INTERVIEW: Celia Rees author of Witch Child
Celia Rees is the author of numerous books for young adults, including the brilliant Witch Child which I have just finished reading, and absolutely loved. I'm very happy to be featuring Celia on the blog this week. Here she answers my usual questions about daydreaming, serendipity, and inspirations.
Are you a daydreamer too?
I think all fiction writers are daydreamers. That is where we have always spun our stories, long before we thought of writing them down. All stories, long or short, start with the question What If? and so do most day dreams.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No, I didn't always want to be a writer. I didn't begin writing until I was in my thirties and an English teacher. I became interested in the process of writing and reading. I began writing as a response to my adolescent students - what did they like to read, and why?
Tell me about yourself – where were you born, where do you live, what do you like to do?
I was born in Solihull, which is on the edge of Birmingham. I currently live with my husband, Terry, a Welshman, in Leamington Spa, a small town in Warwickshire, so I haven't strayed far. I was a teacher for 16 years. I gave up full time teaching to write in 1989. My first book was published in 1992. I've been a full time writer since 1997. I have a daughter, Catrin, who is a lawyer and lives in London. Writing is a fairly all consuming occupation, so I'm either researching, writing, or promoting a novel but, contrary to popular belief, it is not a lonely profession. You have to be on your own to write, but I don't mind that. When I'm not writing, my life is like anyone else's. I like food, cooking, shopping, going on holiday, to the cinema, galleries, theatre now and again - stuff everyone does.
How extensively do you plan your novels?
I don't plan obsessively. I plan enough to know that the idea will work and I like to know roughly where I'm going but if something new occurs to take the story in a totally different direction, I'll follow the idea, not the plan.
Do you ever use dreams as a source of inspiration?
Dreams are tricky. They are far more bizarre than any fiction, so can rarely be a direct inspiration. Having said that, images, sequences, places, people glimpsed in dreams can all be used and are certainly useful when describing dreams or visions. I do believe that much of what we write wells up from the subconscious and often the answer to a knotty problem will come after a night's sleep.
Did you make any astonishing serendipitous discoveries while writing Witch Chid?
Serendipity is a vital part of the writing process. If you hadn't walked down that street, visited that city, talked to that person, watched that film/play at that time, on that day, you might never have had the idea that became a novel. Also, once you do start writing, strange coincidences start occurring. This can go on long after a novel is finished and published. You discover things that you thought that you'd made up, really happened, are true.
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Where do you write, and when?
I saw an interview with Donna Tartt recently where she said that she was writing constantly, anywhere and everywhere. What she meant was she might be writing notes in a cafe, on a bus, on a train, jotting down thoughts, observations, or simple making things up in her head. I feel a bit like that. Sometimes, the only time I'm not writing is when I'm sleeping - and then I might be dreaming(see above). In lots of ways, writing is a constant process, thinking is part of that process - as are different kinds of writing - note making and taking, for example. If you mean writing finished prose, that normally happens at my desk, in my study, at my computer, and it happens when I'm ready to write said finished prose.
What is your favourite part of writing?
I like all of it, from having the initial idea, researching the idea, developing it into something that can become a novel, writing the words on the page, shaping the story, editing and refining, seeing the book into print. Each part of the process has its different rewards.
What do you do when you get blocked?
Go to sleep thinking about the problem (see above) OR Go for a walk. Walking clears the thoughts. I have a writer friend who swears that, if you've got a problem, the best thing to do is go out for a walk and not turn for home until you've come up the solution. You always do!
How do you keep your well of inspiration full?
You never know where inspiration will come from, so its important to stay curious; read things, see things, visit places and keep your mind open. The other important thing is to always carry a notebook and to write ideas down.
Do you have any rituals that help you to write?
No, I think they get in the way and can become an OCD excuse not to do anything. The only rule I have is to always carry a notebook. If I don't have one in my bag, I'll buy one - hence I have lots of notebooks.
Who are ten of your favourite writers?
To quote Donna Tartt again, I could tell you, but they will have changed by tomorrow. Also, it would depend on genre, period, all sorts of things. I'm not good at 'favourite' anything.
Donna Tartt
What do you consider to be good writing?
Command and control of the words on the page.
What is your advice for someone dreaming of being a writer too?
Read a lot.
What are you working on now?
