Q&A with Joel Rustin – Author Interview

Joel Rustin has captivated readers with his thought-provoking and impactful storytelling in Hits Different. In this exclusive Q&A, we delve into the creative process behind his latest novel, exploring the themes, inspirations, and personal experiences that shaped the story. Joel shares his journey as a writer, from the initial spark of an idea to the challenges of bringing it to life on the page.

In this interview, Joel gives us a closer look at the characters, the message behind Hits Different, and what he hopes readers will take away from the book. Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to his work, this conversation offers valuable insights into the mind of an author who is dedicated to crafting meaningful, unforgettable stories.

About The Author

Tell us more about you

I grew up as a student of 90s pop culture, which is shorthand for admitting that I was basically raised by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Dawson’s Creek. English was my favourite subject at school. I was very lucky to have teachers who encouraged me to read extensively and take the time to find my voice as a writer. I spent my weekends buried in books by Christopher Golden or Patricia C. Wrede. 

I didn’t grow up watching or reading stories with LGBT characters front and centre. That’s not to say they didn’t exist. They did. Willow Rosenberg. Alec Lightwood. So cool. But when I started writing, I wanted to know what it would  look like if Jack McPhee had main character energy? 

So, that’s what Hits Different is. It’s what interests me as a writer. Giving LGBT+ characters space to have storylines that absolutely include their sexuality and identity, but that also showcase other parts of their life; their jobs, their families, their fuck-ups. All their gloriously chaotic misadventures.  

There’s lots of really exciting writers, people like Rainbow Rowell and Juno Dawson, who teenage-me would have been completely obsessed with. Right now I’m writing in the romance genre. Wholesome angst. Charming banter. Broken, brooding boys and the ones who show up to fix them. That’s what my stories are about. 

What are the three items you’d take on a deserted island?

If I can group my TBR pile into one individual item, then I’d take that, alongside some sort of Star Trek style replicator, so I could have coffee and toast on demand. I’m low maintenance like that. 

Who is your biggest role model?

I don’t really have role models, but one thing I noticed whilst writing Hits Different was how drawn I am to artists who go all-in creatively. That’s not just limited to writers. I’m a big sucker for a storytelling easter-egg, so Cody Rhodes casually dropping a Zelda reference as a nod to his former character in the middle of a major promo is so clever to me. Before this interview, I watched Jade act out an entire movie within a four minute Brit awards performance. I’m not a wrestler and I’m definitely not a singer, but watching people push their creative boundaries definitely encourages me to think about how I can do more in my own world. 

It’s one of the reasons I gave my chapters their own titles. There’s some sneaky hints in there about things to come.  

I’ve had an idea for a thriller series lurking in my head for a while, so studying how writers like Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Inheritance Games) and Pierce Brown (Red Rising) build worlds and raise the stakes as their series progress into their sixth or seventh instalments is really inspiring. They’re both masterful at constructing characters with real staying power. That’s what I’m working towards. 

What is your favourite book and who is your favourite author?

My most read of all time is 4:50 from Paddington. My late Grandmother introduced me to Agatha Christie when I was a kid and 4:50 became my go-to read every time I stayed at her house. It was very old-timey, with a maroon plain hardback cover and embossed black lettering. I read it until the spine broke. My grandma used to be a librarian and we always used to talk about books together. She really encouraged my writing. The first draft of my very first book was written at her kitchen table. 

There are a handful of writers I’ll always one click buy. Aside from those I’ve already mentioned, I’m a big fan of Kate Morton, Adam Silvera, M.L. Rio, Grace D Li and Karen McManus. I flit between genres, as you can tell, but there’s usually some element of murder involved.

Do you prefer e-books, physical books or audiobooks?

I’ve got a real soft spot for a hardback. I’ll bust out an e-book for reading on a train, or if I’m intrigued by something with a NSFW cover that I can’t have corrupting my innocent bookshelves. The voice actors in the Karen McManus audiobooks are always on point, but when it comes to absorbing audio content, I’m much more of a podcast guy. 

Is writing your full-time profession or a hobby?

I’m navigating two very different careers but my writing side-hustle gets the space that it needs whilst I deliver at my regular 9-5. Both gigs fulfil me in different ways. I’ve never really subscribed to the idea that you can only have one job or be one thing. 

What social media platform do you like and use the most?

I like Instagram and that’s probably the mothership as far as my social media presence is concerned. Most of my promotional content sits on that platform. Threads was super helpful in finding ARC reviewers and getting some advice from the indie writer community. There’s usually a lot of people who are generous enough to offer tips and advice so it’s a really useful resource for a new writer.

I’ve got accounts on TikTok and BlueSky, but Insta is the best place to come and say hi. There isn’t a lot of myself in two the MCs in Hits Different, but I definitely share Brandon’s caution when it comes to putting your real life out there. 

Your Writing Process

How do you go about starting a new novel?

It starts with a hook or an idea, and is followed swiftly by the purchase of a new notebook. 

