Bryant, Donna

writers in schools information

Donna Bryant is available to talk to both small and large groups of students in the Nelson area. She is prepared to talk to children of any age about children's picture book writing and illustrating, adult fiction, writing for television, writing scripts and songs, as well as poetry. She is happy to give an introductory talk, reading and Q&A, storytelling session, a creative writing workshop, and sessions for students at varying reading levels.

KAPAI: Kids' Authors Pictures and Information

Where do you live?
For the past few years I’ve lived in Nelson. I grew up in Dunedin then lived in New York and London for many years before returning to New Zealand.

What books do you read?
Almost anything: children’s books, adult fiction, non-fiction, poetry.

Who is your favourite writer and why?
I enjoy the different writing styles of so many people it’s hard to name a favourite. William Trevor for his compassion and understanding of his characters. Kate Grenville and Charles Dickens for their characters, Patrick Gale for his understanding of women, John Mortimer for his sense of humour and character of Rumpole.
Children’s authors tend to be those who are also exceptional illustrators: Quentin Blake, David McKee, Shaun Tan. Having said that, one of my favourite children’s books is Eloise by Kay Thompson with drawings by Hilary Knight.

How do you think up your ideas?
They come from something I see or hear, read or feel. Anything can trigger a story…a memory, a word, music….

What is the best thing about being a writer?
The solitude. It is an increasing pleasure to create something from a blank piece of paper..or a blank screen! It is an enormously satisfying and surprising life. I enjoy deadlines and getting things done and find drawing extremely soothing.

Primary School Students
What sort of pets do you have?
We have two cats –tabbies named Basil and Bella. They are brother and sister.
An enormous guinea pig: 007 (his partner Jinx died) and three fish Lamborghini Ferrari and Mercedes.

What is your favourite colour?!
Sky blue although I’m rather partial to red.

What is your favourite food- why?
Peas straight from the pod as they are so fresh. I also love berry fruit. My favourite Christmas dinner memory is choosing to eat only peas fresh from the pod, strawberries and raspberries.

What is your favourite movie?
There’s always a new favourite. Dual for it’s simplicity and scariness. Even though it was made many years ago it is still a masterpiece, as is the NZ film Bad Blood.

What is your favourite game?
Tennis. I also play a lot of word games with my son.

How do you make books?
It depends on the book. It may begin with a sketch…or it may begin with a thought, a sentence. If it’s a natural history book then there’s the idea, the research and the design or layout. Even when I’m not the illustrator of my books I always do the rough layout of the drawings or where the photographs are to be placed so that the publisher can see at a glance what I intend. (A bit like doing a school project!)

Sometimes I hand write the words (text) but usually I write straight onto the computer so that I can alter and save any changes.

Where do you go for your holidays?
Living in Nelson is a bit like a holiday so I don’t often take holidays but do travel to Wellington, Auckland or Dunedin several times a year. My favourite place for a holiday is Central Otago…or New York.

What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?
Aged five, talked while the teacher was reading a story. It was a book I knew by heart. The teacher made me stand in the corner. Sadly, I was very good after that! I was, according to my mother, rather naughty at home though.

Secondary School Students
How did you get started?
I wrote for the school newspaper and magazine and poetry competitions. Started work as a script writer with TVNZ. Later as a script writer for the BBC and then as an editor for a publishing company in London. Since my return to New Zealand I’ve had 50+ books published (mainly in the U.K.) I also write television scripts, songs and communications material for websites..one thing leads to another.

Who inspired you when you were getting started?
My parents were both great readers and story tellers. Several UK friends, especially David McKee, encouraged me to publish my own material rather than edit the work of others. The work of others inspires me.

What advice would you give an aspiring young writer?
Read, read, read and write, write, write. Try to write every day. Don’t give up. And when you have a deadline, meet it!

Is it difficult to make a living writing in New Zealand?
At times. I publish mainly in the U.K. so the print runs are larger than for a book published in New Zealand. With a good agent your rights are sold to other countries so that helps. Television script writing pays quite well. If you're serious about writing, the money or lack of it doesn’t stop you writing but the need to pay the bills can be distracting.

What were you like as a teenager? Tell us a story!
Happy, at times intense. Romantic, funny, active. I was always writing poetry or drawing, designing and making clothes, playing tennis. I enjoyed the freedom of doing fine arts in my final year of secondary school. I grew up at a time when school uniforms were taken terribly seriously so we tried to reinvent them as much as we could, push the boundaries on some rather silly hair regulations, questioned everything…not much different from now really. I worked in a movie theatre at weekends and in holidays, the Regent in Dunedin. Spectacular building seating 2000 people, So movies became a big part of my life.