Frequently Asked Questions
What's happening next?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING AFTER YOU LEAVE MINDEF/SAF?
I will be joining Sing Lit Station, a small literary arts charity, as its Executive Director ("Station Jaga"), from 1 Mar 2026.
what on earth is that?
Sing Lit Station (SLS) is a literary arts charity that I co-founded about 9 years ago, to develop the writing scene in Singapore. It serves the local literary community of writers and readers through:
1. creating a space for writers to grow their artistic and professional lives;
2. inviting readers to explore our literary culture;
3. working with many partners to build inclusive and dynamic communities.
We are a tiny team of 6 full-timers + 1 cat, sustained by a small army of part-timers, interns and volunteers.
1. creating a space for writers to grow their artistic and professional lives;
2. inviting readers to explore our literary culture;
3. working with many partners to build inclusive and dynamic communities.
We are a tiny team of 6 full-timers + 1 cat, sustained by a small army of part-timers, interns and volunteers.
What stuff do you do?
Sing Lit Station’s flagship programmes include our workshop-for-schools programme Book A Writer, our community challenge / writing forum SingPoWriMo, our annual Manuscript Bootcamp, our online archive poetry.sg and our publishing arm AFTERIMAGE.
As a physical space, Sing Lit Station serves as a writer’s centre – an abode for literary creation. We extend support via the Jalan Besar Fellowship programme and host masterclasses from visiting writers to give literary workers a space to create and showcase themselves. We pioneer peer-led workshop groups as a model for literary growth, hosting monthly peer-run writing groups consisting of practicing and aspiring writers, migrant workers, queer folk etc, and more facilitated communities such as Writing The City. We rent out our cosy Jalan Besar office and events space with discounts for creatives; please contact us to learn about our rates.
We also provide bespoke services for events - if you're interested in having a poet write live poetry on a vintage typewriter for your event, or a machine that spits out customised short story snippets on receipt paper, or even a retired SAF officer who can sit in your conference for one day and write a witty poem on the spot to summarise it - hit us up.
As a physical space, Sing Lit Station serves as a writer’s centre – an abode for literary creation. We extend support via the Jalan Besar Fellowship programme and host masterclasses from visiting writers to give literary workers a space to create and showcase themselves. We pioneer peer-led workshop groups as a model for literary growth, hosting monthly peer-run writing groups consisting of practicing and aspiring writers, migrant workers, queer folk etc, and more facilitated communities such as Writing The City. We rent out our cosy Jalan Besar office and events space with discounts for creatives; please contact us to learn about our rates.
We also provide bespoke services for events - if you're interested in having a poet write live poetry on a vintage typewriter for your event, or a machine that spits out customised short story snippets on receipt paper, or even a retired SAF officer who can sit in your conference for one day and write a witty poem on the spot to summarise it - hit us up.
ARE YOU LEGIT OR NOT... IS THIS SOME FLY-BY-NIGHT nonsense
SLS is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025. We are an Institution of Public Character (IPC) and can issue tax-deductible donations under that status. We receive further financial support from the Cultural Matching Fund, the Arts Fund, the Speak Good English Movement, The Majurity Trust, and the Buy SingLit campaign for our programmes. We are sustained also by donations from a community of generous arts patrons. Do consider supporting us today.
WHY THIS INSTEAD OF HAPPILY DRAWING REGULAR PAY OR GETTING A PUBLIC SERVICE JOB DON'T YOU HAVE KIDS???
I am a humble casio-wearing cai-png-eating hdb-dweller content with a simple life; I have also been blessed with an understanding and supportive wife, and a decently-paying job for the past two decades. We'll be fine.
In fact, being an oldish father of two younguns has made me want to make life choices that allow me to spend more time with them, whether it be days, nights or weekends. My tuberculosis bout a few years back was a reminder of my own mortality, and at 43 it's probably the right time to adopt a less burnout-prone lifestyle - I believe the term is "downshifting"?
