Author interview with Jennifer Newbold
Fellow Jodi Taylor fan and writer
What inspired you to embark on a writing career, and how did your journey as an author begin?
Books have always made the best companions. They're loyal, they take you on journeys to places you couldn't otherwise go, and introduce you to the most interesting characters! I have been a reader from a very young age; when other children went on holidays or to summer camp, my parents gave us each a library card, and I would check out as many books as were allowed every week. My summer bookclub badge always had many, many stars! But it was other authors whose works I devoured, like Jodi Taylor, Diana Gabaldon, and Carlos Ruiz Zafón, who made me think I could maybe be an author myself. I don't write historical fantasy, but my books always have a touch of the fantastic... It wasn't until Covid lockdown that I actually started writing down some of the stories I used to entertain myself with at night when I couldn't sleep. And lo and behold... they were good! My first book was a finalist in the Page Turner Awards and CIBA competitions, and that validation inspired me to keep writing.
Can you describe your writing process? Do you follow a structured outline, or is your approach more organic?
My approach is totally organic. I write by intuition, intuition I've gained by reading thousands of books. I find that although it might take more revisions to get the final, correct structure, tone, and pace than if I followed an outline, my creativity needs that freedom to go down the wrong lane and back up again when I hit the ford my Mini-brain can't cross. Whoops. Reposition the satnav...
Which authors or books have significantly influenced your writing style and thematic choices?
Diana Gabaldon, Jodi Taylor, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Antonia Hodgson, John Connolly, Tim Powers, Phil Rickman, Tana French, Elizabeth Kostova...
How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life, and what strategies do you employ to maintain this equilibrium?
You know, I've tried scheduling my day -- I'll do *this* from 9 to 11, then I'll do *that* -- but I can't follow it any better than I can follow a structured outline. I write until I have to stop writing and do something else. And if on a particular day there are too many 'something else-s', then the writing doesn't happen until another day. But I'm hardly making a living at it at this point.
What challenges have you encountered in your writing career, and how have you overcome them?
Marketing. I've yet to overcome that challenge, I'm afraid. My brain wants to shut down at the very mention of the word. I'm an introvert from a long line of introverts, and shining a spotlight on myself is completely alien to my nature. But I don't think I've met an author yet who likes it... I just have to make myself do it.
Could you share insights into your current or upcoming projects that you're particularly excited about?
I'm anticipating publishing the third book in my Nell Nobody series this summer. I tried something risky with the second book and I have yet to see if it's going to succeed; I won't really know until I publish the third one. I'm still polishing the final draft; have to send it to my editor soon or miss my (admittedly self-imposed) deadline.
How do you handle periods of writer's block or creative stagnation?
I read other people's books. Even if they don't lead me out of the creative mire, I'm not obsessing about my lack of progress when I'm engrossed in a good story.
What advice would you offer to aspiring authors navigating the path to publication?
Don't give up. It's a game of inches, and sometimes it feels like you're moving backwards, but any momentum is something! Also, find yourself someone who understands the process and supports you, so you don't feel like a monkey alone in a room with a keyboard.
How important are book reviews to you?
I probably place too much importance on book reviews, but in fact, people do read them when they're deciding whether to buy a book. I often don't, and I've actually bought some dogs that way, but it's rare that I don't read a book I've purchased even if I'm disappointed with it. I find it's surprisingly difficult to get people to review books, but maybe I just haven't found the right people. If I discover a book I'm excited about, I can't wait to share it with other people. But if I wasn't impressed, I don't write a review... so I don't know what that says about my own books.
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