This Week Only! ***BOOK TOUR***
07th November 2023
From 6-10 Nov ‘23, I’m taking my latest non-fiction book, 'I’ve Got A Pen and I’m Not Afraid To Use It: A Writing Companion’ on a mini online book tour! I’ll be answering questions posed by authors across the UK.
Today’s Q&A is with Author, Philippa East. Philippa is also a psychologist and therapist. Her debut novel Little White Lies was longlisted for the Guardian's "Not-The-Booker" prize and shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger for best debut of 2020. She has since published two further psychological suspense novels, Safe and Sound and I'll Never Tell, and her fourth, A Guilty Secret, releases in 2024.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philippa-East/e/B07S3JQDGK/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Philippa East: What new insights into your own writing and writing processes did you gain in the course of writing and publishing this guide for others?
SJ Banham: Some new insights came disguised as reminders. For instance, I was reminded that writing non-fiction helps me process all my work. Once I’ve broken down the steps within a finished project, I can build it back up again and learn from it. Usually after completing a project, I’m exhausted, so writing about what I did and how I did it helps me process the experience. I record this for my podcast or newsletter and make notes of other aspects to assist when coaching new writers. I tend to feel if something made a difference to me, it will probably do the same for someone else.
PE: What books on writing inspired you when you were setting out on your own journey?
SJB: I’ll always highlight Stephen King’s On Writing because it appeared on my radar just after it was published (2001) and after I’d already written several novels, albeit unpublished. I was still finding my feet but learned that the tips he gave I’d been doing naturally. That validated my process, increased my writing confidence, and helped me appreciate that we all have different ways and speeds of learning.
Another book was Careers for Your Characters: A Writer’s Guide to 101 Professions from Architect to Zookeeper by Raymond Obstfeld and Franz Neumann. I found this book by accident when browsing through the library years ago. I’d borrowed it half a dozen times and then one day it I saw it online so purchased a copy. It’s a little dated now, but the essence hasn’t altered so remains on my shelf.
My more recent finds are a set of books by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. These are the writing resource books of which The Emotion Thesaurus is one. I have seven of the collection. They’re brilliant!
PE: What is the WORST piece of writing advice you've ever received?
SJB: I’ve had heaps of nasty comments about my work over the years, but a few pieces of actual poor writing advice were when I was advised to get myself an agent quickly because nobody would ever take me seriously otherwise. Another advised I used their way of forming characters implying I had no imagination. Possibly the worst piece of advice was from a review company suggesting I give up writing completely. There’s a section within my book that touches on giving feedback and the delivery.
PE: In the book, you make it clear that your approach is to "make" writers, not "break" them. Overall, how did you strike the right balance between validating writers' fears and uncertainties but still giving them a big enough nudge to put pen to paper?
SJB: I find striking that balance is very much an individual process because no two people work the same way.
Often, but not always, peoples’ struggles with creative writing originate from their school days or later in life, perhaps someone influential put them down and knocked their confidence. It could be problems with spelling or imagination that’s the issue, or even feeling that they’ve come to writing too late in life, or they have too high expectations of themselves. Once you’ve had a few conversations and really listened to them, chances are they will highlight what they love about writing or what they struggle with, or perhaps they’ll discuss books they hated or loved and why they felt this strongly.
When writers come to me for coaching, it’s about talking and listening, watching their body language, and understanding what needs attention. My coaching includes regular check-ins, learning what motivates that individual person, and holding them accountable in an encouraging and helpful way to achieve their goals.
PE: Having overcome your own fears of the blank page, what is your proudest achievement as a writer?
