Claire Ahn was born and raised in Seoul, Korea, and moved to New York to attend university. Her writing is deeply rooted in her family’s heritage, traditions, and values, drawing inspiration from her transcultural experiences to shape authentic characters and narratives. She now lives in Long Island City with her husband, daughter, and dog, Dante. To learn more about Claire, follow her @CuhlaireAhn on Instagram.

Tell us what inspired your latest book Bad Influence.

Bad Influence centers around a teenager with a burning desire to make it as an influencer. I think the bulk of that was inspired by our reality today. I once read an article that said that 67% of teens wanted to be an influencer when they got older. And to be quite honest, that really bothered me! I think mostly because social media has been pretty strongly linked to feelings of comparison, depression, dissatisfaction, and so on. And the thought that young kids want to dive into that world as their career without really understanding the possible ramifications of it all frightened me. I wanted to explore that more through a fictional lens and maybe let out a little of my UGH towards social media. The story also heavily weaves in family burdens because to be honest, most Asian families have a level of familial burdens they carry and it felt inescapable to me.

Your writing often explores transcultural themes and the interplay of traditions, values, and legacies. How have your personal experiences influenced these narratives, and what advice would you offer writers aiming to authentically portray such dynamics?

I think a majority of this is simply my own upbringing. I grew up as a TCK (third culture kid), being born in Korea, moving to the US, then moving back to Korea at age 5, then moving to New York at age 18. As a result, my cultural markers have been shaped by moments captured in time and history, but stilted for years. I’d absorb what was the thing in Korea in 1996, then there’s this giant gap of time as I shifted to absorbing the likes of Y2K things in America. Then I came back for the epic World Cup of 2002, a monumental year for Korean soccer. But I have zero recollection of what was happening on the other side of the world, so all my cultural moments in life are mixed and matched by my family’s timeline. My advice would be to study your roots more and let it flow naturally. Start by writing what you know, and explore what you want to learn.

Charlotte’s viral moment stems from confronting racism at an influencer event. How do you approach integrating social issues into your storytelling and what guidance can you provide to writers tackling similar themes?

My goal was to show that these straight-out racist remarks as well as microaggressions happen in daily life, without making it center stage. Racism feels too real for me to write a whole novel on; I tend to read novels to escape my reality, so making racism into the front and center of the story was never the purpose. But using it as a catalyst allowed me to weave in my anger towards racism into the story and portray it realistically, without taking away from the meat of the novel.

Bad Influence offers a glimpse into the world of social media influencing. What research did you undertake to authentically depict this environment?

I have some friends who are influencers, so I leaned on them. I also just did a deep dive into the ins and outs of influencers and the content they posted and those that I viewed as more authentic influencers versus the more curated content creators. No one’s life is so perfectly curated, so it piqued my interest when influencers focused on showing only the more beautiful parts of life. I ran with it and fictionalized how a teen might handle the pressure of that and what it can do it her eventually.

Could you share insights into your writing routine? How do you maintain productivity and creativity, and what advice would you give to writers striving to establish their own processes?

With a toddler in tow, it can be really challenging to have a set routine. I’m a morning person, so I keep my work hours usually between 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. It helps me feel a level of timed pressure and I pick up my toddler at 3 p.m., so really, I don’t have much of a choice to work after that! If I’m on a tight deadline, all routine goes out the window. I’ll wake up at 5 a.m. or write until midnight, but that’s rare. I hardly ever work after 4 p.m. as I am a horrible night owl. Whatever the opposite of a night owl, I am that.

As an Asian American author, what challenges (or surprising positives) have you encountered in the publishing industry, and how have you addressed them? What recommendations would you offer to emerging writers from underrepresented backgrounds?

Partner with the right people. I was fortunate to get to work with a Korean-American editor and it’s been game changing for me. Of course, that’s my only experience so far as I’ve worked with her on two novels now, but having someone who understands the nuances of your novel and therefore is a strong advocate helped so much. Choose an agent that supports YOU, beyond just the stories you can create. My agent knows I want to go into all sorts of genres! Even though he specializes in children’s literature, I love that he’s been so open to having me explore adult fiction and other genres. I feel so immensely supported.

What is a book you always recommend to fellow writers?

All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir. It has its trigger warnings, so I am mindful of that. But in terms of writing, especially for YA, it’s the best of the best, in my opinion.

What’s a book that made you want to become a writer?

Kind of morbid, but, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is what changed my life. It’s the first story I’ve ever read that made me cry, and the first story that made me obsessed with a specific topic (in this case, witch hunts in Salem). I think a book is powerfully done if you can be obsessed with the topic at hand even after finishing the novel or it has the intense emotional pull where you can’t stop being wrecked by it.

Which literary character do you relate to the most?

Loaded question! There are so many characters in the world of books. But off the top of my head, probably Anne of Green Gables. The world she lives in is a world I’ve always wanted to be a part of, but her personality felt very relatable to me. I, too, have my head in the clouds and believe in the magic of the little things in this world.

What’s one piece of writing advice that has stayed with you?

Steal time. No one is going to magically hand it over to you. With a chaotic life full of playdates, school visits, friend/life obligations, I will not be given random days to just write with no pressure or responsibility for anything else. I need to steal time! During my toddler’s swim lesson, during the waiting room at hospital visits, whenever I need to, I steal time.

If you could co-write a novel with any author, living or dead, who would it be?

Oh my! What a fun thing to think about. I’d have to say Madeleine L’Engle. What a gift it would be to co-write a story with a brain like that!

What’s one lesson you’ve learned about publishing that you wish you knew earlier?

You may have a great team, but you must know how to advocate for yourself. I’m still learning, but the reality is that most people in publishing are very overworked. Everyone is spread quite thin and it’s not personal if you don’t feel overly cared for. It’s the nature of the industry. So it’s on you, as the writer of your own work, to push for yourself and tell your story the way you want it to be told.

What’s your favorite writing podcast/newsletter/Substack?

I’m subscribed to most bookstore newsletters from the NYC area, but my favorite is from Yu and Me Books. They always approach their letters focusing on people and the state of the world and an accompanying poem. It always reminds me that though the bulk of the world is profit, not people-minded, there are those that will always strive to put humanity first.

What are some must-haves for your writing space? (Drinks, snacks, music, etc.)

My trusted hourglass or 15-minute sand timer! It’s super old-school, but I don’t have my phone on me when I work, so the physical timer helps create structure and discipline. Usually a coffee or some white wine if I’m out at a cute alfresco restaurant. And definitely the playlist I’m building out for that novel.

What are you working on next?

Currently, I’m working on both a picture book and an adult fiction whodunnit novel! Both are new genres and I’m super excited to branch out.

Bad Influence by Claire Ahu

Charlotte Goh lives a double life. In one, she is the dutiful Korean daughter, always looking for ways to care for her family, and in the other, she is a fashion influencer trying to make it big to financially support them. One day, after posting about a racist experience at a fashion event, she goes viral, and she can’t help but get swept up in it. The glamorous media attention, new fashionable friends, and the eye of one of Hollywood’s biggest heartthrobs, Charlotte begins to think this new life might be exactly what she wants. But as she goes further and further into this new world, she realizes all that glitters is not gold, and the cost of success may be higher than she ever imagined.

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