Bars &
Music Notes
Bars &
Music Notes
Bars &
Music Notes
Author: Justin Jay Gladstone
Justin Jay is twenty-four years old and was born in New York City on June 17th, 1994. Justin currently resides in the Poconos, Pennsylvania. Justin has been working on his book series “The Other Side” for ten years. Writing this book defined Justin’s purpose in life because not only does it relate to him personally, but it provides an outstanding outlook of a world beyond our own. This book has driven him to continue his series leading up to nine more books. Making it to amazons top 100 best sellers Justin Jay is here to bring excitement and wonder to his fans. This is his story.
What inspired you to become a writer?
I play this video game called Final Fantasy Seven from 1997, I fell in love with this game ever since I was a child. I wanted the world to feel the same emotions I felt while I was playing this game. I did not know whether or not I wanted to become a writer I just knew I wanted to create a story. I also wanted to become a video game designer, direct movies and the best way to go about it all was through writing.
Is there anything you find particularly challenging with writing?
Getting a lot of sleep, if I don’t get a lot of sleep, I will not be able to function that day and if I don’t eat properly I won't be able to function as well. If I don’t have a solid schedule things won't work out, for example, I go to bed at eight pm and wake up at four. If I decide to go hang out with friends at eleven and wake up at eleven am I will feel uncreative that day nor want to do anything.
What is your creative process?
I listen to a lot of music depending on the mood and what I am doing at the moment. If I am just editing I would play video game music and begin to write. Before I go to bed I would just turn off all the lights and write whatever I am thinking about or problems I am having in my notebook. And I would wake up the next morning with the problem solved and the writing process works itself out.
How does your writing describe you as a person?
If you look at the front cover of my book, you notice, there are two people. The Northampton community college had a frightening bathroom, and I looked at the mirror and it was disgusting. And while looking at the mirror a voice in my head said: "what if there was another side on the other side of the mirror". It was such a brilliant idea, and I remembered being hit with all these thoughts and figured if I don’t write this down I am going to lose it forever. I ran to the library and began typing away, and that is how the story was created. It represents the type of person I am because the two people on the cover are a representation of me and the voice that was speaking to me on the other side. This is the person I have been hearing my whole life and on that day his voice was more pronounced and demanding. Demanding I put together this book.
“Alot of people are going to try and suppress your creativity but so. Do whatever you can to keep that creativity.”
Before making you own book what types of books interest you?
A lot of autobiographies, I can probably count the of fiction books I have read on my hands. I am currently binge reading Harry Potter, but I have not much in the fiction world.
What was the first story you have written?
I would say I have always been writing mostly rewriting fanfictions. For example, final fantasy, I would take my parents notebooks and rewrite the story, my version of the story. I have done this with video games like Zelda and Mario, but many of my teachers would take my notebooks and tell me that I cannot write with this language. The most I have ever said was damn, but they didn’t like the fact that I was writing in class. So, my dad would scold me and throw my book in the trash. The problem with those fanfictions, they were someone stories and even though I put my twist to it, it always ends how they write it. I figured one day I can write a story that I can control how it begins and how it ends.
What is your writing process?
What I would do is when I get an idea I would text it to myself, if there was a word I did not know I would write it down and then text it to myself. So I have years and months of text messages of ideas.
What would you say to someone that wants to become a writer?
Don’t let your ideas slip if you have an idea do whatever you can to write it down. There have been times where I was at work and have an idea and I would grab receipt paper and write it down immediately.
How do you wish to inspire young people?
A lot of people are going to try and suppress your creativity but do whatever you can to keep that creativity. A lot of people are going to tell you that you can’t do anything but try to embrace whatever talent you think you can formulate. When you go to school, they give you SAT exams amongst others and they tell you what a student should be instead of focusing on what you want to be. I graduated school with the mentality of being what they perceived me to be or whom society thinks I should be. But in all reality, all I wanted to be was a writer and write amazing stories. So my advice is to try and focus on yourself, for you.
Whats next?
Focusing on marketing, reaching as many people as possible. Just to hear what they think so I know what I can do to make the book better or do more of.