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katie
fforde
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interviews>newsletter>writer
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Katie Fforde's writing style has been described as a cross between Tom Sharpe and Joanna Trollope. Here the best-selling romantic author provides an insight into her writing life.
What
inspires you to write?
Every day life, really. People are fascinating, and I love writing about
unusual situations, or jobs.
How
long does it take you to write a novel?
Between six and nine months. Some (very few) books go really well, but
most involve a bit of research and will take longer.
Do
you have a writing routine? If so, what is it?
I get up early in the morning - with the light, so earlier in the summer
than in the winter, and I write a thousand words.
Has
your life changed since you became a novelist?
In some ways yes. I spend much more time at home, I meet people I've never
met who know me through my books. But basically, I still spend a lot of
time pottering around the kitchen talking to my children.
How
do you cure writer's block?
I rest. For me, this dreaded condition, is always brought on by tiredness.
I've never had a serious case of it, thank goodness. Another suggested
cure is reading a lot. Somehow reading other people's work reunites your
interest in your own.
Who
is your all-time favourite author?
It has to be Georgette Heyer. I started reading her when I was about twelve
and I still turn to them in times of stress.
What
are you reading at the moment?
A Catch of Consequence by Diana Norman. It's also historical and I'm loving
it, but it's slightly meatier than lovely Georgette.
What's
the biggest myth about being a writer?
That you sit around waiting for The Muse. I don't know any serious writers
who do this.
What
advice would you give budding authors?
Read a lot. Join the Romantic Novelists Association to meet other writers,
agents, etc. Don't be afraid to start. No one need know what you're up
to unless you want them to.
What
can readers expect from Katie Fforde in the future?
I hope they can expect more of the same. I don't think I have
a more serious book in me. My books are all fairly small-scale and domestic,
but with a humorous and romantic edge.
