FROM FASHION TO CREATIVE WRITING: MY WRITING JOURNEY SO FAR ...
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Eiyo dearies,
Welcome back to Fadima Mooneira's blog. How's May treating you guys? May is quite a busy month for me. But I'm enjoying the busy moment. I just love working hard and being productive to myself ^_^ Btw, it's bookish season now in Malaysia. Yayhoo!!! I'm all excited for the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) 2026 that will be held at The World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) on May 29 - June 7, 2026.
For KLIBF this year, I, Fadima Mooneira, will be collaborating with two well-known publishers ~ Creative Exclusive Publication, and Love Novel. Yes, 3 of my novels ~ Fail Merah, Saranghaeyo Namsan, and Manchester Epiphany, will be available for you to grab at these vendors. So if you're planning to go to WTCKL for KLIBF 2026, please visit Creative Exclusive Publication (at Bilik Pahang, L2) and Love Novel (at Bilik Mawar, L2). Insya-Allah, I will be there ^_^ So please give me your support. It is highly needed. Hehehe ^_^
Since it's bookish season now, I'm going to share a book-related post. And yeah, this post is about me being an author. In this post, I'm going to ask myself some questions about my writing journey. So sit back and relax ...
#1 SO, ARE YOU A PLOTTER, PANTSER, OR PLANTSER? SHARE A SUMMARY OF HOW YOU BEGIN YOUR WRITING JOURNEY
I'm definitely a plantser. I plan everything that I want to write before I start my work. But I'm also flexible enough to change my writing plan according to what fits better. I began my writing journey in 2019. I did not plan for it when I first started. I was forced to go sailing without a map after the General Election in 2018. I lost my job as a contract civil servant and had a hard time looking for a new job. My close friends advised me to build my own opportunity. At first, I started to get active in blogging again. I joined communities and started networking with some bloggers. Blogging really made me fall in love with creative writing, reduced my anxiety, improved my communication, and enabled me to express myself well. Overall, writing helped me boost my confidence.
In 2019, I participated in a collaboration book-writing project with other aspiring authors. The mastermind of the project was Malaysia's famous novelist and editor, Puan Sri Diah. And in early 2020, the book was published under the title Sahabat (Friends). Yay!!! My first book has been published! Sahabat is a book of short stories about friendship. My story is titled KDK- Kawan Dari Kecil (Best Friends Since Childhood). Contributing a story in Sahabat made me realized of my long-forgotten dream. In 2020, I started writing my first novel, Fail Merah, and got it published in August 2022. And the rest was history ...
#2 WHERE DO YOU DRAW THE BULK OF YOUR INSPIRATION, AND HOW HAS THAT EVOLVED YOU SINCE YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER?
Most of my inspiration comes from my life experience, what I wish for, what I hope for in life, and all the things that I love geeking about on my blog ~ literature, pop-culture, art, fashion, beauty, F&B, travel, etc. I love exchanging knowledge with my fellow bloggers and brainstorming ideas with my bestie, Maddy M. When I first began my writing journey, I always felt that writing gave me joy in being able to share my thoughts and imagination. But now, writing no longer feels as tool for me to syok sendiri (self-satisfaction). It feels more like a life purpose and destiny. I feel that there's a reason and a mission for why Allah SWT gave me this talent. Insya-Allah, I will use it well.
#3 YOU STUDIED FASHION BACK IN UNIVERSITY AND EVEN WORKED IN THE GLAMOUROUS INDUSTRY. BUT WHAT MAKES YOU SUDDENLY WANT TO SHIFT INTO CREATIVE WRITING?
Hahaha ... yes, I was a fashion major :P When I was a teenager, I thought fashion was my destiny. That's why I chose to study it at university. Fashion is indeed a fun and interesting subject to study. I love geeking out about fashion with my friends. I love making fashion a premise for my stories. But when I was working in the industry, fashion felt depressing :'( It was not because I don't like sewing. It was because of the people I met and needed to associate with. Gosh!!! Those fashionista wannabe socialites were a huge pain in the soul. They were definitely an energy drainer. They were bitchy, bossy, and criticized everything that didn't meet their expectations. They made me feel breathless, tortured, and not allowed to be myself. And that sucks! It even made me have low self-esteem back then. To those fashionista wannabes, fashion is about being flawless and glamorous. But to me, fashion is art and about expressing myself. This is the reason why I decided to shift. Creative writing brings light to my life as it allows me to be myself and gives me a voice. However, I am grateful for my life experience despite the ups and downs. All contribute to my writing journey. Alhamdulillah.
