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A Conversation with Brittney Morris, a Contemporary YA Author
Brittney Morris is the author of SLAY. She holds a BA in economics from Boston University because back then, she wanted to be a financial analyst.
Brittney Morris is the bestselling author of SLAY, The Cost of Knowing, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales – Wings of Fury, and The Jump. She also writes video games and has contributed to projects such as The Lost Legends of Redwall, Subnautica: Below Zero, Spider-Man 2 for PS5, and Wolverine for PS5. Brittney is an NAACP Image Award nominee, an ALA Black Caucus Youth Literary Award winner, and an Ignite Award Finalist. She has an economics degree from Boston University and spends her spare time reading, playing video games, and not doing enough yoga. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband Steven and their son Atlas.
Let’s get started with a quick rapid fire.
Q1. If you could be transformed into one animal, which one would you choose?
An owl. They can fly and they spend most of the day sleeping. Also most of their natural predators can’t fly!
Q2. Finish the phrase “the way to my heart is…”
through the bookstore!
Q3. Are you more of an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert!
Q4. Do you watch shows one episode at a time or binge whole seasons?
One episode at a time. Binging a whole season is a luxury these days.
Q5. Would you rather travel to the past or to the future?
The past hasn’t been kind to women, Black people, or queer folks. Take me to the future please!
Q6. What is your last Google search?
What natural predators does an owl have?
Q7. What object do you misplace or lose the most?
My phone or headphones.
Q8. What is the kindest thing someone ever did for you?
My coparent’s grandfather folded over a dozen books’ pages into beautiful vases for a special occasion. It meant everything to me!
Q9. If given the chance to start your life over, would you take it?
Absolutely not. I’ve worked too hard to get here and learned too much. “Joy in the midst of oppression is its own kind of bravery.”Brittney Morris, The Cost of Knowing
Q10. What is the best present you have ever received?
Not to be corny or obtuse, but being given space to be who I am and loved for it has been the best gift I could ask for.
Q11. Describe your style in one word.
Abstract!
Q12. If you were to devote the rest of your life to philanthropy, what cause would you choose?
Eradicating hunger.
It’s time for a more detailed conversation, Brittney.
You’ve answered our rapid fire so well, Brittney. Now, it’s time for our readers to know more about the person behind the book.
Q. Describe your journey so far.
It’s been a wild ride since I sold my debut novel, SLAY. I’ve published 4 novels and shipped 3 video games, one of which was nominated for Game of the Year 2023.
Q. So, what books did you grow up reading?
Unfortunately my reading selection was heavily restricted since I went to a Christian private school, but when I could break away, I got my hands on a lot of Gail Carson Levine’s works!
Q. Have you ever experienced writer’s block? How did you overcome it?
I write through writer’s block. It’s almost always terrible. That’s fine. Once I got okay with writing imperfect things, writers block stopped affecting me so much. Remember, you can always edit later, but you need something to edit first!
Q. Would you share something about yourself that your readers don’t know (yet)?
I’m dating someone in a heavy metal band! “People pay accountants and psychologists to give them power over the here and now, and they pay life coaches, fitness trainers, doctors, and tarot readers so they can control more of the future.”Brittney Morris, The Cost of Knowing
Q. Now comes the most anticipated question that every author must answer. How do you process and deal with negative book reviews?
Long story short, I don’t! I don’t read my reader reviews because they’re not for me. They’re for readers. I get my critiques through my agent, my editors, and my publishers.
Q. What comes first for you — the plot or the characters — and why?
Usually the idea for the plot comes first because most of my book ideas start with a question. For SLAY it was “What would happen if someone made a Wakanda-inspired VR game exclusive to Black people?” But then the characters I created molded and shaped the plot as they took shape.
Q. What kind of research do you do before writing a particular chapter or a scene?
It depends on the scene. If I need to know something technical, like what exactly a website’s source code looks like, I’ll google how to pull up source code and do it myself so I can tell what, for example, Spider is looking at while he’s deciphering a digital clue. If I need to know a randomly specific somewhat suspicious piece of information, like ‘how much poison does it take to kill a 6’2 260-lb man, I open a private browser window and hope I don’t end up on a list somewhere.
Q. What does literary success look like to you?
Literary success for me, as with all success, looks like being better than I was yesterday. Healthier, more fulfilled, more balanced, and more satisfied.
Q. Let’s talk about your latest book. Tell us about it.
The Jump is what happens if you take National Treasure and replace Nic Cage with four teenagers competing in a digital scavenger hunt in the hopes of taking down an oil refinery going up in their neighborhood.
Q. What part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
I can’t think of a part of the book that was hard to write, but it was a personal challenge to write a POV from a character who is nonverbal. I had a blast with it! There were so many non-verbal cues and ways to navigate the world that showed up beautifully on the page. I’m really proud of Han’s character and the journey he goes through in learning to stand up for what he believes and becoming a kickass cryptologist!
Q. Apart from writing, what else do you love to do?
I have many hobbies! I love to write, read, play video games, knit, crochet, do jigsaw puzzles, cultivate plants, cook, travel, and play the piano!
Q. What is your writing process like? Are you more of a plotter or a pantser?
I like to call myself a plantser! I spend about 24 hours writing a 1-page outline, and then it’s off to the races drafting a story within the parameters in the outline. So an entire chapter might be summarized in the outline as “[Protagonist name] goes to school. Antagonist attacks the auditorium.” Any other details are usually thought up as I go!
Q. Let’s talk about the process of writing. When you’re writing an emotional or difficult scene, how do you set the mood?
I usually listen to music that’s particularly melancholy and/or has lyrics about the topic I’m writing. I had the song “I Am King” by Ray Hodge on repeat while I was writing most of the last 25% of The Cost of Knowing.
Q. What has helped or hindered you most when writing a book?
Music helps the most, and my inner editor helps the least! Music helps ramp up whatever mood I’m trying to set for the scene. My inner editor tells me what I’m writing isn’t good enough, or that it’s not perfect or publishable. Which is FINE! It’s not supposed to be publishable as a first draft. It’s just supposed to be on the page.
Q. It’s been fun. Now, before we wrap this up, do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
Read, read, read, write, write, write, and even play, play, play if video games are your medium of choice. Experience stories of all genres, ones you love and ones you hate, and take on board what made you feel things as a reader/viewer/player.
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