Sophie Duffy

Sophie is a novelist and short story writer. Prior to   winning the 2011 Luke Bitmead Bursary, Sophie was also the winner of the Yeovil Literary Prize. Novel Kicks was so pleased to catch up with Sophie to find out about her writing day and who she would invite to dinner..

Tell us about your route to publication.

It’s been a very long route, starting about ten years ago when my children were small and I decided to do an evening class. I chose creative writing and struck gold with my teacher, Jan Henley who encouraged me from the first lesson. I went on to do an MA in Creative Writing by distance learning at Lancaster which really pushed me and helped me find that voice. My breakthrough moment was winning the Yeovil Literary Prize in 2006 with the opening of The Generation Game. I got an agent and finished the novel. However the novel wasn’t sold and so I wrote another which was runner up in the Harry Bowling Prize. I decided to go it alone and rewrote The Generation Game, entered it for the Luke Bitmead Bursary and it won in January this year. It was amazing to finally see my novel published this summer. I have just signed with a new agent and we are very excited about working together on This Holey Life.

Your latest novel, The Generation Game has recently been released. Can you tell us a little about it?

It’s set largely between in a sweet shop in Torquay and spans four decades from 1965 to 2005. Philippa is 40 and gives birth to a daughter. She has had a quirky and at times traumatic life and is worried she will be a bad mother. So she tells her baby the story of her life to help make sense of it. The novel should particularly appeal to those who grew up in that period as the story is set against a backdrop of national events like the Silver Jubilee and the miners’ strike, with references to popular culture, especially Saturday night telly.

Where do you find inspiration?

From reading lots of contemporary fiction, from other writers, from students, from family life and living in a small town where everyone knows everyone’s business – or thinks they do…

Describe your typical writing day.

I wish I had one.  When I’m immersed in a novel I write like I’m possessed. When I’m not, I do anything to stop distracting myself, from sorting the odd sock drawer to bathing the dog.

How much planning do you undertake before beginning a new book?

The barest outline – just enough so I have an idea of what my essential story is and who is going to tell it. Then I just plunge in and write my way into it, – the beginning will often change by the end. This approach – organic or disorganised, depending on which way you look at it – means I don’t get bored.

How do you approach editing?

I edit as I go along so usually by the end of my first draft, I’ve already revised it substantially. Then I go back and look at the bigger picture of the structure, character development, narrative arc etc. I quite like this stage as I feel the hard creative push is finally over.

Which three books have you read that have made the most impact on you?

Mrs Dalloway, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, How Far Can You Go? All novels that push the boundaries of what novels can do and that have memorable characters.

Is there another author you admire?

Lots – I like David Nicholls, Kate Atkinson, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, Jonathan Coe, Sarah Waters, Graham Swift, David Lodge, Marina Lewycka… and David McKee

Which three things would you have with you if stranded on an island?

My dog, Lifesaver mints and my own pillow

Who would your ideal dinner guests be?

Tim Minchin, Bjork, Victoria Wood, Clare Short, Daley Thompson, Alan Partridge and the magnificent Sir Bruce Forsyth

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

Maggie Tulliver from The Mill on the Floss because she’s a feisty Victorian heroine.

Best/Worst thing about being a writer?

Best: Seeing my novel in print and getting positive feedback from readers.

Worst: Being isolated, people thinking your writing is a hobby not a job.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? Tell us about it?

My agent has my latest novel and we are working on it at the moment. Meanwhile I have just started another novel – only 5000 words in, so still feeling my way into it.

Have you any advice for new writers?

Enter competitions, read a lot, give yourself deadlines, attend workshops, read a lot, join a writing group, and read a lot.

For more information about Sophie, 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.