Masterclass with…

Victoria Hislop, Best selling Novelist.

Victoria read English at Oxford, worked in publishing, PR and as a journalist before becoming a novelist. Her first novel, The Island, held the number one spot in the Sunday Times paperback chart for eight consecutive weeks and has sold over two million copies worldwide. Victoria is our 2021 Novel judge.

Are there rules?

I believe that the answer is “no”.  There are no rules for writing – but I think every writer has a few that work for them.

One writer’s props and principles may sound like nonsense to another.  But I am happy to share some of mine – and maybe one or two will strike a chord!

Be your own primary reader

I always think of myself as the primary “reader”.  I imagine I am picking up the book that I am writing and if it doesn’t hold my attention for more than ten minutes, then it definitely won’t entertain a stranger.  You have to be ruthless with yourself.

Read your words out loud

I try to read what I have written out loud.  It’s amazing how hearing the sound of words/phrases make you instantly aware of all the faults on the page – repetitions for example, or cliches in a sentence, or dialogue that is wooden.  Anything unconvincing will leap off the page.  Nothing is hidden when you read aloud.

Music

I often play music when I am writing.  Apart from blocking out extraneous noise, it can take you somewhere else.  For me this is usually Greek music, and always music without words.  It helps me travel in time and space, to the historical period and to the country I am describing.

Atmosphere

Having photos around me, or even objects that remind me of the period I am writing about can be a huge help.  They help create atmosphere.

Tell the story

Whatever you are writing, there has to be a “story”.  It can be something that takes place during the course of one day – or it can be a narration that last over a whole lifetime – but in the end it is all a story, a narration that needs to compel the reader to turn to the next page.

Meeting your characters

Character is always important.  It doesn’t have to be a hero/heroine in the traditional sense.  Very often the character who is most interesting (for both writer and reader) is very flawed, they have faults, they make terrible mistakes and so on.  I always imagine them as someone I meet who I find interesting for their faults as much as for their virtues.  If I am reading a story in which there is no-one I care about, I will probably give up.

Write ‘just because’

I think it’s counter-productive to write with the aim of being published.  Write because you want to write, because you enjoy it and are excited by the moment when you sit down with pencil and paper or open up the laptop.  If you are excited to re-join your story from where you left off, it’s more likely that a reader will also be excited when they begin to read.

No right or wrong

There is no correct way to structure a story.  Some people don’t write a synopsis – they just see where the story will go and follow it.  That can be very thrilling and creative too.

Life experiences

If you are writing fiction, I think it’s safer not to be over-autobiographical.  Your own experiences, thoughts, life experiences will naturally come through in your writing.  This is almost unavoidable and, for most readers, enough.

Save and save yourself

Finally, if you are using a computer – SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!!!!! I don’t know a single author who has not lost a chapter or two by forgetting to do this!  Sometimes when you have to re-write from memory, the result can be better than the first thought.  But save yourself from that moment of agony, when you realise something you have laboured over has mysteriously vanished from the screen.

Happy writing!