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Science (fiction) project
For
a first-time novelist and at just nineteen years old, Jack Heath already
appears comfortable with the job title: writer. Although, that said, he
has been working on his first novel, The Lab for several years so he could
hardly be called a newbie.
The idea for The Lab first came to Heath when he was studying the human genome project in his Year 7 science class. This school assignment coupled with a lack of interesting books for teenage boys led Heather to write a story to entertain himself. Aside from possessing a natural passion for writing Heath was motivated to write a story that he himself wanted to read. ‘I wanted something exciting with lots of action and adventure. I’m fortunate in so far as my tastes don’t seem all the unique. I already had the action scenes in mind that I wanted to do but I needed some kind of plot to hinge them all together.’
Despite telling friends and family that he expected to be published and a millionaire by the time he was 15 years old - which he recalls with a mixture of pride and embarrassment - Heath was shocked when he got the publishing contract. He completed the first draft at age 17 and encouraged by family and friends, submitted it to Pan Macmillan, one of the few publishing houses to accept unsolicited manuscripts. ‘This was my first manuscript and I sent it to just one place. I didn’t expect anything to come from it.’
‘The reason the book took me so long to write was because I was really half arsed about it most of the way. There were long periods, sometimes months, when I would only write a sentence or two. Then there were times in school holidays or on weekends when I would just wake up and sit down and write.’
Heath’s advice for fellow writers is that ‘when you feel like writing to make sure you do it right away; once you feel the creative juices flowing. It’s no good: “I’ll start after breakfast” because by the time you’ve finished breakfast the magic’s gone.’
It’s a wonder Heath has time to sleep let alone write. In addition to attending the University of Canberra where he studies creative writing Jack also teaches music, plays in four bands and runs a website with his mates. Given that he’s already a published writer Heath isn’t sure what he expects to get from his university course. ‘I’m hoping for some life experience ... and failing that, just to keep my parents happy while I wait for The Lab to become a huge success and win the Booker prize,’ he says with tongue firmly in cheek.
A keen
reader, as a child Heath was a fan of the Animorph series and Emily Rodda’s
crime fiction. Matthew Reilly became a favourite author during Heath’s
teenage years and set the standard for action scenes. ‘The Lab grew
as I did; evolved as I did. It’s hodge podge of all the things I
liked in other things that I read across my entire teenage years.’
As could be expected from a novel written for teenage boys The Lab is full of high-tech gadgets, weaponry and robots all set in a futuristic city yet surprisingly Heath didn’t do any formal research. ‘Information would just come my way and then I would work out a way of including it in the book.’ For instance, the idea for the silent boots that The Lab’s protagonist, Six of Hearts, wears came from studying recording techniques at university.
By his own admission Heath is a compulsive writer: ‘Even if no one was reading and no one was buying I’d still be writing.’ Despite the ‘don’t give up your day job’ advice that surrounds any budding writer Heath is optimistic about establishing a long-term career as a writer. And with a one-for-one success rate and what promises to be a popular first novel who can blame him? Writing certainly beats his old job working in a fish and chip shop. ‘I figure any job you’re going to love it some days and hate it some others. Writing I love more days than anything else I’ve ever done.’
A perfect working day for Heath involves being creative in the morning and evening with the afternoon spent sitting, drained in front of the TV. No doubt The Lab is simply the first of many successful novels to come and Jack Heath, the writer, will have the opportunity to experience many perfect days.
Karin van Heerwaarden
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Jack Heath - interview
Book:
The Lab
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Price: $16.95
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