Jon Gibbs

Born in England, Jon Gibbs now lives in New Jersey, where he was Author-in-Residence at Georgian Court University from 2012 to 2017. 

Jon is the founder of The New Jersey Authors’ Network, NJ Writing Groups.com, and The I are a writer! (and more) store. His middle-grade fantasy, Fur-Face, about a shy teenager who meets a talking cat that only he can hear, was nominated for a Crystal Kite Award. When he's not chasing around after his children, Jon can usually be found hunched over the computer in his basement office. One day, he hopes to figure out how to switch it on.  

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I didn’t start writing until I was in my forties. Before then, I hadn’t written a word of fiction since leaving school at sixteen—unless you count tax returns. I’d been making up stories for my 9-year-old son on the way to school each morning. All of them featured him and an animal of his choice. One day, I decided to write something down, just to see if I could. It was called FUR-FACE - a middle-grade novel about a boy who meets a talking cat that only he can hear (originally published by Echelon Press in 2010).  

How do you create your main characters?

It depends on what’s needed. I like stories where the main characters are totally out of their depth, so for those I try to pick the least-qualified person for the job.

Some things are easy, like figuring out how the story’s going to change your MC. The fun part is creating their personalities in a way that makes them come across as real (and relatable). To make characters more three-dimensional, I try to give the heroes some minor flaws and add some redeeming qualities to the bad guys.

What would you say is the most difficult part of writing a book?

Sitting down and writing. I love the planning process, developing the idea, setting out story beats, etc. My trouble is, I tend to overthink things. I want everything to be completely ready before I start, which is daft because I know I’ll change a lot of things as I go along, anyway.

Are you a plotter or a panster?

Definitely a plotter. To be honest, I think every writer uses an outline, it’s just that for some folks that outline is their entire first draft. When you use outlines, it’s not a contract, your story can (and will) change as you translate it into a first draft, but outlines help you write a book much faster, which means you’ll write more books.

Have you experienced writer's block and how do you handle it?

I’m not sure I believe in writer’s block. I think it’s more a question of feeling uninspired, which happens to us all from time to time. When it happens to me, I take a break to do something completely unrelated to the task in hand. Writing is supposed to be fun, after all.

Of course, working to a deadline calls for more drastic measures. What works best for me is to imagine my old gran giving me one of her disappointed looks while telling me my ancestors are ashamed of me . . ..again. That usually does the trick. 

Do you have any suggestions to help a new writer?

Join writing/critique groups—they’re like potato chips, one is rarely enough. You’ll find like-minded people who will help you improve. I can honestly say I’ve learned more about my own writing from listening to other people critique other people’s work. Are there jerks out there? Of course, but you’ll soon figure out who’s worth listening to. Read in your chosen genre. Books on writing contain secret information that only reveals itself in subsequent readings (by which time you’re more able to take it in). Attend writing talks/workshops/conferences. They’ll inspire you. And most important by far: Don’t forget to have fun!

Have you ever written for children or YA?

All three of my published books are aimed at 10yrs and up. I also have several picture books in the works, along with more middle-grade novels.

What do you think makes a good story?

The characters. I like humor, some folks like action, mystery, etc. You could come up with the coolest story premise in the hottest genre of the moment. It doesn’t matter how many car chases, exploding giraffes, or whatever clever plot twist you might throw in there, if the characters are dull, the book sucks.  

As to how you make characters interesting, well, that’s a whole other question.

What is your favorite part of being a writer?

I consider myself very lucky. I love creating something new; I love hanging out with other writers, and I love teaching about writing. Whichever one of those things I’m doing is my favorite part.