Tanja Wijnen, author of The Pangolin Killers (Skældyrsjægerne), penned her book while taking a course with Helen Brain, an award-winning author and tutor for the Write a Children’s Book Course at the Writers College. Tanja recently travelled to Denmark for the launch of Skældyrsjægerne. Her success story continues as the publisher has requested a sequel!
1. Can you tell us a bit about your journey from being a student at the Writers College to becoming a published author? What inspired you to write The Pangolin Killers?
The dream of becoming a published author was always lingering, and I returned many times to the Writers College for courses in creative writing and journalism. Eventually, I took the plunge with the Write a Children’s Book Course Part One. Part Two of the course provides one-to-one mentorship, and my tutor, Helen Brain, supported me until the second draft of my book. That made all the difference, and I highly recommend it.
The storyline is inspired by personal experiences from my work in Uganda, but I chose to write this story because I saw a gap in the market. I wrote it in English, with an overseas audience in mind: the African continent is exotic to overseas children, and they (and most adults) know very little about African current affairs.
I’m interested in politics and prefer thrillers, so I transformed the theme of wildlife trafficking into a fast-paced action story for 9- to 12-year-olds. I included ‘fact sections’ at the end of the story covering pangolins and trafficking, South Africa and tourism for kids in Cape Town. This way, it appeals to parents – who, in the end, buy kids’ books – while the kids choose it for the action element.
2. What was the most challenging part of writing The Pangolin Killers, and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was finding time! However, having deadlines works for me, and this was a major benefit of being supported by a Writers College mentor. Helen set deadlines, and I (mostly) managed to keep them. My second book in the series will also be written with the support of the Writers College.
Another challenge was finding a place to write: I have three children, so I wrote a lot of the book in obscure places to avoid interruptions. I wrote the last chapter under a cover in the pouring rain at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
3. How did the Write a Children’s Book Course at the Writers College help you in the process of writing and publishing your book?
The Writers College was fundamental to getting my first book written; it wouldn’t have seen the light of day otherwise. I also got some good tips on how to approach publishers. The English version was self-published through an agency recommended by the Writers College, but the Danish edition was published traditionally by Wadskjaer Publishers. I used skills I learned from the course to approach publishers.
4. Can you share any specific skills or techniques you learned during the course that were particularly beneficial in crafting your story?
I tend to overthink and edit too much while writing, which stops the flow. Helen repeatedly told me to ‘just write’, which helped a lot. The prep work of creating a framework for the story was also essential to keep me focused throughout.
5. Your book was translated into Danish, which is a significant achievement. How did it feel to see your work reach an international audience?
Seeing my book in Danish (I am originally Danish) was unbelievable! In November 2023 and 2024, it was featured on my publisher’s stand at the biggest book fair in Denmark, and I was invited to join the sales team on the stand. It was incredibly inspiring; nothing beats signing your own book for someone who has just bought it!
The book was also formally accepted as educational material for public schools in Denmark, which feels amazing. It’s hard for a first-time author to get their book accepted in public libraries, as it requires a specific public review, but I managed that as well.
That said, I’m quite sure it’s easier to break into non-English markets; there are typically no literary agents as middlemen, and the markets are often smaller. I had the publisher translate the book, even though I speak Danish, because the kids’ dialogue required up-to-date teen lingo.
6. What has been the response from children and parents to The Pangolin Killers, both the original version and the Danish translation?
In the beginning, I sent the Danish version to quite a few book bloggers for review. Some reviews matter more than others, though. For example, I got one from the WWF, one from a kid who said he felt I spoke directly to him and another from a schoolteacher who, unprompted, created educational material for it. These all made me feel very excited.
The very first formal recognition I got was a long-listing by the Page Turner Award (a UK writing competition). This may have had a bit of a snowball effect, so I can recommend submitting to writing competitions.
7. What advice would you give to aspiring authors who are considering taking a writing course to help them achieve their publishing dreams?
Take a writing course with the Writers College. It definitely helped me achieve my dream. The story will take shape with their guidance. Also, don’t overthink – just write.
Unless you have distinct literary brilliance, really consider your audience and approach your book like a work project – and don’t give up. I think perseverance has a lot to do with who gets published and who doesn’t.
One thing I didn’t expect was that, even after getting published, I still had to be my own marketer, salesperson and social media expert. It was quite the learning curve and kept me from writing the next book for a long time.
8. Your publisher has optioned a second book. Can you give us a sneak peek into what we can expect next from you? How are you approaching this new project compared to your first book?
Yes! The next book is going to be set in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and the current affairs topics will include refugees, illegal diamonds and traditional medicine. I went to Uganda to do research in September. Soon, I’ll contact the Writers College for the next mentorship course!
