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"The feedback from readers motivates me."

Rurika Suzuki, 2nd year student School of Social Sciences

In front of Toyama Campus Toyama Library

Rurika Suzuki has been writing novels since she was an elementary school student, and her "Goodbye, Tanaka-san (さよなら、田中さん)'' (Shogakukan), which she published in her second year of junior high school, became a bestseller and sold over 100,000 copies. Rurika, who draws inspiration from events that occur around Rurika and creates works rooted in everyday life, has released a total of five works to the world even though Rurika was still a student. On October 17, 2023, Rurika's 6th novel, "Wish Upon a Star (星に願いを)'' (Shogakukan), was published. This time, we asked Rurika about the encounter with books, the influence of studies at university on Rurika's work, and the future plans.

--Please tell us how you became interested in books.

There was a library next to my house, so my mother would often take me there even when I couldn't read. When I was 2 or 3 years old, I saw pictures in picture books and make up my own stories to go with them. I believe that being surrounded by books from an early age was a major motivator for me to become a novelist.

A photo at the library during Rurika's childhood

--When did you actually begin to express this in the form of works?

Actually, the first work I created was a manga. When I submitted it to a publisher, I received a very thorough review, which made me realize the joy of receiving feedback on my work. I wrote my first novel when I was in fourth grade of  elementally school. As I was attracted by a 100,000 yen book card as an extra prize in the "12-Year-Old Literary Award'' contest sponsored by Shogakukan, I completed the story in one day (lol). After that, the contest organizer approached the editorial department and asked, "Would you be willing to develop Suzuki-san as a writer?'' I revised my previous works, added three new short stories, and published my first book in my second year of junior high school. I remember being so happy when my classmates bought my books and asked for my autographs.

Photographs of the six works published so far. (Clockwise from top left) "Goodbye, Tanaka-san (さよなら、田中さん)", "14 Years Old, Tomorrow's Timetable (14歳、明日の時間割)", "The Sun is Alone (太陽はひとりぼっち)", "Wish Upon a Star (星に願いを)", "Rakka Ryusui (落花流水)", "Take Me to the Moon (私を月に連れてって)" (all Shogakukan)

Rurika's second work, "14 Years Old, Tomorrow's Timetable'', published in 2018, has been translated and is loved overseas (from left) Korean version and Taiwanese version.

--Please tell us why you decided to enter School of Social Sciences. I heard that you wrote your fifth novel, "Rachihana Ryusui,'' during your entrance exam period.

There are many successful writers who graduated from Waseda University, and I had an image that many of writers are from Waseda University, so I always admired Waseda. In fact, the editor who has been working with me since I was in the 5th grade of elementally school is also Alumnus! While gathering information about universities before taking the entrance exam, I learned that I can learn a wide variety of things at School of Social Sciences, and I was convinced that it would be the perfect fit for me, as I wanted to learn more about the world from a multifaceted perspective.

In my third year of high school, while studying for entrance exams, I was also working on writing "Rakka Ryusui,'' but since I was writing at a pace that suited me, I never felt that it was difficult to balance both. For me, writing is like a breather, and when I felt anxious about taking entrance exams, I used to write novels to calm myself down. Looking back now, the exam period was also a time when I was able to properly focus on the novel within the limited time I had.

This photo was taken when Rurika was in the 5th grade of elementary school and participated in a science event held for children. “I had already had a fateful encounter with Waseda Bear at the Waseda University booth (lol)” (Rurika)

--What did you study at university and how do you use it in your writing activities?

So far, I have learned a wide range of basic subjects such as marketing, politics, and sociology, which are compulsory. What I particularly enjoyed was the Japanese class I took in the spring semester of my first year. Since then, I have become interested in the meaning of Japanese, which I don't really understand, and the kanji that I feel uncomfortable with, and I am currently studying in a seminar taught by Professor Hiroyuki Sasahara (Faculty of Social Sciences Professor), who specializes in linguistics.

The knowledge I gained at university is diverse, but rather than incorporating it directly into a novel as a theme, I often use it as an opportunity to think about new developments. Sometimes something I heard in a class remains in the back of my mind, and it suddenly comes to mind while I'm writing. I imagine that I am expanding my inner abilities through studying at university.

--Have you ever find it difficult to write a novel?

I often write in my room on my days off, and there are big differences between days when my work progresses and days when I don't. When I concentrate, I can write for 5 to 6 hours from midnight until dawn, but there are often days when I can only make a few lines of progress no matter how many hours pass. While I really enjoy writing novels, it can also be like pains of creation. However, I am able to hear the real voices of my readers through the fan letters I receive from time to time, so I use these responses as encouragement to do my best. Of course, I love reading books, so enjoying the works of other novelists is also the driving force behind my writing.

Fan letters sent from readers. A portrait of Rurika is drawn on it.

--What kind of work is the recently published "Wish Upon a Star"? Please tell us the point.

“Wish Upon a Star” was published on October 17, 2023. It is Rurika's sixth full-length novel

The subject of this work is stars, following on from the sun in "The Sun is Alone,'' and the moon in "Take Me to the Moon.'' It is the last of the trilogy series. The story deals with the sins that people commit in their lives, even if they are not against the law, the forgiveness of those crimes, and the conflicting emotions that exist within humans at the same time.

Also, one of the charms of the story is that the atmosphere changes dramatically between the first half and the second half, and I am proud that it is a work worth reading. Actually, when I started writing it, I had intended to make the first part and the second part two separate novels. However, as I continued writing, the two stories in my head naturally became connected, and I decided to finish them as a single work. I added an element of mystery at the end, so I hope you'll pay attention to that as you read.

--Please tell us about your future prospects.

I myself love short stories, both as a reader and as a novelist, so someday I would like to write a "perfect'' short story with no excess or deficiency. In the future, I would also like to focus more on manga and drawings, which in a sense can be said to be the origin of my story creation. However, while I would like to continue to be involved in production activities, I have no intention of making it my only job. By taking up a job that is completely different from the publishing industry, I may find that I have something to do with my work, and it will be a valuable experience that will be useful in my writing as well. By gaining various experiences, I will continue to work hard to create even better works in the future.

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Interview/text/photography: Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC student staff)
Hinari Ukiya, 2nd year School of Culture, Media and Society

▼Click here for an introduction to Rurika's previous works