An Inside Look with Jennifer Ziegler
*Season #SIX (Summer 2019)
How did you come to know Worser?
Worser popped into my head one day and started talking to me in that precise way that he has. I realized he was a bit of a know-it-all. He used big words and was very exacting with his speech. It was this realization that I hooked into and it helped me understand him. At that point, with characters I’m creating, it’s mainly a matter of widening the lens. Who is this person? Where are they? What are they grappling with?
I came to understand that he was the child of two college English professors. That his father died when Worser was very young. That he was misunderstood and bullied by other kids, so it had been just him and his mother for years – him, his mom, and their shared love of words. And that his mom had recently suffered a debilitating stroke which, sadly, caused her to lose her words.
Like all my characters, I believe Worser is an amalgam of people I’ve known over the years – most of them young people I had in my classes back when I was a middle school ELA teacher. Plus, also like the rest of my characters, there’s a fragment of me in him.
Do you and Worser share any similarities?
Most definitely! Like Worser, I have a passion for words. I was that kid who enjoyed MadLibs, Scrabble, Jumble, crossword puzzles, and anagrams. I still love word games. (And, yes, I am totally addicted to Wordle. I am so glad there is just one puzzle a day or I would get nothing else done.)
Also, Worser and I both feel at home in libraries and bookstores, don’t mind being alone with our thoughts or creative projects, and feel overwhelmed in shopping malls.
What do you think is Worser’s most admirable quality?
I love that Worser owns his intelligence. He’s smart and erudite and isn’t going to pretend otherwise. I have seen too many teens and tweens de-prioritize intelligence as something to admire. I can’t say for sure, but I think it happens because those in middle school and early high school are more focused on socializing and figuring out where they belong.
As a middle school teacher, I met many Worsers – the kind of young people who don’t try hard to fit in but will correct their teachers if they make a mistake. They could be exasperating, sure, but I adored them. They were unapologetically themselves, no matter what. They kept me on my toes and taught me a lot. I imagine many of them went on to do amazing things.
Is there anything you wish he would have changed or done differently in his story?
Had I been a character in my story, I like to think I could have recognized his hurt and loneliness and done something about it. I would have tried to gain his trust and lend a sympathetic ear. Maybe if Worser had had more people looking out for him, he wouldn’t have made such harmful decisions. But, as an author, I have to understand my characters instead of judging them. As hard as it was to write him making terrible mistakes, I knew it was true to who he was at the time. It was a wake-up call – one that led to some real growth.
What do you think Worser can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?
It’s always validating to see yourself in a story. I know I feel far less alone when I read about someone with a similar problem or outlook on life. If some readers are going through major loss and upheaval, I hope they will see that there is a path forward for them, too, and that they can seek help if they are struggling.
If there are readers out there who haven’t yet found their communities – people who accept them for who they truly are – I hope they find some faith that it will happen and that they shouldn’t give up.
And for all the word-lovers out there, I want them to know that this is my love letter to them. Words matter!
How did you research Worser and the circumstances he found himself in?
I had many brilliant and generous people help me. Doctors, therapists, fire experts, insurance experts, and legal experts. I always start with the library and read as much as I can on subjects my stories delve into. Then I come up with a list of questions to ask experts – or scenarios to run past them. “What would you do if…” is how many of my questions start out. Often, just chatting with professionals will bring up lots of details that I didn’t come across in my research. Their personal tips or experiences. For example, the big calendar on the dining room wall came out of a conversation with a speech therapist.
What was the hardest scene to write about him?
(I am going to be somewhat vague here because I don't want to give away a major plot point.) Late in the novel Worser makes a terrible decision. I knew why he was making this choice. I knew the consequences would be disastrous, but that it would also lead to him accepting certain truths that he'd been avoiding. I knew it had to happen, story-wise. Still, that scene was the most difficult to write. It required lots of research and many, many drafts.
Who do you think was his biggest supporter and why?
This is such a fantastic question, and I really had to think about it. During the course of the book, there are two people who really support Worser. First and foremost is his Aunt Iris. She goes out of her way to take care of him, but she also pushes him to be better. Worser is grieving the loss of his old way of life and does not appreciate this. At first, he sees her as an intrusion and a nuisance. So her support isn’t recognized as such – at least in the beginning. She is pretty much the exact opposite of Worser in temperament, personality, and interests. But she cares. She truly loves him.
