5 Questions About Writing With . . . Joanna Toye
Joanna Toye spent 35 years on the writing and production team of ‘The Archers’ with forays into TV scriptwriting for ‘Crossroads’, ‘Doctors’ and ‘EastEnders’ before launching a new career as a novelist.
After six sagas about a WW2 department store, her new series about The Little Penguin Bookshop is set around a station bookstall, also in WW2, a period she loves and has researched widely. She lives near Bath.
Joanna can be found on Facebook, X and Instagram.
How do you discipline/motivate yourself to write and do you set daily targets?
I work best in the mornings, starting early and finishing around lunchtime. Then I take a break, preferably a walk, mulling over what I’ve done and come back to refine it. Every day I read through what I’ve done the day before, or at least the end of it. Often, I’ll have written on beyond the hook of a chapter ending with a couple of sentences of the next chapter to give myself a jumping off point. In lockdown, with no distractions, I set myself a target of 2000 words a day. I gave up after about a week. Quality not quantity for me, every time.
What are the most important qualities required by a writer? Do you have them?
Determination, for sure. Determination to get it done, determination to get it published and determination to get the word out there. I don’t think I’m tough, but I’m tenacious.
How do you market yourself and your books?
All my books have been published by traditional publishers, but I was amazed and quite thrown by the amount of self-publicity involved on social media, and it’s not what I feel I’m good at. I’m on X, and a little bit on Instagram, but the best vehicle for connecting with the saga audience, for me anyway, is my Facebook Page. I feel comfortable and among friends there. Best of all I like meeting readers in person at library events and festivals, which I set up myself – I’m not reaching hundreds of people but I like the personal contact.
Which writing resources have you found useful, e.g., books, courses, organisations, websites etc.?
The Romantic Novelists Association runs several courses. The most useful one I did was about ‘building your brand’ – I’ve tried to put its lessons into practice. I was in the Writers’ Guild for many years when I was scriptwriting and did several of their courses – everything from accounting for writers (boring but vital) to the all-important ‘elevator pitch’ – the one-sentence summary of your idea. I’ve recently moved to Somerset. There are a couple of local writers’ groups and we meet for lunch or coffee. Some of them are writing saga, some contemporary romance, some YA or children’s books – it’s fascinating hearing about their writing ‘journeys’ – both setbacks and successes.
A top tip for other writers?
Never give up. Believe in yourself.
About A New Chapter at the Little Penguin Bookshop – published January 2025
With her soldier boyfriend posted away, Carrie’s busy running her station bookshop specialising in sixpenny Penguin books, but worries about her friends. Porter Penny has a secret, tearoom manageress Bette a family crisis and waitress Ruby lands herself in trouble. And when Carrie’s twin brother is shot down and the bookstall itself looks threatened, will a handsome American turn her head?
