Rowan Coleman

Rowan’s first novel ‘Growing Up Twice’ was published in 2002. Since then, she’s written another eight novels, her latest ‘The Happy Home for Broken Hearts’ (published by UK Arrow) was released in August 2010. Novel Kicks was excited to have a chat with Rowan about how she approached the writing process…

Describe your typical writing day? 

My typical writing is day starts after I’ve dropped my little girl off at school, on the days when I have someone to look after my baby. If things are going well I work in my office, looking out over a stream. But if I’m stuck I go to a cafe and work there – I don’t know why noise and people seem to help me think.

Where do you find inspiration? 

I find my inspiration everywhere. From my own life certainly, my own experiences and how I would feel in some of the situations I put my characters in. Also conversations I over hear, people I meet, or see in the street. Sometimes even from virtual friends I have never met in real life!

What was your route to publication like? 

My route to publication was actually quite smooth. I won Company Magazine Young Writer of the Year in 2001 and that opened a lot of doors for me, got me an agent and my first book deal. But even once you are published life as a writer is a rocky one, full of ups and downs. I don’t think the struggle to keep going ever stops!

Do you plan much before beginning a book? 

I think a lot before I begin a book, and I write a loose plot, but nothing to inflexible. Then I throw my self at the book and when I’m about half way in, I stop e-read, re-plot and try to make it a solid foundation for the second half. When I have a first draft I start over again!

How do you approach editing? 

I quite enjoy editing. For me it’s the fine-tuning period, when what is quite often a large and unwieldy book becomes really whole. Like knocking lumps off a block of marble to make something beautiful.

Which of your characters are most like you? 

Ohhhhh hmmmmm. They are all like me in a way, even the men! But I suppose my heroines mostly!

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

From fiction, yes I’d like to have tea with Jane Eyre – or should I say Mrs Rochester and Mr Rochester after she has married him. I’d love to see how that turned out. Some one has probably written a sequel…..

Best/Worst thing about being a writer? 

The best thing is the sheer joy of doing something you love so much and getting feedback from readers – that’s really special. The worst thing is the self-doubt, paranoia, bitterness and resentment. But we’re all like that, it’s in the job description.

Who would you invite to a fantasy dinner party? 

I would invite Stephen Fry because he just so darn clever, Jane Austen (ditto) and also because I’d want to know whey she never found the love her characters did, Anne Boleyn pre head chopping off. I think she must have been such a fascinating woman and…suppose I’d better have another man…Johnny Depp, why not?

Top five tips for writers…

1. Write, if you don’t write you’ve got nothing to work on.

2. Don’t keep working over the same section of a book to perfect, Get the whole thing done then tweak it.

3. Give you characters plenty of attention, make them living and breathing people.

4. Don’t give up, never, ever, even when its all going to hell in a handbasket.

5. Believe in your own vision, don’t let every Tom, Dick and Harry have an opinion.

To find out more about Rowan, visit her website: http://www.rowancoleman.co.uk

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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.