This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Jane Bidder's latest book, Guilty, is published by Accent Press in March. Jane recently answed a few questions for us about her writing.
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
From life. My own experiences and those of others. Also pictures; chance conversations; and ‘what might have beens’. For example, I first had the idea to write Guilty from my experiences after I spent three years as writer in residence of a male high security prison. It made me think how a split- second decision can have a major impact on several lives. The story is about a happy, newlywed couple, Simon, a solicitor, and Claire, an artist, whose lives are shattered when Simon is sent to prison for a ‘drink driving’ offense. I wrote from the perspective of both the husband and wife, tackling the taboo of prison for normally law-abiding citizens. There is also the humorous, ghostly voice of Joanna, the woman killed in the crash – although the reader doesn’t know until the end if she is real or in Simon’s head.
Can you tell us a little about your average writing day?
I like to start writing by 9.30, after walking my dog along the beach and a light breakfast. If I’m writing a novel, I will write 2000 – 3000 words every day without stopping (after revising what I wrote the day before). Then I’ll go for another walk; have lunch with my husband and revise what I’ve written. Occasionally, I might also do something for myself like seeing a friend for half an hour, but usually I’ll be knee-deep in emails. There’s always something! Books need promoting; there might be proof questions; or people write to me for advice. It’s made more complicated by the fact that I write in three different genres under separate names. In the evening, I might go back to my book, but I’ve been trying hard recently, to spend more time with my husband or children when they are home. Fridays are different: I play tennis in the morning. But if I’ve got a deadline, I’ll work through the weekend too. Recently, I’ve been made a Royal Literary Fund Fellow at Exeter University so I am there for two days a week.
When you are writing, do you use any famous people or people you know as inspiration?Sometimes Hugh Grant pops into my head! On the whole, however, my characters are made up people who create themselves in my mind and grow more real as the book continues.
What is your favourite Women’s Fiction book of all time and why?
This is so difficult! I used to say Jane Eyre because, as a teenager, I identified with the heroine (same first name; shy but strong beneath). Now I think it might just be Alice in Wonderland: a perfect mixture of magic and adventure along with unforgettable characters.
What is your writing process? Do you plan first or dive in? How many drafts do you do?
I get the glimmer of an idea. Then I ‘people’ it in my head with believable characters who are different from each other and likely to appeal to a wide audience. I used to plan extensively, but instead, I now make notes as I go through life for about four months before writing anything. Then I put my fingers to the keyboard. I make sure that at least one big event happens per chapter. I write down, in a book, exactly what happens when – and what the characters are like. When I’ve finished, I do about four drafts, checking plot holes; continuity; characters; dialogue; scenery and time lines. I always do my revisions from a printed page. The whole process from start to finish, takes about nine months.
What was your journey to being a published author?
I read English at Reading and then got a place on the Thomson Graduate Trainee Scheme as a magazine journalist. I wrote for a wide variety of publications over the next twenty years including Woman and The Telegraph, where I had a regular funny column about the ups and downs of family life. It took nine unpublished novels before I finally got a two book deal with Hodder and Stoughton for The School Run and The Supper Club, written under the name Sophie King. Guilty will be my tenth novel, but the first in a ‘social crime’ genre. I’ve also written hundreds of short stories for women’s magazines and have also won prizes including the Elizabeth Goudge award and the Vera Brittain cup.
What do you think is the biggest myth about being a novelist?
That it’s ‘not a proper job’ because we don’t go into an office to do it. That really annoys me.
What advice can you give to our readers who want to write a novel of their own?
Start! Write about something that fascinates you and bugs you and won’t leave you alone. Write every day if possible – even if it’s only for twenty minutes – to keep the story going. Make sure something happens in every chapter to keep the plot moving. Stun the reader with the first line so they have to carry on.
What are you working on at the moment?
The second draft of The Witness. It’s about a woman who sees something in a park that changes her life for ever. It follows on from Guilty (although it’s not a sequel).
Thanks, Jane!