At the end of the day, if your book doesn’t land where you’d hoped, if your words never get read, if you have to put a manuscript in a drawer, the thing that has to keep you moving forward is the joy of telling a tale.
Would you please tell us a little about your writing process?
Most of the time, a laptop, a sofa, and a never-ending supply of chocolate is enough to get me through a first draft. Recently, I ordered a proper writing desk from a beautiful wood maker in Vermont – so I’m excited to have a dedicated nook of my own soon to add a bit more structure. I have to write early in the morning if it’s going to get done at all. I think many writers with families and full-time jobs can relate. I’m also a slower writer, often editing as I go. That’s likely not the most efficient way to finish a book, but my early drafts tend to be cleaner as a result. There’s a kind of creative block preventing me from moving to the next sentence if I’m unhappy with the one before.
What motivates you to write?
I’m naturally introverted, so writing has always been a way to express my thoughts without having to literally speak up. The phrase “still waters run deep” is so true – it can get loud in my head when I’m processing the world around me! At the heart of it, writing helps me feel understood. I write from life and believe there is a sliver of the writer in their characters, the good and the bad, so if you’ve done it well, readers will hopefully learn a bit about your experiences and observations through the story.
How do you believe a writer improves? Practice? Mentors? Reading everything? Attending festivals?
Like everything in life, the more you do it, the better you get at it. Every story, whether it gets published or not, is progress. You have to keep coming back to the page. Beyond that, reading is the best educator, in my opinion. There are wonderful writing courses out there, and I’ve certainly benefited from several, but there is nothing quite like reading an amazing book that you can’t put down well into the night. Figuring out how that author pulled it off, dissecting the story’s structure, the character arcs – studying a novel to that degree (after you’ve read it for pleasure of course!) is a masterclass of its own.
What do you believe is the function of your art?
All forms of art have the power to connect people. In A Temporary Madness, I wrote about good people who do terrible things because of loss or grief. Through the characters’ points of view, the reader hopefully gains an understanding of how profound pain can change a person. There are many aspects of the human condition that you might not have encountered yet in your own life, but when you discover them in a book, you might be more enlightened. That’s a connection point you can draw from in a world that is so divisive, especially now.
Where are the best places to live / visit as a writer?
You can’t always pick where you live, but if you’re writing about a real place, try to go there. Part of this novel takes place in Copenhagen, but I started writing it during lockdown. I used Google Earth to “walk” the streets, jotting down the names of cafes and describing the trees in the parks. My new manuscript takes place in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, thankfully only about an hour away, so I drive up there in all seasons to take photos and videos. There’s nothing quite like having an actual recording of the water rushing over rocks in a specific creek as you’re writing about it months later.
What have been your most meaningful or profound experiences as a writer?
Placing in competitions is always a thrill, but the most meaningful part of my writing journey so far has been my writing group. In 2023, my manuscript was longlisted for the Cheshire Novel Prize and all the listees were placed in a community chat forum. We’re still in touch and connect almost daily. Most of the writers live in the UK, so I’ve never met them in person, but they are the most supportive, talented, encouraging group of people. They’ve been there for me through the ups and downs of this winding road, and I’m so grateful to have found my tribe.
What is the best piece of advice you have received? Or, what is the best piece of advice you would offer an aspiring writer?
Learn to write for the simple joy of it. It can be easy to get sidetracked with obsessive thoughts about publishing deals or getting an agent or the results of competitions. I’ve found there is so much about being a writer that you can’t control. At the end of the day, if your book doesn’t land where you’d hoped, if your words never get read, if you have to put a manuscript in a drawer, the thing that has to keep you moving forward is the joy of telling a tale. If the act of putting words on paper in a creative way doesn’t make you happy in its own right, then you’re already setting yourself up for failure.
Author Biography: I’m a copy editor whose writing has been longlisted in the Cheshire Novel Prize and Jericho Writers First 500 competition. A Temporary Madness is my love letter to every woman who has left a hospital or doctor’s office with one less heartbeat than she came in with. I live in Connecticut with my husband and son, in a suburb reminiscent of my story’s setting. Instagram: @sharonpennawrites Bluesky: @sharpenwrites.bsky.social