Introducing… Nadia Ayesha
Today’s wonderful new author from the 2025 cohort is Nadia Ayesha.
Originally from Singapore, Nadia is currently based in the UK where she completed the MA in Writing for Young People degree at Bath Spa University. Inspired by her Peranakan heritage, research on pre-WWII Singapore and her grandparents, Nadia’s Young Adult novel, Showers of Luck, was born. It was published by Penguin Random House SEA in 2022. She also graduated with a MA in Creative Writing with Distinction from LASALLE College of the Arts, awarded by Goldsmiths, in 2023.
Besides writing, Nadia enjoys hiking, watching football, trying new recipes and dreaming in museums.
What is your writing routine?
Preferably with a cup of tea and dressed in comfortable clothes, I sit down to write at home, in a cafe or in the library. If I know what I’m going to write that day and I’m working towards a first draft, I work in writing sprints of 30 minutes using my hourglass timer. Writing sprints helps develop my focus and increases my writing speed and consistency.
Who is your favourite author and how have they inspired you?
My favourite authors for children / young adult fiction are Laura Ingalls Wilder, L.M. Montgomery and Judy Blume. They have inspired me with their interesting stories and relatable characters but most of all, with their courage and drive to keep writing. For example, Judy Blume said, “As a writer, you have to go into that little room and leave the fear outside. And get that censor off your shoulder so that you don’t self-censor. You need to write what needs to be there.” This quote is something that motivates me when I feel creatively blocked.
What was the inspiration for your manuscript?
My manuscript started from a story I wrote for our Writing Workshop Autumn module. I had been reading The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, which inspired me to write a story with fantasy elements for the first time.
Who is your favourite character in your book?
My favourite character in my book is Lila the protagonist. She loves her family deeply, especially her father, and it is her desire to find him after he goes missing that drives the plot forward. She’s also not one for romance and doesn’t fall in love easily which I’ve enjoyed writing mainly because of the humour that creates when she interacts with the prince who wants to marry her.
What inspires you first: character or plot?
I usually think of the plot for my story first though people around me have inspired me to create characters based on them in the past. Without the arc of the plot though, the characters can’t fully take shape and grow. So definitely: plot first!
Describe your perfect day.
A good day is spent writing, with tea, good food and loved ones. Add in a visit to a bookstore and some time spent in nature with cool weather to make it perfect!