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Back to Featured Interviews >> MEET JASON O. SILVA (10/2011)
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| Jason O. Silva |
I loved "Choose Your Own Adventure" books. I think that's when I first knew I wanted to write. I enjoyed controlling the story. I also loved that a story could go so many places. Other notable books: JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, which frightened me at first, before leaving me with days of further curious contemplation; PETER PAN, because who doesn't like adventure!; the RATS OF NIMH books; A WRINKLE IN TIME; TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, a splendid story that pulls you in from page one.
Did you write stories when you were growing up? at school? Or at home as a hobby? As a young child, or as a teenager, or both?
I loved to write. Read and write! My first book was called THE MONKEY'S NEW HAIRCUT. A monkey saw Elmer Fudd walking by and went straight to the barber to get the same do. Later that day, bald, feeling stylish, he sees a Fabio like character with flowing locks and realizes the fault in his hastiness. I always wrote for fun and at school whenever possible. Writing classes were a delight to me - they didn't feel like schoolwork!
When you were a child did you ever have moments when you decided that you were going to be a writer when you grew up?
My teachers and my mother encouraged me to write. As I grew older I realized how impractical a career in writing is – I pursued a business degree for three years while taking creative writing workshops for all my elective courses. Professionally, I tried everything under the sun NOT to be an author! But here I am. Passion trumps logic (if you're lucky).
What audience did you have in mind for your career as a writer - adult or children?
My primary audience is always me. As a storyteller you have to be fascinated, intrigued, and curious by the tale. You have to submit and be pulled into the universe you are exploring, the characters you will meet, and the lesson you will learn. If you like it, there's hope that others will, too. And if not, wasn't it fun anyway?
Where do you get your ideas? Ideas are everywhere!
I get them in the shower, during a jog, from an overheard conversation at the cafe. Oh, and dreams. Definitely dreams. Unbridled creativity and sensory stimuli come together in fun, strange, and whacky visions. If you can remember your dreams, or in the least write them down, you will have a treasure trove in your arsenal.
Have any of your books earned special recognition?
THE TALE OF EDGAR TRUNK: BOOK 1 is my first book, released earlier this year (2011), and it has just won a Gold Medal at the Moonbeam Children's Book Awards in the Pre-Teen Fiction Mystery category. I am delighted. It has also been nominated for an award with the Children's Literary Council of Southern California.
Do you write every day and do you have set hours that you work?
How I like to write, when I'm serious about a project, is to give myself a daily word goal. Rather than a set time, say an hour, where I might be tempted to fidget, wander, and do everything but actually write, I commit to 500 or 1000 words, no excuses. I go into my office, lock the door, and get to work. Some days, I emerge within the hour feeling awesome, and some days, I'm there for a very long time. Those days are tough, but at the end of 2-3 months, my initial draft is complete. Then comes the real work: editing!