Meet Ramona Lee Soo-jun

We were lucky to catch up with Ramona Lee Soo-jun recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ramona Lee Soo-Jun, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I think it’s a journey that doesn’t really have a finish line, but over time, I’ve realised that overcoming imposter syndrome is about consistently reminding myself of my own worth when the doubt starts to creep in. It’s something that tends to stick around, especially when you’re stepping out of your comfort zone or taking risks.

For me, it’s about embracing the discomfort and the contradictions. I’ve always believed in the power of stories – both the ones we share with others and the ones we tell ourselves. So I started working on rewriting the story I had been telling myself.

At the end of the day, getting past imposter syndrome is about practising self-compassion and shifting from thinking “I don’t belong here” to “I’m here, and that’s enough.”

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

As a writer, I always think about the reader first. I want to entertain, whether that’s making someone laugh, cry, or even both simultaneously. Even though I write fiction, I get a lot of inspiration from real life. Sometimes I’ll exaggerate everyday situations for fun, or dive into “what if” scenarios. Other times, writing is my way of holding onto memories and capturing moments, places, or people that are no longer around. I love that even though something might not exist anymore, it can still live on in my stories.

I’ve written in a bunch of different genres over the years and I’m always excited to try new things. When I write action comedies, people often tell me it feels like they’re watching a movie while reading, which is exactly what I’m going for. My hope is that this kind of storytelling gets younger readers excited about reading and makes it feel fresh and fun.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

It might sound overused or cliché, but the key is to make sure you actually enjoy what you’re doing. It can feel like torture if you’re stuck working on something you don’t care about, especially when you’re spending hours on it. That leads me to my next point: passion really shines through in your writing. I personally stop writing when I’m tired, distracted, or just not feeling it. My best work always happens when I’m excited about it. Doing something with heart can often beat pure technical accuracy. And finally, always be honest—with yourself and your readers. Following trends can help with marketing, but sometimes stepping outside of those trends can help you stand out.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

“The Ugly Duckling” was one of those stories I really loved as a kid. I always felt for that poor little duckling, being so lonely and out of place. I think I connected with that sense of not quite fitting in, like I was sometimes on the outside. But what really stuck with me wasn’t just that feeling, it was realising that there was actually a character out there who felt the same way. At the time, it made me feel a bit hopeless, like if the duckling couldn’t find its place, how could any of us? But then, when the duckling becomes a swan, it kind of gave me hope. It reminded me that sometimes it just takes finding the right place or the right moment to feel like you belong. And that feeling of being lost doesn’t last forever.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: ramona_sj.lee
• Facebook: Ramona Lee Soo-Jun

Image Credits

Jason Cheung