Creative Capital: This Singapore online bookstore sells 'mystery-wrapped books' and customised poetry
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Creative Capital: This Singapore online bookstore sells 'mystery-wrapped books' and customised poetry
Possessor Adam Tie says that all you have to do is give him three words and a backstory, and he will craft a unique work of literature just for you.
The Novel Encounter's Adam Tie (Photo: The Novel See)
01 Nov 2022 07:05AM (Updated: 08 Jul 2022 05:48PM)
Would yous buy a book without knowing what you were getting? Adam Tie thinks and so.
His online bookstore The Novel Meet sells what he calls "curated mystery-wrapped books". The only hint you have to what you are buying are descriptions similar "Man heed", "Foodie", "Dark urban fantasy", and "You are not alone".
The books, he says, are curated through friends are all critically-acclaimed or dear by fans.
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Tie, just shy of his 30th birthday, set upwards The Novel Run into iv years agone.
Mystery books is but one half of what the company does.In fact, the other service is even more popular. Tie offers customised poetry – you give him three words and a backstory, and he will craft a unique work of literature just for y'all. He offers the same service at events – merely at these live "performances" creates each poem in just v minutes.
WHEN DID YOU Start Begin TO WRITE?
I tin can't retrieve a time when I wasn't writing. Every notebook, napkin, un-sweaty palm—my own of class – was an opportunity to break the silence.
Back in primary schoolhouse, I recollect charging classmates $1 for customised curt stories. I'd enquire them to give me a brief synopsis and I'd write them something. I never got besides many customers – no shocker there – but the passion for writing was evident since I was a child.
WHAT DID LITERATURE AND WRITING MEAN TO Yous WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG?
I've always been fascinated with strangers, so reading someone'southward novel was a manner of exploring their inner longings, desires, prejudices and humour. It's not simply words on paper; it's an invitation.
As for writing, my initial reason for doing so was a means of catharsis and to connect with others. But the more I write, the more I realise that I derive great satisfaction in helping others feel more continued.
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WAS STARTING THE NOVEL ENCOUNTER SOMETHING Yous HAD BEEN PLANNING FOR A LONG Fourth dimension OR DID IT HAPPEN REALLY QUICKLY?
I actually started The Novel Encounter equally a way to learn how to be a business organization owner. I wanted to understand first-paw these strange things of handling inventory, calculating margins, basic accounting, dealing with vendors, doing events, customer service, marketing and so on.
A buddy of mine who was already an established entrepreneur at that point told me to dabble in something that I was passionate about. Well-nigh immediately, I decided I wanted to go a bookseller. In fact, the initial idea was to create a bookstore cum cafe.
He and some other entrepreneurial friends would sit with me for a brainstorm. Chats at a nearby cafe over iced lattes, plus meals over takeaway nutrient by my poolside, led to us talking about potential names for the business, to the channels that I'd sell the books, to the way I'd parcel them, to how the logo would look similar. In no way did this happen overnight, and in admittedly no style shape or grade did it happen alone.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT THE NOVEL ENCOUNTER DOES?
The Novel Encounter is a celebration of storytelling. On the surface, it'south a platform that sells curated mystery wrapped books and customised typewritten poetry. Merely what I desire this business to be is a safe infinite.
Whether it's curated books love past readers from around the world, or my customised typewritten poems or my published works, if I can aid y'all feel less alone, more continued, more you lot, I consider The Novel Encounter to be exactly what I hoped it to be.
DO YOU GET MORE SALES FROM CURATED BOOKS OR FROM CUSTOM POEMS?
Customised typewritten poems. You lot know, I recall it's because customers get to include their own three words – they get to share their backstory to a curious stranger and when the poem is completed, it'southward something that's entirely and uniquely theirs.
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No two poems I've written are ever the same. So this experience feels like a collaboration, it feels (and is) heartfelt. I think people enjoy that. Who doesn't bask the sincere, right?
WHAT HAPPENS AT ONE OF YOUR LIVE TYPEWRITTEN Verse form SESSIONS?
Oh, it's then much fun. Let me break it down. I've been lucky enough to get invited to weddings, events, brand launches – some previous clients include Bobbi Brown, Fresh beauty, Formula One, Ferrari, and Aesop. They sit down me downwards at a table at their event space with my typewriter and guests walk upwardly and we boot-start a conversation. Strangers give me three words and a backstory and I'll write them a poem on the spot inside five minutes with these three words included inside. I can't even begin to describe how much fun this is for me.
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HAVE THEIR EVER BEEN A TRIO OF WORDS THAT LEFT You STUMPED, OR MADE YOU LAUGH?
Left me stumped, thankfully not all the same – please don't jinx me. Laugh, definitely. I remember a particular ane by this gent telling me "Ashley, bed, kisses" and refused to tell me anything more – wanting me to surprise him.
So I causeless information technology was for a lover, but when he read the verse form he burst out laughing and told me it'due south really a poem for his daughter. So I suppose that shows for names in particular, a backstory is necessary.
