Scott Stuart is the bestselling author of children’s books such as Alone: A Story of Friendship in the Darkness of Space, A Pickle in the Post, and now My Shadow is Pink. He’s been in love with the art of storytelling his entire life, but his biggest passion in writing is creating stories that empower young kids.
Today, Scott is on the blog to answer our Ten Terrifying Questions – read on!
Scott Stuart
1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?
I was born in Wahroonga, NSW, but moved around a LOT until the family settled in Toowoomba when I was about 14. I followed both my brother and my father in the tradition of attending Scots PGC College in Warwick as a boarder. Then I went to university where I got a degree in partying. I moved to Melbourne to chase my ambition of being a stockbroker, and after 2 days working in finance, realised I hated it and wanted to move into something more creative! So, a career of design and illustration (combined with a dance career) was born!
2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?
When I was 12, I wanted to be an author, or play cricket for Australia. Unfortunately, I never did wear a baggy green, but the first one (despite the years it took) has come true. When I was 18, I wanted to play rugby union for Australia. So, I obviously became a professional dancer instead. At 30 (only 6 years ago), I again wanted to finally become an author. This time because I had my own child, and I wanted to write stories for him.
3. What strongly held belief did you have when you were younger that you do not have now?
When I was a kid, I believed that I had all the time in the world to do the things I wanted. Now, I know that the Scott who wrote his first book is different from the Scott who writes now, and if I were to rewrite anything now, it would be different, because I’m not the same person. So now I believe that if there is something I want to do, I’d better do it now.
4. What are three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – that you can now say had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?
Martin the Warrior by Brian Jacques – when I was a young kid I absolutely fell in love with his Redwall book series, and this really got me thinking about how brilliant it must be to create worlds like an author.
Stardust (the movie adaptation) – in the 82,000 times I have seen that movie, I learned that you’re allowed to go out and just have fun when you’re writing. You don’t have to take yourself too seriously. After all, if writing can’t be fun, why should we do it?
And finally, there is a brilliant quote (that I will probably misquote here) from The Saints and the Poets by Shun Lee Fong, which says “It is an artist’s responsibility to remind people how to feel deeply.” I think about that quote often, and ask myself if there is an emotional base to anything I am writing.
5. What made you choose to write a children’s book?
When my son was about 4, he had an Elsa doll that he was completely in love with. He was so proud of it and would take it everywhere to show everyone he met. One day he came home from childcare incredibly upset because someone had told him that “Elsa was for girls”. That night I started writing this book, to help show him that he can love anything he wants, and be exactly who he is.
6. Please tell us about your latest book!
My Shadow is Pink is about a young boy who has a pink shadow that likes princess, fairies & “things not for boys” … but he wishes he had a blue shadow like everyone else in his family. He learns that everyone has a shadow they wish, at times, was something else, and he has to learn to love and accept his shadow as it is.
7. What do you hope kids will take away with them after reading your book?
I would hope that kids could read this book and see someone having the courage to be fully themselves, and know that if they have the courage to do the same, there will be someone who will stand with them.
8. Who do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?
Neil Gaiman. His work is so creative, he allows himself to be all parts of himself in his writing and, most importantly, his writing is so him. I remember watching the movie Stardust over and over again, slowly wearing out that VHS tape with so many viewings!
9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?
I am definitely someone who likes ambitious goals! I have goals of having NYT bestselling books and Oscar-winning feature film adaptations. However, the goal that actually keeps me writing is that my books may change a single child’s life for the better.
10. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
The one thing that I try to keep in mind when I am writing is “am I writing something that only I can write?” It’s one thing to go out and write a story, but to really express your feelings and vulnerabilities in a book is what makes that work something special. In the specific lies the universal, and when we lean into our own experiences, we can touch so many more people.
Thank you for playing!
—My Shadow is Pink by Scott Stuart (Larrikin House) is out now.
My Shadow is Pink
My Shadow is Pink is a beautifully written rhyming story that touches on the subjects of gender identity, self acceptance, equality and diversity.
Inspired by the author’s own little boy, ‘Shadow’s’ main character likes princesses, fairies and things ‘not for boys’...he soon learns (through the support of his dad) that everyone...
Learning To Read With The School Of Monsters by Sally Rippin 
Ten Terrifying Questions with the creators of Wylah the Koorie Warrior! 
Let’s make ice blocks with Bluey and Bingo!
Comments
No comments