Author: Maryam Master
Maryam Master. Maryam was born in Iran and moved to Australia when she was nine years old. She is a writer with more than 20 years' experience creating work for stage and screen.
Maryam wrote the stage adaptation of David Walliams' best-selling book The Midnight Gang. In 2011 she was selected by Sesame Workshop as the writer for Elmo's tour of Australia, with other TV credits including Lah-Lah's Adventures, Blinky Bill and New Macdonald's Farm. She has also written over 80 episodes of Home and Away and has released two books aimed squarely at the tween market – ‘Exit Through The Gift Shop’ and ‘No Words’.
Tell us a little about your childhood in Iran?
My childhood in Iran was happy and carefree until 1979 when the Islamic Revolution turned my world upside down. The first thing that affected me personally was that my school (which was American and co-ed) shut down and I had to attend a single sex Islamic school. I, along with all females over the age of 7, were forced to wear hijab in public.
My family, who are Bahai’s were also persecuted for their faith and with our lives under constant threat, we were eventually forced to flee Iran.
What sort of a student were you at school?
I was a different kind of student at different times. In Iran, I got all A’s and loved learning. Even post-revolution, school was where I seemed to excel.
When I first came to Australia, I struggled to fit in and of course, there were language and cultural barriers that I had to overcome, so, I languished for many years. I wasn’t particularly studious until late high school when I realised that if I wanted to go to university and carve out any kind of future for myself, I had to put my personal struggles aside and just buckle down and study.
What made you want to be a writer?
The seed was planted by my Year 10 English teacher, Mr O’Connor, who told me I should consider writing as a career. I went on to study writing & directing at Uni but still didn’t think it would lead to an actual career until I found myself (though serendipity and hard work) in the Writers’ Room at channel 7, working as a script assistant on Home & Away. After that first pay check, I thought that this whole ‘writer’ thing could actually be possible long term!
You’ve written for stage and television including over 80 episodes of Home and Away, how did you get into the industry?
I made a short film while I was at university. A romantic comedy. This film got into many festivals around the country and ended up winning Best Film at the St Kilda Film Festival as well as the Adelaide Film Festival. I used that film and those credits to get my foot into the TV door. And everything kind of just flowed from there.
Are you disciplined with your writing hours? What is your writing process like?
Yes and no. I try to write for at least four hours each day. Sometimes my ‘writing’ doesn’t amount to words on a page. It may come in the form of sketches. Reading. Scribbling notes or simply thinking about a certain character while I’m walking. I need to walk when I’m stuck on an idea. It seems to unlock something in my brain. All of these activities, I count as ‘writing’ as they’re all part of the process.
But full disclosure: I am guilty of abandoning all of that if someone calls and invites me out for a dumpling lunch!
If you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
I’d like to work with refugees. Having been through that experience myself, I know how important a helping hand can be when you’re trying to start a new life in a foreign land.
What advice can you give to aspiring writers?
Write for a few hours each day. Practice really does make you a better writer. Not everything you write has to be perfect. Sometimes you have to write a whole pile of garbage in order to get to the gold. Don’t give up or abandon your work. Even if someone calls and invites you out for dumplings!
Franc’s Fast Five
Favourite childhood book? Anything by Roald Dahl or Judy Blume
Do you read your own reviews? Only when someone tags me in them or sends me a copy. I don’t read Goodreads. My publisher Claire (who I love) advises all her authors to stay away from it and I’m very obedient.
How do you get motivated? I go for long walks.
Favourite colour? Baby pink and electric blue.
Mountains or beach? Mountains. Mystical and magical. My lungs expand just thinking about them.