Su Kabyar works as a writer by day and catwalk model by night. Pic: Aye Zaw Myo

SU KABYAR is a busy woman. After working long hours during the day to meet her deadlines as an online editor, she sheds her professional office image for designer clothes and expensive jewellery to moonlight as a catwalk model.

The night job might sound glamorous for some, but for Su Kabyar her heart will always be in journalism.

“I used to be a part-time writer for a journal and modelled for the rest of my time, but the more I wrote the more I came to realise that I love writing so much more,” she said.

“As a model and actress all you really need are looks, which I won’t have forever. There are no limitations in writing. If there comes a time when I will have to choose between the two, it will be writing, hands down.”

The 24-year-old started her modelling career when she began acting in 2005. She starred in Rainbow Color Yearning (Thet Tant Yaung Alwan), alongside Nay Toe, Kyaw Thu, Ye Aung and Nandar Hlaing. Afterward, the modelling offers started pouring in.

In early 2006, Su Kabyar had her first short story published in Mahar journal, A Riddle of Thought (A Tway Poutsar), which led to 30 more short stories being published in various journals such as A Chit, Shwe Thamin, Ma Hay Thi and Heart.

Most of her stories focus on issues surrounding young people, particularly in the romantic arena.

“I tend to leave messages for young women in my stories, like trust your instincts, be wary of some men, that kind of thing,” she said.

Her writing talent didn’t appear overnight. Su Kabyar has been writing poems since her early teens and continues to do so in her spare time.

“I write at night after work, sometimes until 2am.”
The writer is still trying to perfect her time management skills in order to juggle her hectic lifestyle.

“I try to read when I can. To become a good writer you need to read a lot — I mean a lot,” she said.

Her favourite Myanmar writers are Ma Kyi Aye, Dr Ma Tin Win, Jue, Saw Mon Hnyin and Yu Wadi Khin Sein Hlaing.

“I get offered acting jobs every now and then. I’ll take them if the shoots don’t interfere with my day job. I can’t do anything that takes over four days to shoot.”
Right now Su Kabyar is working for Snapshot News Journal as their online editor and operations manager. It’s a job she considers her big break as she is not qualified in journalism as a subject. She says she is learning everything she needs to know through U Myat Khine, board director of the journal and the person who encouraged her to write after she finished high school in 2000.

She covers entertainment, fashion and social news.
“As an actress and model I find it easy to interview celebrities because most of them are friends of mine,” she smiled.

Su Kabyar plans to publish a book of 20 of her own selected short stories in the coming year.