Jamie Johnson is a gripping new drama on CBBC… Give it a go on BBC iPlayer and you might find you’re more taken than you thought with Jamie’s trials and triumphs… We caught up with Dan Freedman, author of the Jamie Johnson books, and in the first half of our interview we talked about the process of going from wanting to write a book to having a TV series…
In the second half Dan offers advice to anyone looking to write for children and reveals the best thing about being a writer in his situation…
BBC Writersroom: Let me ask you an obvious question… Have you got any advice for anyone wanting to write for children?
Dan Freedman: Yes! It goes back to what I was saying before [about not ‘dumbing down' for kids]. Don’t write for children! I believe that whatever age the kids are, they might be going through some challenges in their life. So I react against this idea that we should give portrayals of perfect lives.
For example, my parents got divorced when I was about ten months old. Now, if you’re reading a book for toddlers that’s all about mummy and daddy and happy families, it will somehow make you question yourself and your own situation. You’ll ask, Why haven’t I got that? I’m not suggesting that every story should be ‘troubled’ and difficult, shall we say. But what I am saying is, don’t write 'down' to children.
Obviously, certain subject matters are not appropriate but if it’s about the complexities and realities of life, I don’t think you should filter yourself. Write the story that you want to write. Then look at it. If there’s anything in there that you need to take out, at that point you should do so, but treat them [your readers] with respect. They know life is not necessarily simple so don’t try to make your story simple. It has to be accessible, but that’s different to being simple, of course.
BBC WR: What about in terms of getting published or getting something commissioned, again for kids…
DF: Just get ready for the rejections! Embrace them because they could be the best opportunities you have… I’ve no doubt my writing benefited incredibly from the rejections I had. [Dan talks about this in more depth in the first half].
If I’d left school and got my first book published straight away I don’t think I’d value it as much as I do. As it is, I don’t think I’ll ever lose that spark or the pride I have in my books. And that’s partly because of the difficulties in the journey of trying to get people to believe in what I was trying to do.
BBC WR: What’s been the best bit of the whole journey?
DF: To be on TV, particularly the BBC, is something you dream about. I’ll be honest – I cry every time it comes on television. A. Because it’s an emotional, dramatic story and B, because it’s fantastic the way the BBC and Short Form Films have done it. It’s absolutely beautiful.
But also, it’s every time somebody reads one of my books. I know that sounds clichéd, but it really is. I remember being in WH Smith getting some stamps and a boy came in, wearing his school uniform. He ran straight over to a book shelf, got Golden Goal, paid for it and went out reading it. This was all in about 5 seconds! He’d obviously been waiting all day to get out of school and go to do that. Given how much else there is for kids to be doing these days… That that book was the thing that had driven him and excited him and captured his imagination… That’s amazing. Every single time a kid does that, it’s a special moment.
BBC WR: The lad that plays Jamie - Louis Dunn - is terrific. Do you now have him in your head when you’re writing the books or can you easily separate the books and the TV adaptation?
DF: Yeah, Louis is very good. He’s great insofar as he’s not over the top, is he? He comes across as self-contained which is how I think Jamie would be, to protect himself.
To answer your question, though: Jamie has been in my head for thirteen years now, so he’s established there in the way I think about him! But I think it will be very helpful for me when I’m writing and I get stuck in any way, to have such a clear picture of Louis and the way he looks and acts – I think that could probably help me unlock certain moments if I ever I come to a point where I need inspiration.
BBC WR: What’s next for you now?
DF: I don’t know! [Laughs] It’s been really busy and there’ll be more episodes filming this summer in Nottingham, so as much as I can be helpful, I’d like to be there for that. I’ve got lots of other ideas I’d like to work on and I’ve also been doing school visits for a long time. I still enjoy doing them, so more of the same! To write books and get to talk to people about them is an absolute privilege!
Big thanks to Dan Freedman! And there’s loads of extra Jamie Johnson content over at the show’s official site!