Opposite to popular belief, the tougher the words people requite me, the easier it is for me to write. A guy once gave me "Billabong, Forex, Wonderwoman" and had his long-distance girlfriend on Skype on his phone counting down five minutes loudly. It was an interesting experience. I just honey the live element of poetry writing immensely, I always have fun doing it.
IS THERE A PROCESS THAT Yous USE TO BE ABLE TO Come UP WITH POEMS IN 5 MINUTES?
Words fascinate me because they always seems to find a style to connect. There'southward a reason why this person chose those three words, whether on purpose or subconsciously. They ordinarily have a personal connection with these words, and then equally long every bit I draw the parallels, information technology becomes quite a seamless procedure.
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Then I try to read subtle things virtually the people who accept requested the poems. The way they vesture their clothes, the way they interact, what nutrient they take in their hand. If it'south a couple, how they interact, whether they have stark dissimilarity in their mannerisms, how their personalities seem.
This is why no matter how much fun I take doing orders of customised poems from my online shop, nothing quite beats writing a poem for someone in person. There'southward just so many things to pick up and effort to capture and put into words.
WHAT Part Exercise You lot Call up POETRY SHOULD PLAY IN OUR LIVES?
There's a quote past F Scott Fitzgerald that says, "That is part of the dazzler of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you're not alone and isolated from anyone. Y'all vest." Language will always be a crucial element in the manner that people connect, understand and feel live.
HOW DO Y'all CHOOSE THE BOOKS THAT YOU SELL? HAVE You lot READ EVERY SINGLE Ane?
I endeavour my best to but I recognise that my taste in books is non universal. I have a group of book lovers that I consult, book lovers of every genre, and every few months I finalise a list of 30 plus books.
From there, I brand sure these books are critically-acclaimed and love by readers across the world to avert personal bias. I'd like to believe that we take something for any kind of book lover - nosotros accept mystery, romance, sci-fi, thriller, chick lit, humour, heed-openers. The running theme is that I make sure the quality is in that location, no matter what title is introduced.
YOU ARE ALSO A Director IN A MARKETING AGENCY. IS THE NOVEL See A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS? WHY Take ON Additional WORK?
Well, at the end of the mean solar day, though I chronicle the most to being a storyteller, I desire to dabble in businesses where I experience personal growth.
Then aside from The Novel Encounter and my writings, I'yard a director of a creative agency chosen Grimm & Co where we specialise in F&B and lifestyle clients. I also run the marketing for my friend's business, Interstellar Goods, where we sell award-winning Kickstarter projects and modernistic inventions from across the world.
In every concern that I run, I desire to fiddle in both free-grade and structured creativity, putting myself in safe spaces and less comfy positions. I take on new projects because I want to be constantly growing, learning and evolving.
DO YOU THINK SINGAPOREANS Equally WHOLE ARE WELL READ?
I believe so! In that location'southward a close-knit community of volume lovers in whatever society you look into and I think that's a testament to storytelling. Whenever I'yard at live events selling my poetry and mystery books, through conversations with strangers, I always terminate up with an entire list of recommendations for new books to consider bringing into my catalogue.
THERE SEEMS TO Be AN EXCITING Young GENERATION OF WRITERS AND POETS. IS THERE A SCENE OR DOES Everyone Piece of work VERY INDIVIDUALLY
I think in its essence, writing is a personal experience. But there are local communities like SingLit Station that champion lovers of writing and reading, and it'south very heart-warming to experience how kind and generous in spirit they are.
CAN Yous TELL The states ABOUT THE NEW Book COMING OUT Later THIS YEAR?
It's my debut novel! It's a local homage to my favourite novel of all time, The Keen Gatsby. It's chosen This Life Electric – a story about a soft-spoken soul with a loud mind returning to Singapore by chance after many years.
He finds himself in this shophouse called The Oasis, owned past his enigmatic ex-classmate that hosts parties of interesting and historic people as a means to create a prophylactic space for people to lose themselves and find what they've always been looking for. In a nutshell, this book is about an introvert in a party space and all the intriguing people he comes across and experiences.
I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope people practice also. Information technology'll be available in The Novel Encounter's online store and awesome bookstores across Singapore. It was published by Landmark Books. They as well previously published a collection of my poems chosen Finders & Keepers.
HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC Afflicted YOUR BUSINESSES?
Like most people, my business organisation has taken a hit, which is understandable. Simply ane heartening matter to take annotation of is that gift purchases take risen. Information technology shows that humans are social creatures that always find a fashion to connect with each other.
Through distance, we realise who we hold close. It'due south crawly, isn't it? Customers are purchasing mystery books for friends with an additional note with inspirational words, or purchasing customised poems to inspire loved ones. It's humbling to be function of this intimacy.
WHAT'S Next FOR THE NOVEL ENCOUNTER?
The newest drove of curated mystery wrapped books is due to come up out at the stop of the twelvemonth – the artwork on the wrapping in one case once more washed by my talented frequent collaborator The Wild Abandon. Also, my debut novel This Life Electric, as previously mentioned, is also due to exist out in stores at the end of the twelvemonth. And then watch this infinite!
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Source: https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/the-novel-encounter-customised-poetry-mystery-books-adam-tie-244741
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