Interview with Kate Lord Brown [katelordbrown] on Whohub

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What did you first read? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?

The first books I remember are Ladybird books - my earliest memory is reading with my mother, sitting in a pool of sunlight age two, perfectly contented. I can't remember not writing - from very early on I was writing little books, and plays for my friends to act out. I was 16 when my first story was published - it won a short story competition, and that was the first time I discovered how great it is to have complete strangers enjoy and comment on your work (and to get paid for doing something you love).

What is your favorite genre? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?

I love work by writers like Sagan and Colette, and my own work deals with similar themes - relationships, family, love. I studied art and photography, and worked for many years as an international art consultant curating collections for palaces, embassies and private clients. Now, my work tends to feature people from that world - artists, photographers, global nomads. You can read and hear a sample of my first novel 'All the Lovely Ruined Things' which is about the family of a playboy war photographer through the blog link at www.katelordbrown.com

What is your creative process like? What happens before sitting down to write?

The short answer is everything! Like a lot of people I am juggling writing with work and family life. My writing time during the day is snatched - I've learnt to jot down ideas as they come (backs of envelopes, shopping lists, dictaphone). These get thrown downstairs to the basement for safe keeping (away from kids, paper eating hound). Then in the evening after everyone is asleep I run downstairs and try to make sense of the garbled messages. The process works a bit like an Oracle. It sounds chaotic but it works for me!

What type of reading inspires you to write?

Everything - it can be a tiny column in a newspaper or an academic text book that supplies the kernel of an idea, that amazing 'aha!' moment. Reading great literature - whether contemporary or historical inspires me to write better.

What do you think are the basic ingredients of a story?

The basic ingredients don't change - beginning, middle, end - conflict, drama, resolution. The basic structure of a story hasn't changed in aeons and there are plenty of computer programmes out there to help structure your story. It's what you do with the elements that count.

What voice do you find most to your liking: first person or third person?

It depends so much on the story. My first book was entirely third, the second several first person view points.

What well known writers do you admire most?

Of contemporary writers I love Barbara Trapido, Alice Munro, Joyce Carol Oates, Ian McEwan, Anne Tyler - they are all writers who make me want to raise my game.

What is required for a character to be believable? How do you create yours?

I make sure before I start writing that I know my character inside out. Someone once said depth in a story comes as much from what you leave out as what you put in and I think the same can be said of the individual characters.

Are you equally good at telling stories orally?

I prefer writing - I'm not an actor, though I have acted. As a parent you read and tell stories every single day, which is great practice! I've just started experimenting with podcasts and recorded a few radio shows for an arts radio station which has been an interesting new challenge.

Deep down inside, who do you write for?

I always write with the reader in mind. I imagine someone on a tube, train or bus stealing a few moments of escape with a great story. The goal is to make them almost miss their stop because they are so engrossed ...

Is writing a form of personal therapy? Are internal conflicts a creative force?

Not for me. My work obviously comes from personal experience but it's not autobiographical. As for internal conflicts - each person's angels and demons are always a creative force.

Does reader feed-back help you?

Yes, absolutely - I always love feedback and debate which is what is so fantastic about blogging.

Do you participate in competitions? Have you received any awards?

Yes - I've started writing more short stories again, and the first thing I ever had published professionally was a competition.

Do you share rough drafts of your writings with someone whose opinion you trust?

No. Never. Early on while you're getting the story down it's fragile - Estes said it's like balancing a house of cards on a fingertip. Each book goes through several drafts before it's shown to my agent, or samples are shared with writer friends for feedback. By that point I have a good sense of what I want the story to do.

Do you believe you have already found "your voice" or is that something one is always searching for?

I've been writing for years so I hope my 'voice' is there - but you are always searching, learning and hopefully getting better at communicating your ideas and stories.

What discipline do you impose on yourself regarding schedules, goals, etc.?

When I'm writing I'm very disciplined - you have to be with a family because your time is limited and precious. If you know you have a few hours each day you find you really look forward to your writing time - it's like a guilty pleasure! In terms of future goals, I'd love to put a new book out each year, and continue with articles, short stories and film scripts.

What do you surround yourself with in your work area in order to help your concentrate?

Downstairs where I write is a crazy mix of art, canvases, books, and touchstones from travels (Venetian mirrors, Mexican Day of the Dead memento moris, photographs). The upstairs desk which is shared with the family is simpler - computer, Roberts radio and a Picasso portrait of Francoise (the archetype for all my female protagonists).

Do you write on a computer? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?

I write much of the first draft longhand before rewriting on computer. Once each draft is finished and read, I print, edit and redraft. It's a long process but I can't see or 'feel' mistakes of rhythm or omissions on screen.

What sites do you frequent on-line to share experiences or information?

My own blog, What Kate Did Next, and the blogs of fellow writers, plus all the networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

What has been your experience with publishers?

I am lucky to have a great agent, so my experience with publishers has been limited to magazine articles.

What are you working on now?

I'm working on my third book, several short stories and articles. I'm also planning the filmscript of my first book, and starting to research an idea I'm really excited by for the next book ...

What do you recommend I do with all those things I wrote years ago but have never been able to bring myself to show anyone?

Why not dig them out of the drawer, and re-read them. Try reading them aloud to the cat or dog if you can't face real people! If they still speak to you there's a chance they will speak to other people too. Arm yourself with a copy of the W&A Handbook - send shorts to magazines that publish them, or submit a few chapters to publishers or agents who handle your kind of work. You can start getting a feel whether your work is publishable very quickly. There's also online self publishing sites like Lulu or Blurb for work with a limited or personal market. Why not give it a go?

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