“I write because I have to. These stories are rolling in my mind, and I need to get it out. I need to get them down”
Lee Edward Födi is a beloved children’s fantasy author, illustrator and creative writing teacher based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Lee has written a total of 10 books for children, his latest being Spell Sweeper, an exciting story for any reader who loves Harry Potter.
The novel’s central character is Cara Moone, a snarky and ambitious human girl studying at the prestigious Dragonsong Academy for wizards. But instead of learning to cast spells, Cara is put on the fast track to become a MOP, a.k.a. a wizard janitor forced to clean up other students’ magical mess.
Lee’s stories are imaginative, thrilling and fun to read. When he’s not writing or daydreaming himself, he runs creative writing workshops for children in North America, Asia and England, teaching them how to put their imagination to work.
In this episode, Lee talks about:
How he trains himself to be creative
How Spell Sweeper came about: “I kept taking broom pictures everywhere I went, and so I knew I’m going to write a book about brooms …”
Where he gets his ideas for characters and plots
World building in his books
His brainstorming journal: “It’s a disaster, but that’s okay, I try to embrace the chaos”
How he became a children’s fantasy author
How he got his first book published
Teaching children to be more creative
How anyone can be more creative
Lee Edward Födi: @leefodi
Wiser Living with Sissi Wang: @wiserlivingpodcast