The second character who supports Worser is Mr. Murray. He also goes out of his way to make a safe space for Worser. In fact, he goes against his own nature to do so. He and Worser are alike in their preference for quiet and solitude – but they also need others more than they’d like to admit.
Why do you think some young people, like Worser, are able to show strength, resilience, and courage when dealing with personal struggles in their life?
Another great (and difficult) question! In the case of Worser, I think his resilience comes from having to look out for himself for so long, due to the way his mother raised him. Plus, he’s already been through a lot – his father’s death, his mother’s depression, and bullying at school. He’s a lonely kid, one who’s learned he can’t depend on others, but one who’s learned how to do things for himself.
I’ve met many young people who have, essentially, had to be their own parents. I’m not saying it’s how things should be—not at all. And Worser is in no way a shining example of how adolescents should be parented or how they should behave. But I do think young people are capable of much more than our society gives them credit for. We, the adults in their lives, should take a step back more often and say, “I think you have the ability to do this by yourself.” When young people solve their own problems, they feel strong and capable, and it makes them less anxious about the world and other situations they might find themselves in.
Of course, it’s not quite that simple, and I’m sure there are genetic differences that give some of us more grit and determination. But in general, I believe if we want young people to become confident, independent adults, we need to trust them to do more for themselves – even if it means they make mistakes or don’t do things perfectly or seek books or information that make us uncomfortable.
What do you think Worser is doing at the present time?
I like to think he’s hanging out with his fellow word-loving friends, crushing on Donya, helping Mr. Murray, doing more for his mom and aunt, and is about 53 pages into a new Masterwork.
Of course, he’s still Worser. I’m sure it still irks him if his aunt starts singing or wants him to get a haircut. And if someone misuses a word around him, no way would he let it pass.
SEASON #SIX (Summer 2019)
Interview #122 with Tamara Bundy (Author of Pixie Pushes On)
Interview #123 with Lindsay Lackey (Author of All the Impossible Things)
Interview #124 with Tae Keller (Author of When You Trap a Tiger)
Interview #125 with Jamie Sumner (Author of Roll With It)
Interview #126 with Hena Khan (Author of More to the Story)
Interview #127 with Phil Bildner (Author of A High-Five for Glenn Burke)
Interview #128 with Leslie Connor (Author of A Home for Goddesses and Dogs)
Interview#129 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Queen Bee and Me)
Interview #130 with Jody J. Little (Author of Worse Than Weird)
Interview #131 with Jenn Bishop (Author of Things You Can't Say)
Interview #132 with Kaela Noel (Author of Coo)
Interview #133 with Rebecca Stead (Author of The List of Things That Will Not Change)
Interview #134 with Gae Polisner (Author of Jack Kerouac is Dead to Me)
Interview #135 with Emily Blejwas (Author of Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened)
Interview #136 with Joy McCullough (Author of A Field Guide to Getting Lost)
Interview #137 with Kim Baker (Author of the Water Bears)
Interview #138 with Erin Entrada Kelly (Author of We Dream of Space)
Interview #139 with Jess Redman (Author of Quintessence)
Interview #140 with Melanie Conklin (Author of Every Missing Piece)
Interview #141 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of Brave Like That)
Interview #158 with Rebecca Ansari (Author of The In-Between)
Interview #159 with John David Anderson (Author of One Last Shot)
Interview #160 with Tracy Holczer (Author of Brave in the Woods)
Interview #161 with James Bird (Author of The Brave)
Interview #162 with Marcella Pixley (Author of Trowbridge Road)
Interview #163 with Barbara O'Connor (Author of Halfway to Harmony)
Interview #164 with Alan Gratz (Author of Ground Zero)
Interview #165 with Lisa Fipps (Author of Starfish)
