What better to read in October than a dystopian thriller?! We asked Josh Silver, author of HappyHead, to take us behind the scenes and share his experience of writing the first book in this duology.
Introduce yourself!
Hey! My name is Josh Silver, and I’m the author of the HappyHead duology. I live in Manchester.
Where did you get the inspiration for HappyHead?
When I began working in the mental health system here in the UK, I loved the job, but I became frustrated at the system and what the mechanics of it look like according to the people turning the cogs. Being with the patients was a pleasure, but it was difficult to see how their needs were not being met, but rather they were offered quick, inadequate fixes. This was my inspiration for the project, and I love dystopian thrillers. Squid Game and Alice in Borderland are two favorite shows. So I wanted to write a dystopian thriller set in a mental health system.
How would you describe the process of writing this book?
Well, I had no real idea how to do it before I started, so I suppose I just went for it. I think that not having any formal writing experience or guidance was quite liberating. I do remember not reading other books while I wrote because I didn’t want to emulate anyone’s style. I saw each chapter as a scene from a TV show. I still do when I write.
Is there a behind-the-scenes anecdote about writing HappyHead you’d like to share?
I would write whenever I got the chance. Lots of times in my parked car!
How do you keep track of twists, turns, secrets, and plot points?
I somehow manage to hold that stuff in my brain, which always surprises me. I knew the ending of Dead Happy the day I started writing HappyHead. It never changed! Plotting does however change a lot as I go along. I try not to stick to a strict outline, I personally find that a little restrictive, but I have goalposts I aim to reach by certain points of the book.
What advice would you give burgeoning writers?
You have a point of view that no one else has, which means your book is already unique and special. Try not to follow trends; write what you want to write—and if you love writing it, the reader will love reading it! (I say that last bit with caution, sometimes people have enjoyed the bits I found the hardest to write! But I think it’s good to remember to try and get pleasure from the experience!)
Did you prefer writing HappyHead, or its sequel, Dead Happy?
That’s an interesting question because I loved writing HappyHead, and then Dead Happy was written in a very different context—people had already read HappyHead, and I was cautious not to try and make everyone happy or my brain (and book) would split into a hundred pieces. I found that for Dead Happy, I really had to keep my head down and remember the reasons I was writing it, but personally I prefer it. I don’t know if I can say that—but it’s true! It’s darker, and there is, of course, resolution and answers.
