About Toyo University Alumni Report：Haruki Shimizu(Novelist)

Novelist
Haruki Shimizu

Profile
2011 Department of Media and Communications, Faculty of Sociology gradate Shimizu writes novels set in his home prefecture of Chiba. In 2015 Shimizu debuted as a novelist with “The Case Book of Flower Shop Fleur: Ruri Akiyama Does Not Fall in Love” (TO Books). “Goodbye, My Dear” (MICRO MAGAZINE), published in 2021, was made into a TV Drama at unprecedented speed, airing in September 2022. “Junction Station Mahoroshi” (Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha) was published in November 2022.

 

At University, I Found Something That I Could Stay 
Passionate About for the First Time

Perhaps due to my father's influence, who always spends his days off watching movies and dramas, I naturally enjoyed works with storylines such as films and novels from an early age. I decided to study at the Department of Japanese Literature and Culture, Faculty of Letters at Toyo University as it was my dream to become a Japanese teacher in high school and since my older brother was a Toyo University student. However, I was easily influenced, and I never stuck with club activities or hobbies. This continued when I was at university, and I spent my time aimlessly without really getting immersed in anything. With this, I became increasingly aware that I needed to change myself somehow. In reflection, I remembered that I had always enjoyed writing and creating media, so I decided to transfer to the Department of Media and Communications at the Faculty of Sociology. This was a significant turning point in my life.
At the time, I wanted to become a screenwriter, so while attending university, I also attended the Scenario Center (a training school for scenario writers). I practiced repeatedly writing out dialogue and action lines* from famous movies into screenplays. At university, I met NHK producer Hideto Yamamoto in a seminar class in my third year, where I produced a short drama which was an invaluable experience for me. I directed and wrote the script, and Mr. Yamamoto was quite strict with me. I found out later that he was particularly strict with me because, at the time, I made it clear that it was my dream to be a screenwriter. In the end, Mr. Yamamoto told me that I had what it takes, which gave me confidence that I could make it as a screenwriter. The fact that what I wanted to do matched with what people around me told me that I was good at led me to be convinced that this was the path I should take. I had never been able to stick with anything, but my passion for scriptwriting has never faded. That is what led me to believe that this was my calling.
*Action lines are the text that describes situations and the actions and feelings of characters, other than dialogues.

A Book I Had Always Wanted to Write,
Born Out of Facing up to All of Myself

Shortly after graduating from university, I was diagnosed with leukemia and could not work for about two years. Fortunately, I recovered and started returning to the Scenario Center. This time, little by little, I began writing novels. As I did, I was attracted by the fact that I could complete the whole process in my own world, unlike screenplays, which are made into films with the involvement of many people. I was lucky to receive a request to write a novel from a publisher, which was the start of my journey as a novelist.
However, although I was able to get many of works published, none were major hits. So I gradually started to feel the limits of my work as a novelist and started seriously thinking about giving up. So I decided to write the novel I had always wanted to write, with the resolution that if it wasn’t a hit, I would give up writing. That novel was “Goodbye, My Dear.” This novel depicts a story about human life and death, and it is based entirely on my own experiences and inner thoughts. That is why honestly, I was afraid to write it. This novel, to which I gave all I had, with the intention of it being my last, was well received by many people. Sometimes readers send me messages such as “I was finding it hard to live, but your book saved me.” It gives me great satisfaction that my work has helped someone, and that's what drives me the most as a novelist. The novel was made into a serial TV drama in September this year, which was also a dream of mine. I write novels by transcribing the images that come into my head as words, which comes from the fact that I first wanted to become a screenwriter. I want to enhance my ability to write novels that are easy to visualize.
From my experience, I want students to try many things, get lost, worry, and make many mistakes. Also, make friends who will support you when you fail. I want students to develop into adults who will immediately reach out their hand to support people around them when they fail, even after they go out into the working world.