A Q&A with Richard O’Neill

Posted on 11 January 2023

To celebrate the publication of A Different Kind of Freedom: A Romani Story, we chatted with author Richard O’Neill, to find out more about why he wrote the book, the process involved and top tips for young writers.

Why did you decide to get involved with Scholastic’s VOICES series?

It was an easy decision to make having seen the previous books in the series and the calibre of authors. It’s important that the past is represented through multiple perspectives in order to understand diverse communities.

Did you do any historical research before writing A DIFFERENT KIND OF FREEDOM? And, if you did, what was the most interesting thing you found out?

Yes, lots. As someone born and brought up in a traditional nomadic Romani community, my first port of call was the elders who relayed stories they’d heard in their childhood about football and the people who played it in the Edwardian era. Then there was all the research done in libraries and online. The most interesting thing was just how big a sport and pastime football was a hundred years ago.

If you could invite three historical figures to a dinner party, who would you choose and why?

I would choose Grace Darling, a young woman who was a lighthouse keeper’s daughter, Rab Howell the first Romani footballer, and Native American Chief Joseph leader of the Nez Perce. All of them showed true bravery and inspired me from the first day I learned about them.

What was the hardest part about writing A DIFFERENT KIND OF FREEDOM?

Constantly wondering if I was doing a good enough job in representing the experiences of the characters and also the City of Sheffield which I have spent a lot of time in over the years. Then during the editing process, it’s a case of deciding what to take out. Fortunately, I had a great editor to help with that.

What do you want young readers to take away from this story?

I want everyone to know that you can achieve what you set your heart on and still respect your parents or the people who look after you. Depending on your and their circumstances it might be harder for you than others, but this is just one of many hurdles you have to overcome to achieve what you want.

What are your top tips for aspiring authors?

Read a lot and listen to as many stories as you can. Start to come up with ideas for your own stories and write your thoughts down as soon as you have them. Even if they don’t seem to make much sense at first they will always come in handy. And then just write: put that pencil or pen to paper, or start bashing that keyboard, and keep going.

Browse the Voices series