Christine Leunens describes herself as a “very, very bookish child.” She started writing 20-page letters to friends and they were so long that her grandfather said, “I think you’re going to be a writer one day.”
While living in Paris, she started writing comedy and dramedy scripts as plays. After some frustrations due to major changes to her work, she decided to give up her contracts and focus on novels.
“It felt so meaningful for to me to go and write the story I wanted to tell.” The New Zealand-Belgian novelist is best known for 'Primordial Soup,' 'A Can of Sunshine,' and 'Caging Skies,' which was recently adapted into a film by writer-director Taika Waititi, under the name 'Jojo Rabbit.'
In this interview, Leunens describes her no-safety-net approach to writing, where she got the idea that for 'Caging Skies,' what’s at the heart of 'Jojo Rabbit,' how every novel is different, and why writers need to cut their work for the big picture.
If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5
