The author tribe has spoken...and we're right behind Wai Chim!

28.07.21

We are thrilled to see ASA member Wai Chim representing authors and the Australian YA community on the current season of Australian Survivor: Brains vs. Brawn. Wai is the author of a number of children’s titles including the Chook Chook series, Shaozen, and her YA books Freedom Swimmer and The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling, which was recently shortlisted for the 2020 Prime Minister’s Literary Award. You can find Wai's books at your local independent bookstore.

The current season of Australian Survivor commenced on Sunday 18 July and it’s been delightful to see all of the enthusiastic support for Wai from the author community. 

We asked Wai about her Survivor experience so far:

Why did you decide to compete in Survivor? Is this something you've always wanted to do?

Going on Australia Survivor was the ultimate way for me to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone! I've always loved the show in its various iterations. I'm pretty sure it was the first reality show out there and it's lasted so long because the format and nuances are so captivating. As an author, I love learning more about the human experience, to immerse myself in all sorts of dynamic and unique situations and this was an amazing way to do this. 

How do you feel to be the first contestant to be representing authors on Survivor?

I'm really excited to be an author playing Australian Survivor. Usually we think of Survivor players as being real physical powerhouses, big muscles and huge personalities! But this season's theme of Brains v Brawn really opened up the doors to different types of players, including nerdy authors like me. :) I'm also really excited to be playing as a woman of colour and having more representation on our screens!

How do you think your career as an author prepared you for Survivor?

As an author I understand characters, and more specifically character motivations which I think prepared me for the experience. Parts of playing Survivor felt like the tricky parts of writing a book - where the characters I'm writing won't do what I want them to do. (is it just me? :D)

What are you finding the most challenging thing about competing?

The physical challenges are tough, REALLY tough. I'm also usually a bit more of an introvert (as many authors tend to be) and it's taking me some time to find my feet when it comes to the social elements of the game. 

What is the most valuable thing you've learned from the experience so far that might be useful for your career as an author?

I love that I have met so many different and unique people that I probably wouldn't have encountered in my every day. Also, I found I had to let go of some of my 'perfectionist' tendencies that I know lots of authors have. When you're in a survival situation, it's about getting the job done in whatever way you can, not stressing too much about how it gets done. That's a good mindset to have sometimes!

You can follow Wai’s Australian Survivor journey by tuning in to Channel 10 at 7.30pm on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights or by streaming the show online here.