I love interviewing authors and reading interviews in publications like Writing Magazine. There is always something to learn from how other writers work.
One interesting comment about my recent joy of radio post came from Chippy when he discussed Desert Island Discs and felt it was a good show because it wasn’t just about people plugging things. The best interviews are those that encourage the interviewee to reveal more about what motivates them.
Late last year, I was interviewed by fellow writer, Jacci Gooding. I thought I would share some of the interview here and discuss what I liked about the questions. It is an interesting experience being on the other side of the fence.
When you were at school, did you ever think you would be a writer?
I hadn’t thought that far ahead. I loved English as a subject, books, and what was known as composition where we invented our own stories. Sometimes we were set a theme but I preferred it when we could write about we liked. I loved those sessions but I didn’t link it with the idea I could do this later and maybe, just maybe, make a career out of it.
What I liked about this question
It made me think about how far back my love of writing goes and I believe the seeds were sown then. A good education doesn’t just educate in my view, it plants ideas for the future, which pupils may or may not act on. Sometimes those seeds don’t come to light for decades, as is the case here with me.
What made you take the plunge and go to the Winchester Writers’ Festival for the first time?
I’d been wondering about going a year before I actually went, dithered too long and lost the chance to go so was determined not to make that mistake again. I was a new writer then and I dithered due to sheer nerves. You know the kind of thing – I’d look stupid etc. I went the following year, telling myself at worst I would learn from the courses. As it turned out, the warmth of the welcome at Winchester for all delegates was incredible (and encouraged by Barbara Large, the Festival’s founder and whom I’ve recently interviewed for Chandler’s Ford Today). All nerves went out of the proverbial window. I had a wonderful time and learned a lot, which of course is the whole idea.
What I liked about this question
It made me look into why I go to the Festival and how I overcame those initial nerves. It can be daunting as a new writer to go to a big conference (you feel out of place) and I would recommend anyone in that situation to look at what people say about the warmth of the welcome at said events. It does make all the difference.
How many times have you been, and do you get something different from it each time you go?
The only way I can date this is to look at the annual anthology Winchester produces for its winning competition entries. The first one I have in my writing bookshelf goes back to 2000! So, with the odd miss, I’ve been going for about 15 years! And yes I do get something different from the Festival each time. When I first started, I was going to all the topics on the basics – setting out work, editing and so on. Now I’m looking at using social media from a writing viewpoint, marketing and so on. I hope as my writing continues to develop, so will the talks that will help me make the best of where I’m at currently. This has been the case so far.
What I liked about this question
Again it is making me query myself about why I still go to the Festival and has made me think about what I get from this. I also look at how the talks I go to have changed over the years as my writing has taken off in different ways. Writers should be developing all the time. Festivals such as Winchester should be able to cater for that.
Have you met many authors along the way?
I’ve not met famous authors directly if that is what you mean here because I’m far too shy to introduce myself (which is not a great aid to any writer I admit but I think it is much better than being too pushy!). I have heard many famous authors speak though and some of my favourites include Terry Pratchett (huge fan anyway, no surprises here), Colin Dexter, Joanne Harris, Julian Fellowes and many others.
I have also had the great joy of meeting many wonderful writers, such as your good self, who, like me, are making progress with their writing journey but know full well we have got a long way to go! It is so lovely being able to swap notes as to where we are “at” and things we have found helpful (or not). And the advice we can give each other adds enormously to what we can get out of a writing conference, say. I’ve picked up so many good tips having a good chat over lunch with… well yourself for a start, Jacci! And that is in addition to the talks we go to at these things.
What I like about this question
It draws out the other good reason for going to any writing conference, which is to meet other writers (famous or not!). One of my favourite speeches at Winchester came from Colin Dexter of Inspector Morse fame, whose theme was to let a good dictionary into your writing life! It was a hilarious speech and he gave wonderful examples of awful spelling and grammar sent to him by hopeful writers (an object lesson in not what to do there!) I think he cheered everyone who heard him – there must have been a few hundred of us all thinking the same thing (”at least I haven’t done that”!).
