Meet Christina Vo | writer

The simple answer is that I didn’t really have a choice. I had to pursue something creative, otherwise I don’t think I would’ve ever been happy.

When I first started my career, I was certainly externally focused. I wanted to land a great job with a reputable organization. I desired external satisfaction, and throughout my twenties that was my path. I worked internationally in both Vietnam and Switzerland. I went to graduate school in the UK; I was doing all the right external things. But, I wasn’t happy.

All the while I had traditional jobs, I was looking inward, whether that was through mediation, or other internal processes, I searched inside. While I was in Vietnam, early on in my career, I dabbled in the idea of producing products there with local materials and exporting them. I tried to design simple bags, with absolutely no design experience.

In retrospect, I see that I was honing in on my eye. When I moved back to the United States, and settled in San Francisco, I was doing the same thing—taking on a ‘normal’ job while pursuing something creative on the side.

People always commented that I had a good “eye”. I spent a lot of time and paid a great deal of attention to my home environment, so whenever people came over to my place, they asked if I was a designer and decorator. For a moment, I thought interior design might be a calling, and I considered going back to school, but ultimately I decided not to.

In my late twenties, I also started writing — mostly to uncover my family’s history and to remember my mother’s story (she passed away when I was a teenager). Then, I began working as a writer for the development office in a university. And writing became a big part of my life.

But life has its twists and turns, and I actually ended up starting a floral design business in San Francisco, so that became a way where I expressed my creativity. But after four years of having the business, and working full-time, I was burnt out.

During the pandemic, I returned to writing as my creative pursuit and I have never felt more at ‘home’ in an endeavor in my entire life. While I had many creative endeavors throughout my career, writing was the art that never went away.

So, essentially, I could not choose any other path. I think regardless of the direction I would take, I would find my way back to some form of creative arts, and I’ve happily landed on writing.

I am a writer and my first memoir, The Veil Between Two Worlds: A Memoir of Silence, Loss, and Finding Home, will be published next spring. I also write pretty regularly on Substack – you can find some of my writing at christinavo.substack.com

At the moment, I’m just working on memoirs and personal stories. I have a lot to share that I’ve kept in reserve for quite some time so it feels rather refreshing to finally share these stories. Initially, I wrote to heal from losing my mother and also to understand my personal family dynamics.

When I finally sat down with my work and created a book it was during the pandemic, and my book was like my best friend. It was with me every day and I poured my heart and soul into it. So now, I very much look at my writing career as a friend of mine, and each project is like a baby that I birth. I have two more books in the pipeline—one that I’ve co-written with my father, and another one that falls more into the genre of autofiction. Both of those will find a place in the world in the coming years.

At heart for quite some time, as I mentioned earlier in this interview, I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer, but it’s taken some time to claim the writing life and to be honest, like life itself, writing is a work-in-progress.

Earlier in my career, I remember a friend of mine, who was also an aspiring writer, told me that one of her teachers (who is pretty well-known and has a seemingly successful career) said to her that the writers who don’t stop are the ones who would make it. He said it wasn’t always the most talented who succeeded, but the ones who continued.

I knew that I might not be the most talented writer, but I could be one who never quit. And so, I never stopped writing. Well, I did for a few years when I ran a floral design business, but I always returned to writing, it’s what made me feel complete, so I continued.

It certainly wasn’t easy, and like most paths, it was filled with ups and downs and doubts and insecurities. I’m in my early forties now, and to be honest, I feel that with my first book coming out next year, my career is just beginning.

What I think is important is to be kind to yourself on your journey, to work hard, and to continue to listen to your heart. There will be failures and successes but it’s important to keep going, to continue to learn, and to try. I believe in putting your whole heart into what you feel passionate about and to share that with others. There’s beauty in sharing our art and what we love, and when we have passion for what we’re doing, it’s infectious. Because, frankly, a lot of people haven’t found their spark. So not only will your creativity fuel your own life, it can inspire and motivate others too.

For the community, I hope that if people have a calling to do something, they will listen to it, and even if you need to work while you’re pursuing your art, that’s fine. Continue to make time for your creative passion and eventually you will reap the rewards/benefits. Maybe it won’t be monetary in the beginning, but maybe one day you’ll be pursuing your creative life full-time. That’s my hope and wish for anyone in the community.

I’d also recommend for people to talk to others,and magazines, like this one, are super helpful. Read about other people’s stories, especially people you admire. See how they started their journey and what it took them to arrive where they are now. This will be invaluable for your path.

Well, of course, I want to acknowledge my parents. My mother was an incredibly creative woman. She used her creative energy in everything she did—every day of her life. She made the most delicious meals, she tended to countless plants, she cared for my sister and I, she had impeccable taste. She was simply a wonderfully creative woman.

My father has also inspired me because he’s always working on a new book project. He was a medical doctor but became a writer later in his life. He’s prolific. And he’s shown me that determination and dedication is so important to one’s creative life.

Finally, more recently, when I moved to New Mexico, I met a handful of professional artists who have impacted my life and career. They’ve also shown me the importance of dedication to one’s craft and never giving up. I’ve had long conversations with these friends about their careers and they have truly helped to emulate what’s important to be aware of as one navigates a creative path.