I'm work on my first adult novel. I don't want to say too much about it right now. Perhaps I'll tell you a bit more in due course.
Thank you, Celia!
Celia's website
Are you a daydreamer too?
I think all fiction writers are daydreamers. That is where we have always spun our stories, long before we thought of writing them down. All stories, long or short, start with the question What If? and so do most day dreams.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
No, I didn't always want to be a writer. I didn't begin writing until I was in my thirties and an English teacher. I became interested in the process of writing and reading. I began writing as a response to my adolescent students - what did they like to read, and why?
Tell me about yourself – where were you born, where do you live, what do you like to do?
I was born in Solihull, which is on the edge of Birmingham. I currently live with my husband, Terry, a Welshman, in Leamington Spa, a small town in Warwickshire, so I haven't strayed far. I was a teacher for 16 years. I gave up full time teaching to write in 1989. My first book was published in 1992. I've been a full time writer since 1997. I have a daughter, Catrin, who is a lawyer and lives in London. Writing is a fairly all consuming occupation, so I'm either researching, writing, or promoting a novel but, contrary to popular belief, it is not a lonely profession. You have to be on your own to write, but I don't mind that. When I'm not writing, my life is like anyone else's. I like food, cooking, shopping, going on holiday, to the cinema, galleries, theatre now and again - stuff everyone does.
How extensively do you plan your novels?
I don't plan obsessively. I plan enough to know that the idea will work and I like to know roughly where I'm going but if something new occurs to take the story in a totally different direction, I'll follow the idea, not the plan.
Do you ever use dreams as a source of inspiration?
Dreams are tricky. They are far more bizarre than any fiction, so can rarely be a direct inspiration. Having said that, images, sequences, places, people glimpsed in dreams can all be used and are certainly useful when describing dreams or visions. I do believe that much of what we write wells up from the subconscious and often the answer to a knotty problem will come after a night's sleep.
Did you make any astonishing serendipitous discoveries while writing Witch Chid?
Serendipity is a vital part of the writing process. If you hadn't walked down that street, visited that city, talked to that person, watched that film/play at that time, on that day, you might never have had the idea that became a novel. Also, once you do start writing, strange coincidences start occurring. This can go on long after a novel is finished and published. You discover things that you thought that you'd made up, really happened, are true.
[image error]
Where do you write, and when?
I saw an interview with Donna Tartt recently where she said that she was writing constantly, anywhere and everywhere. What she meant was she might be writing notes in a cafe, on a bus, on a train, jotting down thoughts, observations, or simple making things up in her head. I feel a bit like that. Sometimes, the only time I'm not writing is when I'm sleeping - and then I might be dreaming(see above). In lots of ways, writing is a constant process, thinking is part of that process - as are different kinds of writing - note making and taking, for example. If you mean writing finished prose, that normally happens at my desk, in my study, at my computer, and it happens when I'm ready to write said finished prose.
What is your favourite part of writing?
I like all of it, from having the initial idea, researching the idea, developing it into something that can become a novel, writing the words on the page, shaping the story, editing and refining, seeing the book into print. Each part of the process has its different rewards.
What do you do when you get blocked?
Go to sleep thinking about the problem (see above) OR Go for a walk. Walking clears the thoughts. I have a writer friend who swears that, if you've got a problem, the best thing to do is go out for a walk and not turn for home until you've come up the solution. You always do!
How do you keep your well of inspiration full?
You never know where inspiration will come from, so its important to stay curious; read things, see things, visit places and keep your mind open. The other important thing is to always carry a notebook and to write ideas down.
Do you have any rituals that help you to write?
No, I think they get in the way and can become an OCD excuse not to do anything. The only rule I have is to always carry a notebook. If I don't have one in my bag, I'll buy one - hence I have lots of notebooks.
Who are ten of your favourite writers?
To quote Donna Tartt again, I could tell you, but they will have changed by tomorrow. Also, it would depend on genre, period, all sorts of things. I'm not good at 'favourite' anything.
Donna Tartt
What do you consider to be good writing?
Command and control of the words on the page.
What is your advice for someone dreaming of being a writer too?
Read a lot.
What are you working on now?
I'm work on my first adult novel. I don't want to say too much about it right now. Perhaps I'll tell you a bit more in due course.
Thank you, Celia!
Celia's website
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