SJB: Almost certainly my proudest writing-related moment was gaining a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. I signed up for the degree to prove to myself I had a brain, something that had troubled me since my school days. The book goes into detail in this respect, but my lack of confidence had turned into a kind of chip on my shoulder that could be removed with this degree. With the help and support of my family, I graduated in 2020 as a mature student. Although that’s my proudest moment, it doesn’t hurt knowing I’ve published thirteen books to date including non-fiction and novels! 😉
Big thanks to Philippa East for these questions. You can find 'I've Got A Pen...' on my site www.loveofbooks.co.uk or via Amazon Amazon (Click here)
Today’s Q&A is with Author, Philippa East. Philippa is also a psychologist and therapist. Her debut novel Little White Lies was longlisted for the Guardian's "Not-The-Booker" prize and shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger for best debut of 2020. She has since published two further psychological suspense novels, Safe and Sound and I'll Never Tell, and her fourth, A Guilty Secret, releases in 2024.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philippa-East/e/B07S3JQDGK/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Philippa East: What new insights into your own writing and writing processes did you gain in the course of writing and publishing this guide for others?
SJ Banham: Some new insights came disguised as reminders. For instance, I was reminded that writing non-fiction helps me process all my work. Once I’ve broken down the steps within a finished project, I can build it back up again and learn from it. Usually after completing a project, I’m exhausted, so writing about what I did and how I did it helps me process the experience. I record this for my podcast or newsletter and make notes of other aspects to assist when coaching new writers. I tend to feel if something made a difference to me, it will probably do the same for someone else.
PE: What books on writing inspired you when you were setting out on your own journey?
SJB: I’ll always highlight Stephen King’s On Writing because it appeared on my radar just after it was published (2001) and after I’d already written several novels, albeit unpublished. I was still finding my feet but learned that the tips he gave I’d been doing naturally. That validated my process, increased my writing confidence, and helped me appreciate that we all have different ways and speeds of learning.
Another book was Careers for Your Characters: A Writer’s Guide to 101 Professions from Architect to Zookeeper by Raymond Obstfeld and Franz Neumann. I found this book by accident when browsing through the library years ago. I’d borrowed it half a dozen times and then one day it I saw it online so purchased a copy. It’s a little dated now, but the essence hasn’t altered so remains on my shelf.
My more recent finds are a set of books by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. These are the writing resource books of which The Emotion Thesaurus is one. I have seven of the collection. They’re brilliant!
PE: What is the WORST piece of writing advice you've ever received?
SJB: I’ve had heaps of nasty comments about my work over the years, but a few pieces of actual poor writing advice were when I was advised to get myself an agent quickly because nobody would ever take me seriously otherwise. Another advised I used their way of forming characters implying I had no imagination. Possibly the worst piece of advice was from a review company suggesting I give up writing completely. There’s a section within my book that touches on giving feedback and the delivery.
PE: In the book, you make it clear that your approach is to "make" writers, not "break" them. Overall, how did you strike the right balance between validating writers' fears and uncertainties but still giving them a big enough nudge to put pen to paper?
SJB: I find striking that balance is very much an individual process because no two people work the same way.
Often, but not always, peoples’ struggles with creative writing originate from their school days or later in life, perhaps someone influential put them down and knocked their confidence. It could be problems with spelling or imagination that’s the issue, or even feeling that they’ve come to writing too late in life, or they have too high expectations of themselves. Once you’ve had a few conversations and really listened to them, chances are they will highlight what they love about writing or what they struggle with, or perhaps they’ll discuss books they hated or loved and why they felt this strongly.
When writers come to me for coaching, it’s about talking and listening, watching their body language, and understanding what needs attention. My coaching includes regular check-ins, learning what motivates that individual person, and holding them accountable in an encouraging and helpful way to achieve their goals.
PE: Having overcome your own fears of the blank page, what is your proudest achievement as a writer?
SJB: Almost certainly my proudest writing-related moment was gaining a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. I signed up for the degree to prove to myself I had a brain, something that had troubled me since my school days. The book goes into detail in this respect, but my lack of confidence had turned into a kind of chip on my shoulder that could be removed with this degree. With the help and support of my family, I graduated in 2020 as a mature student. Although that’s my proudest moment, it doesn’t hurt knowing I’ve published thirteen books to date including non-fiction and novels! 😉
Big thanks to Philippa East for these questions. You can find 'I've Got A Pen...' on my site www.loveofbooks.co.uk or via Amazon Amazon (Click here)