Author name: Kathleen Jowitt
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Books: Speak Its Name (2016); A Spoke In The Wheel (2018)
When did you begin your writing career? I started writing Speak Its Name in autumn 2007; it took me six years to produce a draft that I was happy with, another year to try and fail to interest agents and publishers, and a further six months to prepare the book for publication myself.
What’s your approach to writing? Are you a “pantser” or a planner? I used to think I was a “pantser,” but the more I write, the less comfortable I am not knowing where I’m going, or how the scene I’m currently writing fits into the plot. I discovered quite early on that I needed to know what would constitute a satisfactory ending, and to write in that general direction, but now I seem to know more of what’s going to go in the middle, as well.
What’s your working style – morning or late-night writer? For preference, late morning, after I’ve been out for a long walk. But I have a full-time job, so in practice I write in spare moments. My most productive time is my hour’s commute to work – on the way home again I’m often too tired to write much!
Do you work at a computer or write long-hand? Both! I write long-hand on the train, and then type it up in the evenings. I often find that the process of typing the work up results in the addition of another couple of hundred words along the way, as I remember things that I meant to put in.
What gets those words flowing, coffee or tea? I start with coffee, and then switch to tea after the first cup. A couple of squares of dark chocolate also help!
Favorite book: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Long, complicated, and satisfying.
Favorite movie: The Titfield Thunderbolt – it’s an Ealing comedy about a group of villagers trying to save their railway line.
Favorite musician: Varies! At the moment I’m very into Rhiannon Giddens and Vienna Teng.
Social media links:
Facebook: @KathleenJowitt
Twitter: @KathleenJowitt
Instagram: Kathleen Jowitt
Awards/special recognition: Speak Its Name was the first self-published novel ever to be shortlisted for the prestigious Betty Trask Prize, which is awarded to the best debut by an author under the age of 35.
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Book Club Mom 
Lovely to meet, Kathleen. I would also prefer to write in the mornings but also have to work. I know the feeling of squeezing it in around other things.
Hi Robbie, yes you and Kathleen have that in common. I am amazed how writers with full-time jobs manage their time. Maybe being so busy unleashes your creativity and makes you even more productive. Thanks for stopping by to meet Kathleen. Hope you have a good week.
Thank you, Barbara. You too.
I tell myself that knowing that I have a limited amount of time means I get more done in it… Thanks Robbie!
That’s a good approach. I do find that the busier I am, the more efficient I am with my time. 🙂
Thanks for introducing us to, Kathleen. Like Robbie, I’d prefer to write in the morning, but since I’m at my day job @ 6:00 a.m., that doesn’t work for me.
Hi Jill, thanks for saying hello to Kathleen. You working authors have tight schedules. I like hearing how you get your writing done. I’m also a morning person, but there’s only so much I can do during those hours, even though I only work part time. Not sure when I can get that hidden book of mine written 😉
Wow, 6 am is early. I only start at 8am but work until 5.30pm, usually without lunch.
But the payoff is I’m off at 2:00, Robbie. 🙂
Boy, I’m a lightweight only working part-time. My current hours are a cushy 9:30-2:30, but they are about to change to afternoons…
That’s a hard schedule – I don’t know how you find the energy to do all that you do!
6a.m.? Ouch! No, I don’t think I’d get anything done that early in the day, either.
I usually get up at 5 am, but, if I were writing a book, that would not be my best creative time!
Huge kudos to Kathleen Jowitt for getting books written at all, let alone one that was shortlisted for the Betty Trask Prize!
I know – that’s quite an accomplishment!
Fun to read Kathleen’s comments about writing, learning that being a plotster might work best for her, and plotting away on her commute!