INTERVIEW: Maryam Master On Ideas, Book Week and David Walliams

Maryam Master is an author, screenwriter and playwright who loves creating shows for young audiences.  She has written two books, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which was shortlisted for Book of the Year in the Younger Readers category in 2022 by the CBCA and No Words. Maryam adapted four of David Walliams’ books for the stage including, Mr Stink, Billionaire Boy and The Midnight Gang. She was born in Iran and moved to Australia when she was nine.

Press Gang: When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?

I was in year 10 and I wrote something in English that my English teacher loved, and he said to me that I should think about being a writer. So it planted a seed in my mind, but I didn’t decide for sure I was going to do it because I thought it would be a bit too hard. 

Press Gang: Where did you get your story ideas?

Well, some of them are stolen from real life, my own life, and my kids’ lives. And just cool little things that happened in the world. I have a little pocket in my brain, I just go, oh, that’s interesting, I’ll just put that away. And sometimes it takes me years to come back and use it. 

I read a lot of books. I watch TV shows. All of these things, I think, help to spark the imagination. And I go for walks – whenever I’m going for walks or I’m in the shower, I get good ideas.

Press Gang: What was it like to work with David Williams? Is he funny in real life?

He’s such a lovely person. He’s a real gentleman, but he’s quite quiet because when you see him on tv, he’s very big, he is very animated and he is quite loud. But I met him only twice and both of those times he’s been very serious. But he’s very kind. 

I’ve turned four of his books into plays. And when they go on stage, he always sends presents to everybody who’s involved. He’s very nice. 

Press Gang: What type of books do you enjoy reading?

I like funny books and I like stories that are based on reality. I’m not such a huge fan of, science fiction or fantasy. I know lots of people are and that’s really cool. But it’s not really my genre. I kind of like real-life.

Press Gang: Will you be dressing up for Book Week this year? 

I’m not dressing up, but I am talking at five different schools during book week. But maybe I should dress up. Do you think I should?

Press Gang: Yeah!

I can’t go with someone in my own book. That would be too funny. I don’t know who I would go as. I have spent many years dressing up my kids. They’ve gone as Harry Potter and Wally from Where’s Wally and The Wimpy Kid.

Press Gang: If you could be any character from any book who would you be and why?

I’d be Matilda from Roald Dahl’s Matilda, because she’s quite cool. And she can do some crazy tricks with her mind, can’t she? And she’s a good storyteller too. 

Press Gang: What advice do you have for kids who want to improve their writing?

Read a lot and just practice. Don’t worry about making it the best thing you’ve ever written. Don’t worry about it. I think the main point is to just keep on writing, keep up your practice and show up for work all the time. 

So, reading and writing, and not worrying too much about what it’s going be like. Because even the most famous authors, even the most experienced authors, they’ve written so much stuff that they don’t like. Not everyone writes stuff that is great all the time.