This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Originally from Massachusetts in the USA, Liz Fenwick first visited Cornwall in 1989. It was a match made in literary heaven and, following the purchase of a little house there, Liz has spent the last several years writing beautiful books set in the West Country. With her latest novel, A Cornish Stranger, out now, Liz stopped by recently to chat about her writing and offer some advice for aspiring novelists (including some excellent book recommendations).
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
In Cornwall generally, but I find little gems when I’m doing research. I tend to stumble across things as I did when I found the old Cornish saying “save a stranger from the sea, he’ll turn your enemy”. From that little snippet my mind played around and then created A Cornish Stranger. I’m also addicted to property websites. In fact, I may need to be sent away for the amount of time I spend on them, but looking at Cornish properties sparks lots of ideas from the history of some houses to the actual settings of others.
Can you tell us a little about your average writing day?
There is no such thing as an average day for me. I have a totally mad life divided between three places – Cornwall, Dubai and London. Each location presents different interruptions to the routine I would love have – you know the type where you sit to your desk at 9am, break for a lunch cooked by someone else and then back to your desk until 6am when someone hands you a gin and tonic and of course the word count will be 2,000 or 3,000 of the right words.
The reality is more likely to be read emails, chat on Twitter and Facebook, clean the house, fly someplace else, and then write madly. I think I write the best when I’m in Dubai when I breakfast with my husband wave him off to work and sit down to write all day until I look at my watch and notice that it’s 6:30pm and I’m still in my pajamas, we have no food in the house and it will be a take away again for dinner! The one thing I have learned is that I can write anywhere, any time. I don’t have to be at my desk, or dining table with my favourite mug – not saying that isn’t wonderful when it happens, but with the pressures of travel, children and deadlines, I have learned how to focus when I need to…When you are writing, do you use any famous people or people you know as inspiration?
Yes, I confess I do – especially for my heroes. It’s really hard, but I absolutely must spend hours on the internet looking at pictures and video clips of these actors to be sure I have all the subtle nuances of the head tilts and smiles. It’s hard work but I don’t complain too much. I do use actresses for my heroines as well but just initially to be clear of the physical description in my head until the character takes over and, in truth, the same happens with my heroes.
What is your favourite Women’s Fiction book of all time and why?
This is such a tough question but as reader I think it would have to be Katherine by Anya Seton or maybe Pride and Prejudice or Regency Buck or…
What female writer has inspired you?
I have been lucky enough to have been in the RNA since 2005 and have come through their New Writers’ Scheme so I have a few writers who have inspired and mentored me along the way. The wonderful Penny Jordan was a quiet, constant support and showed me that you must never stop growing and trying harder as a writer. Anita Burgh was/is another mention whose wise words carried me through many dark nights of the soul. Katie Fforde showed me how a professional writer can be serious, focused and totally lovely at the same time. Finally, all the writers of the RNA who have taught me so much.
Can you give us three book recommendations?
For writing craft, I turn Donald Maass’ books (all of them) when on the second draft. When I’m beginning a new book I reread Scarlett Thomas’ Monkey’s With Typewriters and my other go to book of the moment is Dara Marks’ Inside Story.
What is your writing process? Do you plan first or dive in? How many drafts do you do?
My process is changing because I now have less time to write … the damn deadlines. I used to begin with a title, a vague idea of my main characters and a setting and see where it would take me. I can no longer afford to ‘find’ my way through the story. I still need a title, an idea of theme (although many times this changes or becomes apparent after the first draft), my main characters and a setting, but I brainstorm my vague ideas with my editor who has the uncanny ability to find plot holes before they are written. After this session with her I have not an outline but something of a road map and I dive in. The first draft is still terrible, but by the end I know my characters and can see what story I really wanted to tell – not always the one I began with! I will then clean and polish and send to my editor who then rips it to pieces. No, she will tell me there is too much going on (she’s always right) and help me to sharpen the story. Sometimes this is just one more draft but other times it can be three or more until we both feel it is right.
What was your journey to being a published author?
I began writing fiction again in 2004 and joined the RNA in 2005. From that point on I wrote a new novel a year and rewrote the previous ones with all the new skills I had learned with each book. So in 2011 when I sent off The Cornish House to four agents I was actually writing book seven. I signed with Carole Blake on February 14th and she sold The Cornish House to Holland on St Patrick’s Day and then a two-book deal with Orion just before my 48th birthday in April. I am definitely proof that it’s never too late to achieve your dream!
What do you think is the biggest myth about being a novelist?
That you will make a lot of money from it! It’s hard work and the money is growing but it doesn’t happen overnight for most authors.
What advice can you give to our readers who want to write a novel of their own?
Take your time. It isn’t a race and you should enjoy your ‘apprenticeship’ – that pre-publication time – to learn how to market books and make connections as well as making your books the best they can be. Be professional at all times – publishing is a very small world. Finally listen to your work – use text to speech software. It’s brutal but it’s so important to ‘hear’ your work.
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m writing book four, A Cornish Inheritance, which is due with my editor on 31st of October and I only have 25,000 words written!
Thanks, Liz!