Stella Newman

Stella Newman is the author of Pear-shaped. Her latest novel, Leftovers was released last month. 

What’s your typical writing day like?

I don’t really have a typical writing day as such because I have a full time job. On a weekday I’ll go to work, and if I have any energy by the time I’m home, I’ll write for a few hours after dinner. At the weekends and on holidays I’ll try to do as full a day as possible, so up to 12 hours. Either way, I drink a lot of tea and coffee while I’m writing!

Do you plan or simply wing it?

I do plan quite a bit. Years ago I went on an Arvon creative writing course which I found incredibly inspiring, and one of my tutors, Kate Long, talked about how you should know your characters inside out, even if you don’t end up showcasing every detail about them on the page itself. So for example, you should know what was the first record each of your characters bought, even though that sort of info probably won’t be in the finished novel. I thought it was great advice, as it means your characters are fully formed in your head before you start pulling their strings.

Do you get writers block? How do you combat it?

All the time! But I’ll sit and force myself to type something / anything. It’s like exercise or anything else that I find painful and conceptually intimidating – the thought of it is always worse than the reality, and once you start, it’s usually fine.

What makes you laugh?

I’m a big fan of American TV shows like Modern Family and 30 Rock. I think Tina Fey, who writes and stars in 30 Rock is a genius.

Which fictional character would you like to meet?

Gosh, good question! Probably Ignatius J Reilly from A Confederacy of Dunces. Now there’s a great comic character.

Who are your ideal dinner guests?

Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Ryan Gosling, Hilary Mantel and Philippe Petit, the man who walked the tightrope between the Twin Towers.

TV/Music guilty pleasures?

Barry Manilow, Carly Rae Jepsen, America’s Next Top Model, Cheaters – I should stop right there, shouldn’t I?

Can you tell us about your new book.

Leftovers? It’s a comic novel about life, love, loneliness and linguine. At the start of the novel, the heroine, Susie Rosen, wonders why life hasn’t worked out the way it was supposed to. Everyone else in the world seems to be having fun 24/7 – at least according to Facebook they are. Yet Susie is stuck in a treadmill job, with an awful boss, a string of useless non-love interests, and a neighbour from hell. The story is about what happens to her next, and it has a lot of food in it – so if you’re into eating, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Do you edit as you go along or do you wait until you have a full draft?

Both – though I suspect it’s better to wait until you have a draft. I can’t help shortening – I think editing’s my favourite part of the process as it’s less painful than creation.

Which book/author is your favourite?

Heartburn by Nora Ephron. It was very much the inspiration for my first novel, Pear-shaped. It’s a perfect blend of funny and sad, and it has lots of delicious food in it.

Do you work in silence or prefer noise?

Total silence – I can’t bear having any distractions and get quite grumpy when the postman arrives.

Can you tell us about your best moment as a writer?

Seeing the first copy of the first printed book was pretty amazing –it all feels very real at that point, as opposed to something you’ve just wanted for a really long time.

Good and bad things about being a writer?

The very best thing about being a writer is when someone who’s read your book tells you they’ve enjoyed it – that they related to something in it, or that it made them laugh. That’s why I write. There aren’t any bad things so far!

Any advice for new writers?

Write a lot, read a lot, believe in yourself, edit, edit and edit. 

To visit Stella’s blog, click here. 

Follow Stella on Twitter. 

LEFTOVERS and PEAR SHAPED are published by Avon Books, Harper Collins £6.99. 

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.