#4 WHOA! DOES YOUR EXPERIENCE IN FASHION INSPIRE YOU TO WRITE MANCHESTER EPIPHANY?
Yes! 100% Fashion and beauty are the premises of my latest novel, Manchester Epiphany. The female lead, Yasmeen Aizura Habibullah, is a Fashion Marketing student at Manchester Metropolitan University (my alma mater). Yasmeen loves fashion a lot and wishes to build a career in the industry. Throughout her journey, she faces so many obstacles and challenges. And like me, Yasmeen also disagrees with the word 'glamour'. To Yasmeen, fashion is not just about glamour. Glamour is only the surface part of fashion. Yasmeen sees fashion as art. And yes, fashion is for everyone. It's about expressing yourself and creating your own identity. In Manchester Epiphany, I use Yasmeen's voice to tell the world what I feel about fashion and what I want the industry to change. Besides my thoughts on fashion, I also want my readers to know that being a fashion designer is not the only job in the industry. Yes, guys, you don't have to become a fashion designer if you want to work in the industry. You can be a stylist, illustrator, journalist, buyer, or visual merchandiser instead. In fact, you can create something new. And if you want to become a fashion designer, you must be able to sew. That's the most important skill for a fashion designer. Hehehe ^_^
#5 THAT'S COOL! CAN YOU SHARE A SUMMARY OF MANCHESTER EPIPHANY AND THE DIFFERENCE OF IT FROM YOUR TWO PEVIOUS NOVELS?
Manchester Epiphany is a standalone novel that can also be considered as a spin-off to my second novel, Saranghaeyo Namsan. The female lead, Yasmeen, is the younger sister of Maya Juhara Habibullah, the female lead in my second novel. After Maya achieves her fairytale and embarks on her new adventure, Yasmeen decides to start her new adventures as well. Yasmeen closed down her pre-loved boutique, MY Evergreen Wardrobe, and moved to Manchester to further her degree in Fashion Marketing. Yasmeen wishes to become a star in her beloved fashion industry. But unfortunately, Yasmeen doesn't know what career she should choose in fashion. Designing is definitely not her cup of tea. She hates sewing. Besides pursuing her degree, Yasmeen also wishes to be near her football crush, Ricardo Alonso. But instead, she meets an annoying but realistic British-Mongolian perfumer named Arban Batsaikhan. Meeting Arban brings Yasmeen on a journey to discover herself.
Manchester Epiphany is not a traditional love story compared to Fail Merah (my first novel) and Saranghaeyo Namsan, even though it belongs to the contemporary romance genre as well. Self-discovery, self-love, spiritual awakening, dreams, family, and friendship are themes of Manchester Epiphany. Manchester Epiphany carries three tropes ~ fish-out-of-the-water, the-cute-meet-cute, and destiny. Plus, this novel is written in English. Manchester Epiphany is inspired by Si Tenggang's Homecoming, an evergreen poem by Professor Emeritus Muhammad Haji Salleh, the 1991 Malaysian National Laureate. The poem mirrors Yasmeen Aizura's spiritual journey in Manchester Epiphany.
#6 THAT SOUNDS BRILLIANT! YOU'RE ONE OF THE AUTHORS WHO CREATED YOUR OWN UNIVERSE. SHARE WITH US ABOUT THE FADIMA MOONEIRA UNIVERSE (FMU).