Ultimately, what has become clear to me after two decades as a soldier and public servant is that I am still fundamentally driven by the ideal of service. I have given the best years of my life to the defence of Singapore; I would like to give the remaining years of my working life to making this place more worth defending. Silly stories and songs, poems and prose, rhymes for no good reason - these things are a real part of what makes this country more than a pile of girders and glass. So after a lifetime in defense, I hope to be doing something that causes more... offence? in the course of helping to write the Singapore story anew, and helping other storytellers get by. So still serving the public, just with way less pay!
In fact, being an oldish father of two younguns has made me want to make life choices that allow me to spend more time with them, whether it be days, nights or weekends. My tuberculosis bout a few years back was a reminder of my own mortality, and at 43 it's probably the right time to adopt a less burnout-prone lifestyle - I believe the term is "downshifting"?
Ultimately, what has become clear to me after two decades as a soldier and public servant is that I am still fundamentally driven by the ideal of service. I have given the best years of my life to the defence of Singapore; I would like to give the remaining years of my working life to making this place more worth defending. Silly stories and songs, poems and prose, rhymes for no good reason - these things are a real part of what makes this country more than a pile of girders and glass. So after a lifetime in defense, I hope to be doing something that causes more... offence? in the course of helping to write the Singapore story anew, and helping other storytellers get by. So still serving the public, just with way less pay!
WHEN IS ALL OF THIS HAPPENING? WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO IN THE INTERIM?
I start clearing leave after 3 Oct 2025, and will formally take over at SLS from 1 Mar 2026. I'll be popping in and out of SLS before that on a volunteer basis between Oct and Feb, but am still technically a SPO in MINDEF until the last day of Feb.
So I'll mainly be decompressing after 4+ years in Policy, enjoying family time, doing Skillsfuture/CT courses and whatnot. Time for travel of course - will be down in Australia in Dec to belatedly attend my PhD convocation, and Malaysia in bits and pieces. I may be in Hong Kong for a writers festival next year, and potentially Kyoto for a residency. And of course perhaps a long train trip with the boys at some point.
Essentially I'll be very free from Oct-Feb so hit me up! Though I cannot guarantee that I will not ask you for money (see the "How can I support you?" section).
So I'll mainly be decompressing after 4+ years in Policy, enjoying family time, doing Skillsfuture/CT courses and whatnot. Time for travel of course - will be down in Australia in Dec to belatedly attend my PhD convocation, and Malaysia in bits and pieces. I may be in Hong Kong for a writers festival next year, and potentially Kyoto for a residency. And of course perhaps a long train trip with the boys at some point.
Essentially I'll be very free from Oct-Feb so hit me up! Though I cannot guarantee that I will not ask you for money (see the "How can I support you?" section).
Why 1 mar 2026?
I need a break after 20 years of Army (and 4+ years of Policy-ops!!! My hair is still black but everything inside is fully burnt out) and I have a lot of leave to clear - was on the 28-day scheme, still have parental/shared parental leave (yes, I have two children now), and the organisation was kind enough to offer me some career transition benefits. (Also, the best is yet to be.)
ARE YOU SURE YOU WON't GET BORED?
Heheheheh... I mean the idea of a job where I don't need to check my email at midnight or every few hours on weekends or carry my laptop everywhere I go and in fact observe a 4 day work week does sound pretty good in theory.
I do note that it appears like my side hustle has essentially become my day job, leaving me with a lot of free time where a side hustle used to exist, which could lead to boredom. I would prefer to frame it as: instead of sacrificing my family time and health to sustain my day job and sub-optimise my side hustle, I should now be able to manage day job + family time + health sustainably.
But sure, if I do get bored I'll eventually generate another side hustle (s)... and we'll see where life takes me, and what God wills for me and the family. Right now, I am excited by the challenge of leading a (cash-strapped, struggling) organisation in what could be described as a sunset industry. Very few people get to shape their own career transition in this way (probably because very few people can accept this level of pay cut...) and it's a privilege that I intend to live to the fullest.
