Mike Gayle

Mike is the author of ten novels which include, Mr Commitment, My Legendary Girlfriend and the To-Do List. The latest, The Importance of Being a Bachelor has just been released in paperback…

What was your route to publication? 

I started my career as a journalist working for the teen magazine Just Seventeen. After going freelance I decided to have a go at finishing the novel that I’d begun when I first moved to London and a year and several million rewrites later it was done.

Had you always wanted to be a writer? 

Absolutely. I started out wanting to be a music journalist because I was a huge music fan and then moved into the teen stuff because growing up I’d been a huge fan of mags like Smash Hits. I think the truth of the matter was that I wanted to write stuff that made people laugh but also told the truth in some small way. 

Where do you find inspiration for your novels? 

The basis of all my novels are relationships between men and women mainly because I find them so fascinating. No one relationship is the same and so it feels like there are as many stories to tell about relationships as there are relationships. Also, they’re funny. Few things in life beat the joy of watching a couple arguing in IKEA.

Describe your typical writing day. 

I start early, normally around eight and I’ll push through to about 1.00p.m or 2.00p.m. Invariably during that time as well as writing I’ll go on twitter, post on Facebook and eat cheese.

 

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

I suppose you might call the books I write unisex romantic comedies but that’s not very sexy is it? Essentially they’re books about people in their twenties and thirties coping with the stuff that life throws at them that will hopefully make you laugh and think a bit too.

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

I never used. I used to think that planning sucked the life out of my mojo. Turns out it’s not planning that sucks the life out of your mojo and now I plan, plan, plan and then plan so more.

How do you approach editing? Do you write a first draft or edit as you go along? 

Editing always makes things better. Always. It’s the best bit too. All the hard work has been done in the first draft and now you get to kick back and polish paragraphs.

Best/Worst thing about being a writer? 

Best: Getting an emotional response to your work. Nothing beats creating a world out of your own head and making it so real that readers actually care about what happens to the protagonist.

 

Is there an author you especially admire? 

Mark Haddon. There’s a lightness of touch to his prose that I absolutely adore. The way he draws characters and the observations he makes about them making his writing a real thrill.

 

Is there a book by another author that you wished you’d written? 

The Wheels of Chance by H.G.Wells. I read it years ago and it was a huge influence on me. It’s about a poor guy at the turn of the century who gets one week’s holiday a year and one year decides to go on a cycling holiday and meets the woman of his dreams who just happens to be from a different class. It’s funny and heartfelt and you really want him to get the girl!

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

Fran from my own book Dinner For Two. She’s funny and quirky and lovely. I can easily imagine hanging out with her would be fun.

Who would be your ideal dinner guests? 

Nigella Lawson, Sophie Dahl and Lorraine Pascale. Only they’d make the food not me.

What three things would you want with you if you were stuck on a desert island? 

A pen, a lifetime’s supply of ink and a lifetime’s supply of paper.

Any tips for new writers?

Every time you hear the theme tune to EastEnders start writing. When you hear the end credits stop. Do the same for the Sunday omnibus and you’ll have a book within a year. Jenny Colgan told me that and I believe her.

For more information on Mike Gayle, visit his 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.