What is your most recent creative project (title and/or description)?
Money School – a non-fiction book about (you guessed it) money. Turns out you need a lot of creativity for non-fiction, especially to make the topic of personal finance engaging!
What new projects are on your current horizon?
I’m working on a young adult fiction idea, again about personal finance. I’m hoping it will help young people learn about money through the lens of making decisions for Future You.
Why do you love what you do and what inspired you to begin?
I started 12 years ago when I realised not everyone was lucky enough to learn about money from their parents like I did (thank you, ovarian lottery). Hearing reader stories about getting out of debt or some other financial goal they’ve achieved makes it easy to keep doing what I do.
If you could collaborate with any other creative in the world, who would it be and what would you make together?
Orson Scott Card. I’d love his help to make the most of the young adult fiction ideas I’ve got brewing. I adore the way he writes his young characters – they’re some of my favourite fictional people.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given that you try to incorporate in your approach to work and creativity?
I can’t remember the exact quote or who said it – all I recall is that it was from a prolific author supporting NaNoWriMo. It was along the lines of: Some days you’ll write 3,000 words and it’ll be easy. Some days you’ll struggle for hours to churn out 300 words. But don’t worry – on reading back, you won’t be able to tell which was which. It was reassuring to think that just because some writing days are hellish, that doesn’t mean your work won’t be good. So, keep writing – even on those hellish days.
When and where do you feel most creative?
I have trained myself like Pavlov’s dogs. Whenever I hear Cat Empire’s Rising With The Sun album or Florence + The Machine’s Ceremonials album, my fingers start itching for the keyboard. I played both on repeat while writing and editing Money School.
If you could travel to any destination tomorrow, where would it be and why?
I’d go to the Cocos Keeling Islands. They look like my idea of paradise and I could use a holiday in the sun.