Harriet Evans is the author of 16 novels. Her latest is D Is For Death, a murder mystery written under the pen name Harriet F Townson.
When and how do you write?
I have school-age children and that dictates when I write. When I didn’t have children, I used to faff around all day, thinking I was doing stuff, then at about 3pm, as the energy of the day was ebbing away and I’d said all I needed to say on Twitter, I’d finally sit down to write.
Do you have a favourite place to write?
I write in three places: after the school drop-off, I go to a lovely cafe in Bath called Boston Tea Party. I often see a couple of other lady novelists of Bath in there, so it’s a bit like going to an office. I couldn’t do that every day, though. The second place, if I’m in London, is The London Library. You’re one of hundreds of writers in there at any one time and you’re in a building that’s been standing for 200-odd years, so you get over yourself. The third place is my study at home. A lot of the time you’re trying to throw off outward distraction and get into a small burrow, like Mole in The Wind In The Willows, and concentrate.
Do you have any routines or rituals that help you write?
Last year I started keeping a work diary. I have several projects on the go at the moment, so I use it to block out chunks of time in the week to work on each. Every Sunday, I fill out the week ahead; I find it really helps. I write little notes to myself, such as: ‘Well done, you got lots done this week!’ which motivates me much more than telling myself off.
How much of a book do you plot before you start?
I do plot things out, but it never sticks. I think I need to write all the extra stuff in order to get to the real story. I don’t really like the idea of ‘plotter vs pantser’ [a writer who doesn’t plan], as it creates this idea that there’s a right way to write, whereas the truth is you just have to work and work and work.
What do you find most challenging as a writer?
Getting the time to write is hardest. That is partly having children and partly the amount of time needed for other stuff to do with being a writer, like managing your social media accounts.
What do you do when you’re stuck?
Sometimes I’ll just lie on the sofa and look at the ceiling; sometimes I’ll go for a walk; sometimes I’ll tidy my office. I’ve learned to be glad if I get stuck, because it shows me something isn’t working. It’s all part of the journey to get the book out of my head.
What would you say to someone who’s struggling to get started?
You have to give yourself permission to write. I think a lot of women feel that no one will be interested in their stories, but that’s not true. If you write the book you want to read, if you do it for yourself, then no one can take that away from you. You also need to practise – maybe five minutes a day to start with. Just have a go!
What’s your number-one piece of advice?
Don’t be afraid of getting stuff wrong. I don’t think people talk enough about editing. A first draft is just the beginning!