a fish, the story goes much deeper than that. It brought me into a different world and allowed me to experience Mr O’s unique perspective. The story explored themes of life and death, centred on the passing of the protagonists’ grandfather, whom they called “Gong Gong”. Despite this, the story conveyed that life continues even after death. It also introduced an unexpected and thought-provoking idea, suggesting that the protagonists might be eating their grandfather, as they were consuming garoupa from the same sea where his ashes had been scattered. This reflected how vivid and imaginative storytelling can be.

I was deeply inspired after reading and listening to Mr O share Garoupa. I began to aspire to develop the creativity to craft such stories, the imagination to think beyond the ordinary, and the confidence to write freely without fear of judgement or stereotypes. Mr O also reminded us that becoming a writer is possible, as long as we learn how to unlock our potential.

We then carried out a writing exercise where we were given the beginning and ending of a paragraph and had to complete the middle. At first, I felt stuck. I was unsure what the “correct” answer was and hesitated to express my true thoughts. However, after listening to my classmates’ responses, I realised that there was no single correct answer. What mattered was expressing our own ideas.

In the next exercise, I changed my mindset. Instead of worrying about what was expected, I focused on writing honestly. I allowed myself to express my authentic thoughts without hesitation. As a result, my writing improved, and I felt more confident and at ease.

Mr O also shared useful tips on making our writing more compelling. He encouraged us to think about our characters’ environment, relationships, and place in society. He asked whether the worlds we create are fictional, realistic, or a mix of both. This made me reflect on how I could make my characters’ experiences more unique and engaging, rather than simply following what is considered “normal”.

Before the session ended, we had a short Q&A. Mr O shared that he once challenged himself to write a short story every day until he had completed a collection of 50 stories. I was amazed by his discipline and dedication. He explained that ideas can come from observing everyday life, whether from significant events or small, ordinary moments. By paying attention and writing down these thoughts, even unusual ones, we may discover ideas that can develop into meaningful stories.

As I packed up and prepared to leave, I looked at Mr O one last time. I felt inspired and motivated to improve my own writing. Moving forward, I ask myself, and you as the reader, “How do we unlock our inner writers?” The answer, I believe, is to imagine, to explore, and to let our creativity flow freely.

At the same time, we are reminded of the words from our school song, “吾侪当自强”. There may be moments of writer’s block or uncertainty, but we should persevere. When we begin writing, we can tell ourselves, “This is the start of a great story.”