FMU takes place in the real modern world. There's no magic in it. Only miracles to those who believe in it and work hard for it. Most of the characters are connected to each other. Dahlia Jamilah, the female lead in Fail Merah, is a cousin of Maya Juhara and Yasmeen Aizura. These characters make cameos in each other's stories. I also created some cool and fun places for my characters to hang out and readers to visit. The most popular spot in FMU is Bakri's Tuscany. It's an Italian-Fusion restaurant owned by Emil Muhayat's (the male lead in Fail Merah) uncle, Mr. Bakri or Pak Ngah. Bakri's Tuscany was first featured in Fail Merah. And later, this cozy restaurant is featured in Saranghaeyo Namsan and Manchester Epiphany. Bakri's Tuscany has become a hit in FMU. Alhamdulillah. Besides Bakri Tuscany, I also created Pretty Pink Garden Cafe & Florist that was first featured in my short story, Pretty Pink Garden. The cafe & florist is owned by Wilson Cho, the male lead in Pretty Pink Garden. Pretty Pink Garden Cafe & Florist is inspired by a famous pink cafe in London called Peggy Porschen and Pret A Manger. This pinkish cafe & florist was also featured in Saranghaeyo Namsan and mentioned in Manchester Epiphany. Manchester Epiphany serves as a grand opening for FMU. There are more cool places being introduced in Manchester Epiphany. That's why Manchester Epiphany is a novel you guys must not miss. Hehehe ^_^
#7 WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS ABOUT BEING AN AUTHOR, OTHER THAN BEING ABLE TO SHARE YOUR IMAGINATION AND PUBLISH YOUR BOOK?
Being able to participate in book fairs and meet new people for networking. Even though I'm an introvert writer, I still believe it is important for me to be present. Plus, meeting people for networking is fun. I'm grateful with all the like-minded people I met throughout my writing journey. Most are amazing people with beautiful souls. Alhamdulillah.
#8 DO YOU LOOK UP TO ANY OF YOUR AUTHOR FRIENDS AS A ROLE MODEL?
Yes! Definitely! All of my author friends have their own specialties and skills. But the two I admire most are Ninot Aziz and Amshida Ahmad Rani. Ninot Aziz is an award-winning and one of the bestselling authors in Malaysia. She is also the founder of Hikayat Fandom ~ a publishing house dedicated to preserving and modernising Malay and Asian folklore and heritage. Ninot Aziz is not just a brilliant writer, but she also has a good mission ~ empowering Malay culture and heritage to the world. I love that! Insya-Allah, I will forever support Ninot Aziz and Hikayat Fandom's mission.
Amshida Ahmad Rani (Puan Am) is one of my closest author friends and the leader of Karyawan Mandiri. Puan Am is not just a talented and knowledgeable writer. She is also a very enthusiastic and hardworking authorpreneur. She has a strong passion for authorpreneurship. And she truly enjoys her work. Whoa! She's a real iron woman! That's why I chose her to write the foreword in Manchester Epiphany. Oh yeah, if any girl dreams of becoming a girl boss, she must follow Amshida Ahamd Rani's example ^_^
#9 WE KNOW YOU'RE EXCITED ABOUT KLIBF 2026. BUT WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE? WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?
Whoa! The future is something I can't predict. But I do hope that in ten years, I will be more well-known in the industry, my writing will improve, and I will become a way better person than I am now. Hehehe!!! For the whole future, I do hope to become a bestselling and award-winning author. I hope to see my books entering the international market and being translated into different languages. I mostly hope my stories and characters become an inspiration to those who are looking for themselves and navigating their life. I wish to make Malaysia a reading nation and empower our literature to the world. Yeah!!!
Okay, so this is all about my writing journey so far. Thank you for reading this geeking post. I hope you guys enjoy reading it. If there's anything about my writing journey that you want to know, just ask me in the comment box below. I will be happy to answer your questions ^_^
Any updates on Fadima Mooneira @ KLIBF 2026 will be shared on my Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Please feel free to visit Creative Exclusive Publication and Love Novel's booth during the festive book fair. Your support is highly needed and appreciated ^_^
XoXo,
Fadima Mooneira ^_^
(Authorpreneur, Novelist, Blogger, Illustrator & Crafter)
#FadimaMooneiraWriter #ManchesterEpiphany #SaranghaeyoNamsan #FailMerah #ContemporaryRomanceNovel #SelfPub #IndieAuthor #WritersLife #PBAKL2026 #PopCulture #Edutainment #Lifestyle #Travel #Beauty #FadimaMooneiraDotCom
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