I do note that it appears like my side hustle has essentially become my day job, leaving me with a lot of free time where a side hustle used to exist, which could lead to boredom. I would prefer to frame it as: instead of sacrificing my family time and health to sustain my day job and sub-optimise my side hustle, I should now be able to manage day job + family time + health sustainably.
But sure, if I do get bored I'll eventually generate another side hustle (s)... and we'll see where life takes me, and what God wills for me and the family. Right now, I am excited by the challenge of leading a (cash-strapped, struggling) organisation in what could be described as a sunset industry. Very few people get to shape their own career transition in this way (probably because very few people can accept this level of pay cut...) and it's a privilege that I intend to live to the fullest.
How can I support you?
Benefits TO YOU of donating to SLS
Sing Lit Station is an Institution of Public Character (IPC). This means that you can get 250% tax deductions of what you donate to us (assuming that you are a Singaporean, you receive no (other) benefit from donating to us, and we file your receipt properly).
So for every $1 you give, that's $2.50 off your taxable income. If your tax rate is 15%, that's 37.5 cents back for every dollar you give. If your tax rate is 20%, that's 50 cents on the dollar. If you are maxing it out at 24%, you get 60 cents back in tax rebates for every dollar (!!!).
On top of that, you will feel like a good person, which is priceless.
*If you give more than $10,000 in a year, you also get officially recognised as a Friend of the Arts (title can escalate further with tier) and get invited to a swanky free dinner (Patron of the Arts awards), plus receive a big chonky medal/sculpture thingy.
So for every $1 you give, that's $2.50 off your taxable income. If your tax rate is 15%, that's 37.5 cents back for every dollar you give. If your tax rate is 20%, that's 50 cents on the dollar. If you are maxing it out at 24%, you get 60 cents back in tax rebates for every dollar (!!!).
On top of that, you will feel like a good person, which is priceless.
*If you give more than $10,000 in a year, you also get officially recognised as a Friend of the Arts (title can escalate further with tier) and get invited to a swanky free dinner (Patron of the Arts awards), plus receive a big chonky medal/sculpture thingy.
BENEFITS TO ME/SLS oF DONATING TO SLS
It goes without saying that when you give us $1, we get to use that $1 to do all sorts of wonderful things, such as support the arts, pay people's salaries, feed the cat, etc.
However, because we are an IPC (see above), every time you make a donation that qualifies as tax-deductible (see above), we get dollar matching from the Cultural Matching Fund. Every time you donate $1, we actually get $2 (!!!) Donations are amazing!!!!
Specific to me, if you indicate that your donation is recurring, and that it is for me (put "josh" in the comments), this will help me justify my new salary (i.e. receiving a 70% instead of 80% pay cut (numbers hypothetical)) and feed my children. Think of the children.
However, because we are an IPC (see above), every time you make a donation that qualifies as tax-deductible (see above), we get dollar matching from the Cultural Matching Fund. Every time you donate $1, we actually get $2 (!!!) Donations are amazing!!!!
Specific to me, if you indicate that your donation is recurring, and that it is for me (put "josh" in the comments), this will help me justify my new salary (i.e. receiving a 70% instead of 80% pay cut (numbers hypothetical)) and feed my children. Think of the children.
WHY SHOULD I MAKE A RECURRING DONATION?
Charities do not receive a lot of money. New injections of funds usually come via two sources: (a) project grants, (b) donations. Project grants basically require you to do a finite amount of work over a finite period of time. Donations usually fall from the sky in a single lump sum. Neither of these, as you may have observed, are stable, recurrent funding, and so we cannot really use them to hire permanent staff or to raise staff salaries. It is very difficult to do work without permanent staff and without raising their salaries.
Committing a recurrent donation to SLS for a decent period of time helps SLS make a strong argument to hire permanent staff (e.g. me) and to raise their salaries to a somewhat respectable level (e.g. me).