Interview #166 with Ann Braden (Author of Flight of the Puffin)
Interview #167 with Kimberly Willis Holt (Author of The Ambassador of NoWhere Texas)
Interview #168 with Elana K. Arnold (Author of The House That Wasn't There)
Interview #169 with Erin Soderberg (Author of The Great Peach Experiment)
Interview #170 with Donna Gephart (Author of Abby, Tried, and True)
Interview #171 with M. Evan Wolkenstein (Author of Turtle Boy)
Interview #172 with Lindsey Stoddard (Author of Bea is for Blended)
Interview #173 with Jess Redman (Author of The Adventure is Now)
Interview #174 with David Levithan (Author of The Mysterious Disappearance of Aiden)
Interview #175 with Chris Grabenstein (Author of The Smartest Kid in the Universe)
Interview #176 with Ali Standish (Author of The Mending Summer)
Interview #177 with Holly Goldberg Sloan (Author of The Elephant in the Room)
Interview #178 with Jeff Zentner (Author of In the Wild Light)
SEASON #ELEVEN (Fall/Winter 2021)
Interview #179 with Katherine Applegate (Author of Willow)
Interview #180 with Padma Venkatraman (Author of Born Behind Bars)
Interview #181 with R.J. Palacio (Author of Pony)
Interview #182 with Kyle Lukoff (Author of Too Bright to See)
Interview #183 with Barbara Dee (Author of Violets are Blue)
Interview #184 with Anne Ursu (Author of The Troubled Girls of Dragonmir Academy)
Interview #185 with Margaret Finnegan (Author of We Could Be Heroes)
Interview #186 with Jasmine Warga (Author of Shape of Thunder)
Interview #187 with Joseph Bruchac (Author of Rez Dogs)
Interview #188 with Kathryn Erskine (Author of Lily's Promise)
Interview #189 with Elly Swartz (Author of Dear Student)
Interview #190 with Heather Clark (Author of Lemon Drop Falls)
Interview #191 with Veera Hiranandani (Author of How to Find What You're Not Looking For)
Interview #192 with Elizabeth Eulberg (Author of The Best Worst Summer)
Interview #193 with Cathy Carr (Author of 365 Days to Alaska)
Interview #194 with Carol Cujec and Peyton Goddard (Authors of REAL)
Interview #195 with Gillian McDunn (Author of These Lucky Stars)
Interview #196 with Alyssa Colman (Author of The Gilded Girl)
Interview #197 with E.L. Chen (Author of The Comeback)
Interview #198 with J.M.M. Nuanez (Author of Birdie and Me)
SEASON #TWELVE (Winter/Spring 2022)
Interview #199 with Jamie Sumner (Author of One Kid's Trash)
Interview #200 with Chad Lucas (Author of Thanks a Lot, Universe)
Interview #201 with Jenn Bishop (Author of Where We Used to Roam)
Interview #202 with Rebecca Caprara (Author of Worst-Case Collin)
Interview #203 with Leslie Connor (Author of Anybody Here Seen Frenchie?)
Interview #204 with Caroline Gertler (Author of Many Points of Me)
Interview #205 with Margaret Finnegan (Author of Susie B. Won't Back Down)
Interview #206 with Shawn Peters (Author of The Unforgettable Logan Foster)
Interview #207 with Aisha Saeed (Author of Omar Rising)
Interview #208 with Adrianna Cuevas (Author of Cuba in my Pocket)
Interview #209 with Jennifer Swender (Author of Stuck)
Interview #210 with Brenda Woods (Author of When Winter Robeson Came)
Interview #211 with Danya Lorentz (Author of the Book Of a Feather)
Interview #212 with Saadia Faruqi (Author of Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero)
Interview #213 with Ellen Hopkins (Author of What About Will)
SEASON #THIRTEEN (Summer 2022)
Interview #214 with Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner (Authors of What About the Octopus)
Interview #215 with Lauren Wolk (Author of My Own Lightning)
Interview #216 with Rebekah Lowell (Author of the Road to After)
Interview #217 with Gillian McDunn (Author of Honestly Elliott)
Interview #218 with Dan Gemeinhart (Author of The Midnight Children)
Interview #219 with Melanie Conklin (Author of A Perfect Mistake)
Interview #220 with Kyle Lukoff (Author of Different Kinds of Fruit)
Interview #221 with Tracy Edward Wymer (Author of The Great and Mighty Benjamin Teller)
Interview #222 with Louise Hawes (Author of Big Rig)
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Interview #224 with Shannon Doleski (Author of Gabe in the After)
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