Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to April Peng. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
April, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
I thought I was God’s gift to writing when I wasn’t trying to pursue it as a career. In an echo chamber with only my peers, I had nothing but confidence. As soon as I took my words beyond the privacy of my own eyes, all that confidence shattered and I thought I was the worst writer in existence. The truth lies somewhere in between. After trail and error, getting rejected time and time again, getting brutal critiques from workshops tearing apart your precious words and your heart and soul, you only get stronger. The more rejections I received the stronger I became. I am a much better writer now than I was in my own echo chamber, even though I might have felt better than, because I have stood the test of time.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I was born on a tropical island in China called Hainan. At the age of 8 I immigrated to Surrey, England with my mother. I attended King’s College London and studied Physics and Philosophy because I wanted to understand the universe, But during my study abroad at UCLA, I realised that the answers I was searching for was within my self. So I left physics and decided to become a screenwriter. I am passionate about improving Asian representation in film and TV. I write stories about spunky Asian women fighting for their place in this world. I’ve lived in 3 countries, speak 2 languages and can code switch into 5 accents. I have been gifted with a wide perspective, a capacity to empathise with people from all walks of life. The power of cinema is the ability to bridge the gap between culture and experience. Therefore I believe authentic storytelling is a crucial way we can understand and accept each other.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
They say to make it in this industry you need talent, hustle and luck. But the reality is you need endurance. You need to want it badly enough that you’re willing to work tirelessly without and reward for years before you get your foot in the door. You will be tested time and time again with life’s challenges. Watching all your friends in “normal jobs” settle down into a career, a stable relationship, a sense of security much earlier than you ever will. There is no straightforward path to success, so it can feel like you’re not making any progress. But progress isn’t linear in this industry, it’s utterly random. You just have to hold on to the gut feeling that this is the right path for you and take it day by day.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Film is a collaborative sport! I am always looking for other writers and artists to learn from. I want to work with people who have aligned values and sensibilities as me. Asian American, British Asian, or Chinese writers, directors, actors who want to tell powerful stories that can make a difference in the world. I write comedies and drama, predominantly coming of age stories since I am still young. Dm me! Let’s grab a drink!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aprily_peng/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-peng-74a544195/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@aprilxiao9129
