The Writing Life Writing speculative fiction: Choo Yi Feng on ecology, world building, and creating mysterious characters
Jan 26, 2026
Chu Yi Feng, an intertidal explorer, ecologist and speculative fiction writer, talks about his fascination with the sea and liminal intertidal ecosystems. He discusses blending science fiction, horror and mythology in short fiction. He explains using marginal, mysterious characters to reveal worlds and how residencies and science inform his writing.
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Intertidal Liminality As A Literary Metaphor
- The intertidal zone is a powerful metaphor for liminality in fiction.
- Chu Yi Feng links the shifting, boundary nature of shorelines to characters who live between social categories and places.
Childhood Tide Pools Shaped A Writer
- Childhood aquarium visits and early low-tide explorations sparked Chu Yi Feng's lifelong sea obsession.
- He recounts doing intertidal walks since childhood and notes he went on one just the day before the interview, spotting sea slugs.
Let Characters Reveal Your Worldbuilding
- Use character-centred short stories to reveal worldbuilding without info-dumps.
- Chu Yi Feng intentionally writes marginal, mysterious protagonists so the reader discovers the setting through their outsider perspective.