So rather than just giving a $100 one-off gift, I would really appreciate it if you thought about donating $10 (or $100) for a year, and reassessing whether that donation felt meaningful for you after a year (maybe can increase to $11 if you feel nice). This helps little organisations like ours be a little bit more sustainable, with small donors that grow along with us, and who maybe give us feedback so we can help serve the community better.
Committing a recurrent donation to SLS for a decent period of time helps SLS make a strong argument to hire permanent staff (e.g. me) and to raise their salaries to a somewhat respectable level (e.g. me).
So rather than just giving a $100 one-off gift, I would really appreciate it if you thought about donating $10 (or $100) for a year, and reassessing whether that donation felt meaningful for you after a year (maybe can increase to $11 if you feel nice). This helps little organisations like ours be a little bit more sustainable, with small donors that grow along with us, and who maybe give us feedback so we can help serve the community better.
OK I'M CONVINCED, HOW CAN I DONATE TO SLS
There are two standard ways.
1. Giving.sg. Go to the Sing Lit Station profile on giving.sg. Click the big red "Donate" button. There are lump sum options there, but I would really prefer (read above for why) if you scroll down all the way below $1000 and click on the blank box. A button will appear saying "Donate Now", click on that, key in your preferred amount, and click "Make this a recurring donation". You can designate Monthly or Yearly and set an end date for when the recurring will end. Go to "add dedication message" and write "Josh" so our admin team knows that it's a donation from a friend of mine.
The downside of giving.sg is that they cream off a 2% admin fee, but it's the only way to set up an automated recurring donation. It also auto files the tax-deductible stuff for you if you have an account (you might have to fill in basic info like NRIC and address if it's your first time giving to charity).
2. Paynow/Bank transfer. This one has no admin fee, so if you want to donate, say, a meeelllion dollars, please do a bank transfer, it's worth $20,000 (2% of a meeeeellion) of fees to us compared if you use giving.sg
Paynow to UEN 201615577D - Sing Lit Station Limited.
or
Bank Transfer to UOB Account 363-305-3306
After you make those transfers, please drop an email to [email protected] and [email protected] mentioning:
1. you have made a donation of $XXX on date YYY
2. your NRIC name is blah
3. your NRIC is blah
4. your address is blah
5. you are a Singaporean citizen / PR and you wish to file this as a tax-deductible donation
We will issue you a tax-deductible receipt, you don't need to do anything, it will be automatically filed in your taxes as a deduction come tax season.
1. Giving.sg. Go to the Sing Lit Station profile on giving.sg. Click the big red "Donate" button. There are lump sum options there, but I would really prefer (read above for why) if you scroll down all the way below $1000 and click on the blank box. A button will appear saying "Donate Now", click on that, key in your preferred amount, and click "Make this a recurring donation". You can designate Monthly or Yearly and set an end date for when the recurring will end. Go to "add dedication message" and write "Josh" so our admin team knows that it's a donation from a friend of mine.
The downside of giving.sg is that they cream off a 2% admin fee, but it's the only way to set up an automated recurring donation. It also auto files the tax-deductible stuff for you if you have an account (you might have to fill in basic info like NRIC and address if it's your first time giving to charity).
2. Paynow/Bank transfer. This one has no admin fee, so if you want to donate, say, a meeelllion dollars, please do a bank transfer, it's worth $20,000 (2% of a meeeeellion) of fees to us compared if you use giving.sg
Paynow to UEN 201615577D - Sing Lit Station Limited.
or
Bank Transfer to UOB Account 363-305-3306
After you make those transfers, please drop an email to [email protected] and [email protected] mentioning:
1. you have made a donation of $XXX on date YYY
2. your NRIC name is blah
3. your NRIC is blah
4. your address is blah
5. you are a Singaporean citizen / PR and you wish to file this as a tax-deductible donation
We will issue you a tax-deductible receipt, you don't need to do anything, it will be automatically filed in your taxes as a deduction come tax season.
