This is finally the big interview you've all been waiting on! I'm so delighted to say that Sophia Bennett will be do an interview on this post.
So what are we waiting for? Let's dive right in!
1. What inspired you to write and where did you get the inspiration for your first book?
I've
always wanted to be a writer, inspired by the stories I loved to read
when I was six or seven. It took me many years of working at other jobs,
though, before I had the courage to try and write my first book. I
wrote three detective stories before I had the idea for Threads - my
first story that got published. Threads was about a teenager living in
London who had a secret talent: she was a genius fashion designer. She
had no money or opportunities, so her friends had to step in to help
her. The idea came to me because I've always been fascinated by costume
and fashion. The story won a competition in The Times, which is how I
got published. You can read more about it on my website:
www.sophiabennett.com
2. When you were writing the Threads Series did you write anything else?
No
I didn't. I'm a one-at-a-time person. I admire authors who can keep
lots of different projects going simultaneously, but I'm not one of
them. The idea I'm working on becomes an obsession. It's all I can think
about.
3. How do you write and plan out your ideas?
First
of all it's jottings in notebooks. Then I get the idea for the shape of
the story, and write it out over 3 to 6 pages. I rarely change
dramatically from the arc of my first big plan, although most of the
details may change! Plots come easily, but I find that getting the
characters right is much harder. For the book I'm writing now, I've
experimented with using a scrapbook for ideas, and a big board of
Post-It notes to map out the main scenes of the story. Both have proved
really useful. I also use mood boards. They're such fun to do. All you
need is a cork board, some pins, and some inspiration ...
4. Your new book, The Castle, is a different genre from your last 5 books. Did you find it challenging?
Yes,
I found it very hard to write. The story was always clear in my mind,
but getting the characters right, and finding the voice for Peta Jones
took me a long time. Every book is harder than the last.
5.
You Don't Know Me & The Look targets very serious issues. How did
you fabcriate a very serious issue into a fictional book that teenagers
would buy and what was your initial idea for each of the books?
I'm
generally inspired to write by things I love and hate. I love
creativity - making music, clothes and art. I hate cruelty and suffering
- so I've written about child slavery, child soldiers, greedy
politicians, cancer and cyberbullying.
Yes,
it's hard to make both of these extremes work in a story! It usually
takes me a year to write each book. I've talked about the different
inspirations on my website. They come to me quite quickly, but making
them entertaining reads is what takes the time. Which is why I'm always
so pleased when a reviewer says he or she has enjoyed the writing style.
It takes a lot of effort, but it's joyful when it works.
6. You've just finished your first ever book tour. Can you tell us what that was like?
Actually
it was my sixth! I did my first book tour for Threads in 2009, when I
was a debut author, and loved it. My favourite part of it was getting
schoolchildren to create their own stories, based on a game my family
used to play. Each person would shout out a word at random and you would
have to tell a story using all of the words. I loved playing it myself
and it was amazing to see what the schoolkids came up with.
This
last tour has been wonderful. I've encountered so many wonderful
students at so many schools, and they're always engaged, asking great
questions. It's clear that there are lots of keen readers out there, and
a lot of budding writers. I love talking to a room full of people,
sharing my love for what I do. I hope some of them are inspired to do it
too, and I get the impression from some of the lovely emails I've
received that they are.
7. Any tips for budding writers?
Many.
The big ones are the obvious ones: read as much and as widely as you
can; and write a little every day. Also, finish things - you'll be so
proud of what you achieve if you do. I've collected lots more from many
of my favourite writers on the website, in my writing tips section.
Check it out!
Quickfire Questions
Favourite Drink in Summer?
Probably Pimms. Frozen raspberries make very good ice cubes.
Favourite Drink in Winter?
Nespresso. If it's good enough for George Clooney ... I've also developed a recent liking for apricot tea.
Trolling.
It's more than a peeve. There's too much unkindness on the internet,
forgetting that people are as sensitive to what's written about them as
they are to what they hear face to face. Be kind.
Favourite Talk you've done with another writer?
Oh,
that's an interesting one. My favourite talk was one that wasn't
supposed to happen. It was at the Hay Festival, years ago. Francesca
Simon was supposed to do a panel with Patrick Ness and Julia Eccleshare,
but a lot of us were in the pub the night before and they suggested we
join in. In the end there were about six of us, including a writer who
hadn't even been published yet. We were brilliantly chaired by Jonathan
Douglas, head of the Literacy Trust, and asked some great questions by
teen readers in the audience, such as 'What do you do after you've just
read the best book you know you'll ever read?' Everyone was generous
about letting each other answer, and the audience loved it too. Years
later, it still stands out. I'd love to do something like it again.
It's been lovely having Sophia here! Hopefully you are now wanting to get your hands on one of her amazing books which are:
Hope you enjoyed this post. Comment below if you think I should do more interviews.
See you soon,
Lucy xx