What makes you decide to sit down and start something?
I would love to say “the muse, darling, it’s all in the muse” (!) BUT it really is a case that I HAVE to write. I get edgy if I can’t write except when I’m on holiday as I tell myself I will be catching up with my reading which is the flip side to writing. I usually end up taking a notebook and perhaps brain storming some ideas while away so I don’t completely stop. Re Christmas etc I write extra in the few days up to it and after the main holiday so then don’t feel guilty about time away from my desk. Indeed I enjoy it but I have got to feel I have put the work in first. It’s the old Protestant work ethic thing again. Mind given I am now 50 and a Protestant, this is not inappropriate for me!
Re CFT I am blogging weekly now so I finish a piece, it goes on site and then I am immediately on to the next one. I need a few days to write it, a couple of days to edit it, source images I can use freely (my own and Pixabay generally which is a great site) and then double check things with my lovely editor. That is the week gone. There really isn’t much of a gap between finishing a piece and starting another but I love that continuity. I find it helpful.
Short stories – I’m looking at the competitions and will work to their deadlines. If there’s nothing specific I look for a theme I would like to write about and produce a story. Often a competition comes up later that this might suit so off it goes. But all the time I’ve got competitions in the back of my mind. I also like to have something on the go, something “out there” being considered and ideas in the back of my mind for what follows. And when I’m not doing that I’m writing stories and flash fiction for future collections.
I NEVER get bored!
What I like about this question
It is a challenging one! You can’t just sit and wait for the muse to turn up if you want to write long term. You have to discipline yourself to write (yet be open to what types of writing you try). Getting into the habit of being at your desk to write encourages the muse to show up! It serves you. It is never the other way round!
Where do the your ideas come from?
Ah! The million dollar question! The simple answer is ideas come from everywhere. (I know – very helpful – NOT!). But I can get a spark for an idea for a story from another story I’ve read, an expression I’ve heard, a theme common to stories I love (there, I want to put my own take on it) and so on. Reading non-fiction can spark ideas too. You come across, say, an invention and wonder if the world you’ve created could have something similar and explore if the idea is welcome or not. See Terry Pratchett here as I think he was the past master at this. (Lots of stories to be had in that thought alone, as TP proves). I do know the more widely you read, the greater the pool you can fish from when it comes to ideas. The trick is not finding the ideas but in working out which are the ones that are the really good ones and to discard the others. Discarding ideas can be hard at times.
What I like about this question
Traditionally, it’s the one most writers hate as there is no one simple answer. I’ve read some wonderfully sarcastic replies to this (”I go to the Ideas R Us Store” being just one!). Also the finding of ideas applies to non-fiction as much as to storytelling. Reading widely helps increase your pool where you can find ideas to work from.
Conclusion
I enjoyed being quizzed by Jacci. The best questions always draw out information from the interviewee. And just to confirm this, here’s a clip of Kirsty Young being interviewed about Desert Island Discs, which I found illuminating.
Related Posts:-
Read interviews with Chandler’s Ford writer Allison Symes: Part 1 and Part 2.
Read blog posts by Allison Symes published on Chandler’s Ford Today.
Never miss out on another blog post. Subscribe here:
Attending conferences is nerve-wracking at first. You may have the opportunity to meet people with world wide reputations and my experience is that the better known they are, the more likely are they to give a considered and helpful answer to your question.
I have seen speakers at conferences totally overwhelmed by their nerves and unable to give their talks. I have seen others so brimming with unjustified confidence in themselves that the audience is driven to let them know they are speaking rubbish.
Those who run conferences usually make sure newcomers are welcomed and treated gently but honestly. Their main difficulty is dealing with the loquacious boors who turn up time after time.
BTW, there is a Hampshire writers meeting tomorrow night (Second Tuesday of the Month, 7.30, Stripe Theatre, University of Winchester).
Very true, Mike. Sadly I can’t make it to the HWS meeting tomorrow night but hope all who do go have a wonderful evening. Sure you will. (Most are much more sympathetic to the nervous speaker than the one who comes across as full of themselves and rightly so too!).