'Getting my novel ready for submission took a year...' Jennie Godfrey on writing, bookseller support, imposter syndrome and more!
The bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things tells us her top writing tips and talks about starting writing in her late forties...
Good morning everyone,
I hope you’re enjoying the sun we’re having this week, and staying cool if it’s not your thing. My cats are draping themselves over the furniture and sleeping for most of the time because it’s so hot; lucky them!
Today I am delighted to welcome a writer and human I really admire to the Substack: Jennie Godfrey. Jennie tells us honestly about feeling frozen after the success of her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things; imposter syndrome; why the support of independent bookshops has meant so much to her, and much more below. I hope you enjoy!
Hi Jennie, welcome to the Honest Editor. Please can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am so happy to be here, Phoebe, especially as you were right there at the beginning of my writing journey (more on which later). I’m Jennie, I’m fifty-five years old and a writer and bookworm living in the Somerset countryside. As well as writing novels I write my weekly Substack, The Crow’s Nest (about writing, creativity, mid-life and mental health) I guest curate at a number of book festivals, and work at my local Waterstones over the Christmas period. My life mainly consists of books, writing, and more books.
You’ve had huge success with your debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, but I know it wasn’t an overnight process. What do you think aspiring writers need to know about the process of trying to get published - any top tips?
If I had to choose the most important advice I would give, it would be two things:
1) Write the best book you can – which means really learning your craft, reading widely, and allowing yourself to be edited and receive feedback. My first attempt at The List of Suspicious Things needed SO much work, and I am lucky I found an agent who was willing to take that level of editorial work on. Getting the novel ready for submission took a year, and I learned so much during that process. You were one of the people who gave me feedback very early on, even before I got an agent (when I won a competition) and I am so grateful for that.
2) Be informed – which means understanding the industry and doing your research, whether you plan to be traditionally published or not. This helps with a multitude of things, from sending your work to the right agents/publishers to dealing with rejection/ghosting and putting everything into context.
Excellent advice. Have you always wanted to be a writer?
It was absolutely my childhood dream. I was obsessed with Enid Blyton books, and read so much that my mum took me to the doctors as she was worried I was reading too much and not sleeping enough (he said ‘I think she’ll be fine’). But I let the dream go for a while (in fact for almost forty years) as I didn’t think it was possible to make a living from it. I didn’t start writing seriously until I was forty-nine, which I don’t actually regret as it was the exact right time for me.
You’re known in the book industry for being excellent at connecting with your readers and with fellow writers. Does this come naturally to you, and if it’s something others reading this want to do more of, do you have any pearls of wisdom?
It does come relatively naturally to me, as I am pretty gregarious (although introverted, meaning I get my energy from being alone) but I did make a conscious decision that I would do this right from the start. I built my social media up long before I was published, by writing about books and reading, which meant that when I started posting about my own writing it was more of an evolution than being out of the blue. Social media for me is about building relationships, not flogging books. I am genuinely so grateful when people take the time to read and post about my books that I always try and thank them if I see it. I just think that’s good manners. Same when people come and see me at events. It helps that I am a reader first I think – I love reading other people’s books as much as I like writing my own – and have no hesitation in telling another writer if I’ve loved their work. It’s a great joy to get to do this in person.
How difficult was it to write your second book, in the wake of the success of the first one?
It was REALLY hard. So much so that at one point I thought I would only ever write one book. I became really frozen with fear and expectation after the success of The List of Suspicious Things. It is the reason I started my Substack as a way to write freely and regularly with little to no expectation, and that eventually got me writing fiction again.
In the end though, the only way I could write my second novel (The Barbecue at No.9) was by convincing myself that no-one ever had to read it. Thankfully, that worked, and it was published in February and became an instant Sunday Times bestseller. The relief was intense.
It’s a wonderful book - congratulations. Do you ever struggle with imposter syndrome?
YES! ALL THE TIME. I often feel as though I am in a dream and get the giggles when I am asked to do something that I used to think was for ‘proper’ writers. I was asked to be on a panel at the Women’s Prize Live recently and went to the party, and I was so excited/nervous I hardly slept all week. I do think it helps being in middle age though. I have fewer f**ks to give and am a lot braver than I might’ve been when I was younger. Even if I think ‘who am I to be doing this?’ I do it anyway.
I love that. What does your writing routine look like now - and do you think writers actually need a routine?
I am straddling the line between promotional work and writing my third novel at the moment, and that is always a challenge, so I am having to be very disciplined. I don’t write every day (and I don’t think you have to) but I do go through my calendar and earmark the days when I can, and set a wordcount target for those days.
When I am not writing, I try to make sure I ‘touch’ the manuscript in some way so that I don’t lose the sense of it, whether that is reading back what I’ve written, or doing some research (my third novel is set in the 90s, so sometimes that research is listening to Portishead!).
Can you tell us about a career low point, and a highlight?
I’ve got to be honest and say there haven’t been many low points. I am having the best time. The most difficult time was definitely between books one and two when I was frozen (see above!) but on the whole I am truly living my best life. I do worry about it all being ‘over’ one day, but I am consciously trying to enjoy every moment and stay in the present.
That is so lovely to hear, and I agree that staying in the present is really important mentally. I wanted to ask you about independent bookshops. They really got behind you as a writer, which was lovely to see. Did you help with that process, or was it mainly led by your publisher and natural word of mouth?
Before The List of Suspicious Things was published, I visited 75 bookshops to deliver a proof (a process known as ‘proof drops’). That was definitely publisher led, and I am lucky to have the most amazing publicists, but because I am a part-time bookseller, I then built actual friendships with many of the indie bookshops I went to, and still LOVE going to see them and chatting about books and the ups and downs of the publishing business. I am amazed and grateful that so many have supported my novels.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am currently writing my third book, and my second will be out in paperback in the UK next February, and published for the first time in the US in April.
And finally, can you recommend a good book for us all to read, something you have enjoyed lately?
I am obsessed with the debut novel Dirtpickers by Irish writer Edie May Hand. It’s a dark, literary suspense novel, set mainly in 1970s Idaho, and the writing is incredibly accomplished.
Thank you so much, Jennie, for sharing your experience with us and for that book recommendation - I’m off to download it to my Kindle (I read most things via ebook!)
If you’ve enjoyed this please do say hello in the comments below, and share with your networks! You can also show support for my Substack by becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Thank you and stay cool!
Phoebe x
It’s so reassuring to hear that it took Jennie a year to edit her novel. I wrote my story, redrafted it twice then sat back and waited for agents to respond to my pitches for this wondrous book. Idly flicking through Substack (The Honest Editor, This Itch of Writing etc) I slowly realised how much more work it needed and felt horrified that I’d submitted such amateurish writing. Jennie is so right about learning your craft and I’ve been soaking up everything I can about psychic distance (I’d never heard of it), filtering (ditto) and lots more besides. I felt rather overwhelmed at first so I drew up a plan of attack, and I am now really enjoying the transformation of what I hope is a good story, albeit badly written, into something more promising.
This was so interesting! And actually heartening to hear that even such a skilled author can work so long on editing to prep for submission. I know I learned more by editing my books than I did in the initial writing of them and I think editing was how I learned the craft. When I started writing it wasn't with any idea of getting an agent or publishing, I just wanted to write them down. Then I got addicted to editing them and making them as good as I could, and I think the thing of just doing it for myself meant I didn't hurry, I just wrote, edited, wrote, edited until I decided to query my fourth book. The whole thing of writing stories is such a magical process :-)