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Synopsis :

The second of a two-part interview with Singaporean poet, novelist and dramatist  Goh Poh Seng who has been living in a rural part of Canada for more than twenty years. Goh, who is a medical doctor by training is  one of the pioneers of post-independence Singapore literature. He speaks about the complex task of writing in three different literary forms. Poetry involves a few days of intense work and it is important to pay attention to rhyme and tone when writing poetry. A novel takes a few years to write and in this genre, the writer has to decide on the fate of each of the characters and make changes along the way. Dr Goh also touches on how his move from Singapore to Canada influenced his writing. He feels that the locale where the writer lives impacts his work as he is surrounded by different languages, flora and fauna in a new country. He is heartened by more funding for literature in Singapore today and explains that the one thing that has not changed over the years is his love for literature. He is glad that he has kept on writing through the changing circumstances in his life.