I spend time playing around with settings and characters, figuring out who they are, what they want and what they need. If it’s a romance, I want to know what the MCs get from each other that they can’t get from anyone else. I don’t tend to base my characters on real people.

I’ll pull together an outline or a detailed plot, and work out where the conflict sits. I read somewhere that every story needs at least five knockout moments. You know that MovieClips channel on YouTube, that pulls out the most important scenes from every film? I spend a lot of time thinking about what scenes are going to real resonate; either as a big plot point, or as more subtle, but still meaningful, character moment. Then, I think about what happens between those moments.  

I try and make sure I’m reading books within the same genre as I start drafting, to help get my head into the right space. For me, balance is important. There’s lots of drama in my stories, so humour is essential, even if it’s just how the characters respond to their trauma. Parker and Brandon both go through some shit in Hits Different, but they keep their sense of humour, and the book is lighter because of it.   

I ask myself if I’d want to read the finished version of what I’m drafting. If the answer is yes, I keep going. I like a really detailed outline. That process really helps decide what I want to say and how I want to say it.  

I’m a visual thinker, so there’s part of me that’s thinking about which moments would make a good piece of scene art. Pierce Brown is really good at making his scenes feel cinematic.  

Where do you like to write?

I’m not fussy. I write at home at my desk in the evenings, although recently I’ve started to get up early and head out to a café on the weekends. If I’m travelling or on a lunch break I’ll drop some ideas into the notes app on my phone. You can’t control when or where a random thought is going to find you, so being adaptable is a big advantage in keeping things moving.

What do you like most about writing?

I’ve got an overactive imagination, so I’m lucky that I can channel my overthinking into something productive. 

At its core, Hits Different is about what happens when the unattainable guy you’ve fallen in love with turns out to love you back. Unrequited love is not an uncommon trope, but I got to write it the way I wanted to, in a way that feels authentic. That’s the best thing about being a writer; telling the stories you want to tell, in the way that you want to tell them.

What do you find stops you from writing more?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, but this is the first time I’ve written with a definite and deliberate intent to publish. For a long time, writing books always felt like something that Other People Did. It took me a minute to trust myself enough to put my work out there. 

What genres do you like to write and why?

I never thought I’d write a romance, but that’s what Hits Different is. The idea came to me after a long year ploughing through an intense YA crime thriller, and I was just in the mood to lean in to the melodrama of it all. It didn’t take long for me to embrace it, and to fall in love with my two MCs (Brandon and Parker). 

On a technical level, romance novels have a very clear template to follow in terms of what the three act structure should look like and which plot points you need to follow. If you’re learning your craft, romance is a good genre to cut your teeth on. 

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring writers?

I’m happiest when I’m writing stories that I’d actually want to read. The writing process can be intensive and requires a lot of effort; it’s a lot easier if you’re writing a story you want to write, rather than one you think you should be writing. 

Try and learn as much about the industry as you can. It helps to know what you’re getting into. Read a lot. Learn the rules and structure of your genre. You can break them once you know them, but you’ve got to understand them first. 

Showcase your books!

How many books have you written and if more than one, what’s your favourite?

Hits Different is my first published story, so it’s always going to have a special place in my heart. When I started writing HD, it was with a definite intent to stick with it until it was publishable and ignore the other random ideas that popped into my head along the way. 

I have two books ‘on the shelf’; one that has a fun, chaotic premise but the world-building got so big it needs some major course correction, and a draft of a YA thriller that I might sneak out under a different alias next year. 

WIP-wise, I’m working on the next in the Summit in Love series, which will absolutely include cameos from the MCs in Hits Different. It’s set in the UK this time, so I’m looking forward to being back on familiar turf. 

I’m plotting out the next two years which includes a standalone romance that I’m writing now, and a series of novellas which will be first official foray into blending romance and crime. I’m obsessed with the idea of secrets, letters, identities and codes. It’s about time I put a childhood of murder mystery consumption to good use. 

How long did Hits Different take to write?

18 months from idea to publication; with numerous re-writes (and title changes!) along the way. 

It took a few drafts to really find the journey I wanted to take with Parker. His bi-awakening is an important part of who he is, but I wanted to connect the trauma he experienced as a teenager with his motivations as a young man, which is where he is when we meet him.

Romances in the ‘friends to lovers’ trope obviously focuses a lot on the lovers part, but I wanted to explore the friendship between Parker and Brandon as teenagers, before they reconnect in ‘present day’ as guys in their early twenties. 

I played around with their backstory a few times, finally settling on what drove them apart as eighteen year olds right at the last minute. It helps explain why they’ve never been able to let each other go, and why that’s such an interesting foundation to build on as their relationship develops.  

Lastly, what is your favourite thing about being an author?

I don’t know that I can call myself an author until I’ve been officially published, so I might have a better answer for you after May 8^th. 

Right now, and to come full circle from my answer to your first question, I’m thinking a lot about my younger self and the kind of stories he would have loved to read. I enjoy being able to translate the ideas, characters and plots that have lived in my head for a long time into a story that would have meant something to the younger version of me, and hopefully to other people too. 

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