Puppeteer, Actor and Multidisciplinary Artist Justin Ward
This week’s Writer Wednesday features 17-year-old puppeteer, actor and multidisciplinary artist Justin Ward of Detroit!
Justin is best known as the creator and puppeteer of the educational literacy show “Draw It Out" and the creator and host of the community-centered talk show “The Community Cure.”
Right now Justin is writing a personal memoir, working on a play, creating a children’s book and directing a few short films. He is a junior at the Detroit School of Arts and has already created a lasting impact on the community around him. Learn more about him below!
What writing projects are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on another book, a memoir about my life so far. I feel like so much has already happened in my short life, and I think people may want to read about my experiences. I’ve also been working on a play centered around a woman’s experience. Even though I’m not a woman, I’ve been developing this project for quite some time, gaining insight from women about the harsh things they go through on a day-to-day basis, and I hope it becomes something people can connect with and enjoy. I’m also working on a children’s book and a few more short films.
What is your favorite part of the writing process?
My favorite part is coming up with an idea and then watching it come to life through words. Words can take you places and have so much power. When I write, I love seeing my ideas come to life with so much depth, emotion and passion. That transformation from an idea in my head into writing on a page is what I love most.
What does your writing workspace look like?
Right now, it’s a bit messy! I’m always writing, and I’m never really off to the next thing. Usually I start another project before the one I was on before is complete. I have tons and tons of ideas that haven’t been made yet, and I’m constantly thinking about what I want to create next. I’m the type of artist who, even though I’ve accomplished a decent amount of stuff, I always feel like there’s more to do. I want to keep pushing myself toward becoming the artist I know I can be.
When did you first discover your love for writing? Were there any key moments or influences that sparked your passion?
When I was a kid around 8 or 9 years old, I remember helping my brother with a book report, and I also loved classic movies and TV shows; the dialogue and the way the writers wrote them felt so real to me. I remember the times I would pretend I was a famous author and take journals and write things down in them. Even back then, I loved creating stories and imagining where my words could take me.
What is your favorite non-writing hobby?
Puppetry. I wouldn’t necessarily call it just a hobby because I see puppetry as a career and a major part of who I am as an artist. I’m a puppeteer first — I feel that in my heart. Through the writing I’ve done, I’ve written characters into existence, and puppetry gives me the opportunity to take those characters from the page and bring them to life. It’s another way for me to tell stories, express myself and connect with people.
What is your favorite piece of writing advice?
“Nobody knows your words but you.”
To me, that means trusting your own voice as a writer. Other people can read your work, critique it, or interpret it differently, but they weren’t inside your head when you created it. You know where the idea came from, what you meant to say, and what emotions you put into it. That’s why I believe writers shouldn’t be afraid to tell their stories in their own way and just be authentically themselves.
FLASH QUESTIONS
Favorite book: “Jim Henson: The Biography”
Favorite author: Maya Angelou
Favorite book-to-movie adaptation: “It” by Stephen King
I can’t write without: My Detroit School of Arts pen
If I could have coffee with any writer (dead or alive), it would be: Maya Angelou
Learn more about Justin on his website www.thejustinward.com or follow him on Instagram at @photosbyjusty, @ward.archives_ or @drawitout2025
— Interview by Jayda Groth