I AM NOT A SINGAPOREAN CITIZEN/ PR but i still want to support YOU then how
1. Thank you
2. You can still donate via giving.sg or make a bank transfer, you just won't get any tax benefits, and we won't get any dollar matching, but we will get the money.
3. If you just want to support me directly, you can just transfer me the money :) (Which I may use to donate to SLS in order to receive tax benefits + allow SLS to get dollar matching - or just use it to buy milk powder.) Email me if you do!
2. You can still donate via giving.sg or make a bank transfer, you just won't get any tax benefits, and we won't get any dollar matching, but we will get the money.
3. If you just want to support me directly, you can just transfer me the money :) (Which I may use to donate to SLS in order to receive tax benefits + allow SLS to get dollar matching - or just use it to buy milk powder.) Email me if you do!
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU MONEY. WHAT CAN I DO?
1. Seriously just give money
2. You can give stuff, but usually it requires a lot of effort to take stuff we don't want and convert that either into (a) stuff we do want or (b) money. A lot of times the effort involved may be worth more than the value of the stuff. Especially if stuff = "a whole bunch of "valuable" books that I don't want any more." So pls just give money.
3. You can give services, but what goes for stuff also tends to go for services. So pls just give money.
4. A few exceptions: there are some stuff/services that we do want, and it usually correlates with these things being easily convertible into money. So, stocks, crypto, raffle-able/auction-able things of great value, property... all of these are great. (Though all such assets are usually non-tax-deductible, so it begs the question of why you didn't just sell the asset and give us the cash, then you can get tax benefits and we can get dollar matching...) I also would not mind free or heavily subsidized catering/dining as we are always looking every year for a place to hold a gala dinner.
5. If you are personally unable to give money, consider giving your networks and time - think of people who may be able to give, and dedicate the 30 seconds or 5 minutes or half an hour on telling them why we are a meaningful cause to give to. The literary arts tends to struggle because we live in a very small niche that's hard to break out of. Every new person you introduce to us matters!
6. When all else fails I suppose thoughts and prayers are nice
2. You can give stuff, but usually it requires a lot of effort to take stuff we don't want and convert that either into (a) stuff we do want or (b) money. A lot of times the effort involved may be worth more than the value of the stuff. Especially if stuff = "a whole bunch of "valuable" books that I don't want any more." So pls just give money.
3. You can give services, but what goes for stuff also tends to go for services. So pls just give money.
4. A few exceptions: there are some stuff/services that we do want, and it usually correlates with these things being easily convertible into money. So, stocks, crypto, raffle-able/auction-able things of great value, property... all of these are great. (Though all such assets are usually non-tax-deductible, so it begs the question of why you didn't just sell the asset and give us the cash, then you can get tax benefits and we can get dollar matching...) I also would not mind free or heavily subsidized catering/dining as we are always looking every year for a place to hold a gala dinner.
5. If you are personally unable to give money, consider giving your networks and time - think of people who may be able to give, and dedicate the 30 seconds or 5 minutes or half an hour on telling them why we are a meaningful cause to give to. The literary arts tends to struggle because we live in a very small niche that's hard to break out of. Every new person you introduce to us matters!
6. When all else fails I suppose thoughts and prayers are nice
For some inexplicable reason, i hate singapore literature. are there other things i can do to SUPPORT YOU?
I am happy to offer the use of my overeducated brain to consult, research, or do short-term projects on any number of issues for the right fee - I can sound vaguely intelligent on most issues pertaining to national security, particularly: policy-operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief, counter-terrorism, maritime security, contingency planning, hybrid warfare, geopolitical analysis, deterrence, ballistics, manual gunnery, transformation, operational masterplanning, using my leadership voice, et cetera.
