Isabel Ashdown

Isabel’s debut novel, Glasshopper (Myriad Editions 2009) helped win her the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition and was then published to critical acclaim. Her second novel, Hurry Up and Wait (Myriad Editions, 2011) has just been published and is available to buy now. Novel Kicks was very happy to have a chat with Isabel about all things writing…

What was your route to publication?

In my mid thirties I gave up my career to study English & Creative Writing at university. In the five years that followed, I worked on my first novel, and at the advice of my tutors, entered lots of writing competitions in the hope of publication. My first prize was for a shortlisted poem in the Bridport Prize, and after a couple more small awards, my big break came when an extract from Glasshopper won the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition in 2008. My novel was quickly picked up by an agent, Adrian Weston, and went on to be published by Myriad Editions in September 2009.

Where do you find inspiration for your novels?

So far, the stories have always started with a clear character and the idea of one specific drama. For example, in Glasshopper, Jake came along pretty fully formed, and the initial drama was the idea of ambiguous parentage, sparked by watching some terrible reality show on TV. This didn’t remain the vital point of drama in the story, but it was the seed that grew. In Hurry Up and Wait, the starting point was the idea of vulnerability, and it developed into a story about the treachery of friends and inappropriate relationships.

For someone new to your novels, can you briefly describe your writing style.

That’s a hard one! I like to write in real, accessible language – but about the complex emotions in everyday situations. I’m fascinated by family and by the cultural world around us, which is probably why my first two novels are set in the 1980s. It was a decade of enormous social change, impacting on the family and the individual – which makes it ripe for storytelling. I love Maggie O’Farrell’s writing for that reason – she writes about the extraordinary within the ordinary.

What’s your typical writing day like?

It varies, depending on the rhythm of the year. I’ve got two children, so their term times have a big influence on my work pattern. Typically, I like to write early, before spending an hour or two on the business side (social networking, emails, interviews etc), finally rewarding myself with lunch and a dog walk before collecting the kids from school. Later in the evening I’ll usually put in another couple of hours, making sure the decks are cleared for the next day.

Do you plan/research much before beginning a writing project?

I start with a very loose idea – always surrounding one key character. At first, I just keep writing until the characters are fully formed, but about a quarter of the way in I have to stop, panic briefly, and write a skeleton of a plan. My research takes place throughout, as I discover new things I need to resolve. For my new novel, I’ve been regularly visiting the Isle of Wight (where the novel is set) to write, research and interview locals as I go along. It’s so exciting to discover something vital to the story through a casual conversation, like I did, when chatting to a fisherman at the harbour’s edge a few weeks ago. I came away from my trip buzzing!

How do you approach editing?

Part of me actually enjoys it! I write by hand initially, so my first edit happens when I type up. I edit many, many times before my agent or publisher sees the finished story, so that by the time we’re on the structural edit, the writing itself is in pretty good shape.

Best/Worst thing about being a writer?

Best thing: I’m doing something that fills me with joy, and I couldn’t ask for more than that.
Worst thing: You never leave the office. When I’m writing, I’m thinking about the story every waking (and sleeping) hour, which can disrupt sleep patterns and domestic life. But I wouldn’t give it up for the world; it’s compulsive, distracting and poorly paid – but I really am at my happiest when I’m writing.

Is there an author you particularly admire?

Too many to list them all. But here are a few: Margaret Atwood, Ian McEwan, Alice Munro, Maggie O’Farrell, Joan Barfoot, John Irving, Mary Lawson …

Is there a character from fiction you’d like to meet?

Owen Meany from John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany.

Which three books would you say have made the biggest impression on you?

Perfume by Patrick Suskind, because of its beauty. I’ve read it countless times.
The Cement Garden by Ian McEwan, because of its quiet, claustrophobic portrayal of a family in crisis.
Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews, because it was the first book I read with emerging adult eyes. I was 14, and it hooked me on reading forever more.

What three things would you take with you to a desert island?

A camera. A notebook & pen (go on, that only counts as one). A comfortable bed.

Who would your ideal dinner guests be?

My best friends.

Any advice for new writers?

Join a workshop group to help you see your writing as others do. Send your best work off to publications and competitions and try to stay positive throughout the rejections. Once you have a few pieces in print, prospective agents are far more likely to read you with interest, so it really is a good investment of your time.

To read more about Isabel, visit her website. 

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by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.