Hi,
I have published 33 books as Justin Brown. These included some funny travel books around the United Kingdom, the USA, and India. I then wrote pop culture books, namely Kiwi Speak and Rugby Speak. These were bestsellers in my home country of New Zealand.
Then I got itchy feet. It was time to write fiction, so in 2020 I adopted my middle name as my surname for my new books for children. I soon found a great mentor in children’s writing – Joy Cowley and I asked her straight out if she would become my ‘Yoda.’ She said yes.
Where did you go to school?
Kapiti College in New Zealand.
Were you a good student?
I guess I was, I didn’t throw socks into the ceiling fans or smoke in class (or ever). I enjoyed English, Art, and Social Studies, the latter influenced me greatly. I especially liked teachers who had the ability to make subjects come alive. Shout out to Mrs. Palmer who made Shakespeare interesting. I DID NOT LIKE MATH.
Was there a big moment at school that changed you?
In my last year, I was selected to live in Toronto, Canada on a Rotary Exchange – it changed my life and I am forever indebted to the amazing families who welcomed me into their homes. O Canada!
What were you like when you were growing up?
I played sports and drew and hung out with my friends. I was obsessed with TV shows and my radio-controlled car. Dad was a handyman, he built me an aviary and I collected cockatiels and budgies. I wanted a cockatoo, but they’re like having another kid!
What were your favorite books?
Asterix beat everything! Or anything by Roald Dahl.
What’s your favorite treat?
Chocolate milk. Pizza.
What was your first job?
As a kid, I washed cars and sold plums from our tree at home. I worked in a fruit and vegetable shop, then a bar, then a radio station, then a TV station, and now I’m an author and TV producer. I like to think up crazy ideas and go and do them!
How do you come up with new characters?
Think about the characters in Roald Dahl’s books – they are hilarious, gross, or really super lovely. Readers won’t care about characters unless they are believable. Think about if you were your character, how would you feel? What you like in them is a part of you; you’ve got to recognize it before you can use it.
Where do you get your ideas?
Relax, play sports, see your friends, live. Then go with those ideas most alive in you. Which ones evoke the most energy and passion?
How do you start a story?
Write when you’re tired and when you don’t want to write. Try to write for an hour a night instead of watching TV. This can become two hours. 100 words become 1000, which becomes a book.
The first draft will often be rubbish - keep going.
My daughter once wrote a wonderful story called ‘Cinderella’s Bad Day,’ whereby the poor woman dies every day in a myriad of ways. Shot by a creepy hobo. Killed in a rabbit invasion. Picked up by an Enderman and dropped into hot lava and eaten by robotic crocodiles. Every time I thought a particular death might be too graphic for the school children I was reading the story to – they squealed with delight.
Do you have your characters fully planned out in your head before you start, or do you let them develop as you write the story?
My book Stowaway Daze arrived fully formed, including names, setting, and title! Some writers like to see what happens, while others plan meticulously. I’m a bit of both. The most important thing is that you know how your main characters will react in any given situation. It’s creepy when they start doing things by themselves!
Should I write the ending first?
Endings are hard, get yours working up front. Finish your story, and let go even if it’s not perfect. In an ideal world, you have both but move on. Do better next time.
When you’re stuck, make a list of what wouldn’t happen next. Lots of times the material to get you unstuck will show up. A very famous novelist named Ernest Hemingway suggested stopping writing when a scene is going well. That way you can come back to it and begin with ease.
How do you know when your story is finished?
Make it as perfect as you can and as easy to read as possible. Endings can change, and so can character, but a lot of these issues and challenges might arise once you rewrite the story with an editor. That’s the best part. Above all, make it sparkly, and be proud of it!
When you have completed your story, don’t read it for two weeks. Then you can come back to it with fresh eyes and perfect it!
What about if the story is no good? Have I wasted my time?
Not at all. No work is ever wasted. If it’s not working, let go and move on – it’ll come back around to be useful later.
What’s the secret to writing a GREAT story?
1. Think of a weird or unusual idea that the reader can’t resist
2. Use short sentences to hook the reader in and to make the story sound tense and exciting.
3. Short paragraphs are easier for the reader,
4. Introduce dialogue to involve the characters, help reveal their personalities and add new information to the plot.
Click on these links when you’re stuck:
BULLETPROOF TIPS FROM WALT DISNEY!
WRITING HACKS FROM WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE!
A lovely quote from American author Ray Bradbury
‘If you stuff yourself full of poems, essays, plays, stories, novels, films, comic strips, magazines, and music, you automatically explode every morning like old faithful. I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting. I wake early and hear my morning voices leaping around in my head like jumping beans. I get out of bed to trap them before they escape.’
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London, 2019. What a magic city.
Film director Vincent Ward and myself at the premiere of City of 100 Lovers the musical which I wrote. Ward was Creative Director.
I spent many years of my career as a breakfast radio host. We met so many famous people, but most importantly we had fun. Here I am with Stacey Morrison on The Hits Nationwide Show.
The boys from One Direction, Harry must have been out the back getting ready to conquer the world with his solo career.
Here I am speaking at the Auckland Writer’s festival. What a great crowd of kids and parents - and always interesting questions!
You’ll never guess who put me into a wheely bin one morning during our radio show - the late Kenny Barker? Who?! The actor who brought R2-D2 to life in Star Wars. I was awestruck!
And here’s the guy who stole my first name - The Beebs, what a gentleman. I even got him to hold my book, Shot, Boom, Score!
Writers are often asked, ‘How do I make it as a writer?’ The answer is to write a lot and read a lot. Become a sponge! Don’t be afraid to make lots of mistakes. Just….start.
Where The Wild Things Are is one of the finest books ever written. The author, Maurice Sendak, was a wizard of words. He was also genre agnostic, never one to put into a box. When asked why he writes for children he replied, ‘I don’t, I write books, and children like them.’ Such a wonderful quote.