I can also write creatively, critically, and academically for (preferably exorbitant amounts of) money. One unique skill I can offer is the ability to write witty rhyming poems (termed "digestifs") as a response or sum-up of a major conference, event, speech, or discussion. These poems are written live and can be delivered immediately at an event's conclusion. The poetic summary pithily captures the record of the day, distils the key discussions with wit and literary technique, and provides a pleasant conclusion to major events. No-one else in Singapore can do this (afaik).
email me at [email protected]!
I can also write creatively, critically, and academically for (preferably exorbitant amounts of) money. One unique skill I can offer is the ability to write witty rhyming poems (termed "digestifs") as a response or sum-up of a major conference, event, speech, or discussion. These poems are written live and can be delivered immediately at an event's conclusion. The poetic summary pithily captures the record of the day, distils the key discussions with wit and literary technique, and provides a pleasant conclusion to major events. No-one else in Singapore can do this (afaik).
email me at [email protected]!
Ok I am just utterly confused at this point. Why does this page say "Joshua Ip"
Ok I am just utterly confused at this point. Why does this page say "Joshua Ip"
I have been writing under "Joshua Ip" as a pen name since 2012 or so, and have published a bunch of books: around 7 of my own poetry collections, and 11 anthologies of assorted Singapore literature as an editor. I have also won a bunch of awards, ranging from the Singapore Literature Prize, Golden Point Award, Singapore Book Awards Book of the Year, and the Young Artist Award. In 2016, I co-founded Sing Lit Station to bring together a bunch of community-organising work I was doing at the time, and have been quietly volunteering on its board since then (albeit with decreasing capacity as my seniority and workload has also risen).
WOW SO YOU'RE A FAMOUS WRITER? WHY STILL NEED TO GIVE YOU MONEY?
There is very little money in Singapore literature because of the tiny size of our market, the weak infrastructure (publishers - small and precarious, bookstores - closing, institutions - well here's one puny one called SLS), and a massive dose of cultural cringe / colonial hangover. Most Singaporeans don't read, and most of the few that do either look down upon anything not published in a white man country, or only consider non-fiction to be "serious books". How you tell me how.
For this reason, I have also scrupulously donated every cent I have received from being a writer (prizes, honoraria, royalties) to charity (primarily, SLS). Being a writer has been a consistently money-losing proposition. I do not recommend it unless you are mildly insane.
For this reason, I have also scrupulously donated every cent I have received from being a writer (prizes, honoraria, royalties) to charity (primarily, SLS). Being a writer has been a consistently money-losing proposition. I do not recommend it unless you are mildly insane.
COULD YOU PERHAPS EXPLORE the reasons in your early childhood that may have driven you to these strange behaviors
Aside from the obvious bits about liking books, I should register that my dad also started out as an Army regular, and retired early in order to be a full-time Christian missionary together with my mom. So I have grown up in a boisterous four-child family indoctrinated in several beliefs (1) money is not the main reason for life (2) if we need money just need to pray and money will fall from the sky (3) by fall from the sky I mean there are a lot a lot of nice uncles and aunties out there who have lovingly supported my parents' lifelong commitment to service with regular gifts of ~$100 a month, which essentially raised my entire family.
So please refer to the "How can I support you" section :)
So please refer to the "How can I support you" section :)
JESUS CHRIST...
died to save our sins. (Reportedly.)
WHERE CAN I BUY YOUR BOOKS
there is a page somewhere on this page that explains how, but that is probably obsolete by a year or two. you can find my work at all good bookstores, i.e. Kino, Book Bar, Woods in the Books, Seabreeze, etc. unfortunately one of my publishers has gone defunct and the other stocks at a gentle pace, so call before visiting. you can also buy from me directly if we are scheduled to meet up for me to ask you for money. if you do end up donating some (ridiculous amount of) money to SLS i will probably pass you a free book.
PLACEHOLDER FOR MORE NONSENSE TO BE ADDED
PLACEHOLDER FOR MORE NONSENSE TO BE ADDED
PLACEHOLDER FOR MORE NONSENSE TO BE ADDED