A Chat With A Friend. Kirsten Hesketh Talks About Writing, Cake And Attracting Six Literary Agents In One Go.

This week I am delighted to welcome my friend Kirsten Hesketh to my blog. Kirsten and I met through Twitter and we are part of a small group of writers who have our own direct messaging thread for regular chats about life, the universe and everything. I am especially pleased that Kirsten agreed to have a chat with me here, because I think her experience with literary agents will be of interest - and who knows, possibly of some use - to other writers who aren't yet published.

Kirsten, welcome. Thank you for being here today to tell us a bit about your writing life and ambitions.

Thank you very much for having me. I love reading your interviews and I’m really, really excited to have the chance to be an interviewee. I think it’s great you’re welcoming an - as yet! – unpublished author onto your blog. Thank you so much!

Let's start at the beginning. How did you start writing? Were you a child writer?

I did write a bit as a child – mainly terrible adventure stories based (heavily!) on The Famous Five. I wouldn’t say writing was a huge thing for me then, though and I either wanted to be a journalist or a farmer’s wife. (Not a farmer. A farmer’s wife. Feeding lambs from a bottle in the farmhouse kitchen. I think that was taken from an Enid Blyton book too!) Anyway, I did none of those things and ended up in advertising, eventually setting up my own consultancy. I always wanted to write a book but I just never seemed to get around to it. Then I few years ago I hit a really quiet time at work and a friend challenged me to ‘get that novel written’. Yes, that was you, Jane Almey, BF extraordinaire. Thank you for the push!

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How does writing fit in with your day job commitments?

I don't know!

I’m lucky that I’m self-employed because the work tends to come in peaks and troughs and I try to make the very most of the troughs. A trough of a few weeks is not great money-wise, but it’s fab for my writing! I’m a brilliant one for procrastinating, though, so I quite like short troughs - otherwise I can spend far too much time faffing around on Facebook and Twitter!

Writing has to fit with family commitments too. Even though my children are teenagers, there’s still a fair amount of fetching and carrying to do and elderly parents to factor in to the equation. Sometimes I wish I had three lives running in parallel.

But writing is a real passion so you find the time somehow, don’t you?

Your first novel is about a subject very close to your heart - Asperger's Syndrome. Can you tell us a little about the book and why you wanted to write it?

Hmmm. Interesting. My first reaction is that I’m not sure Aspergers is very close to my heart. I suppose it must be because I have a son who is just on the spectrum and I’ve chosen to write a book about a family with an autistic child! But, then again, I don’t feel that Aspergers defines either my son or us as a family and I really hope it won’t define me as a writer either. Does that make sense?

When I first started to write, I joined an online course and the first task was to come up with ideas for a novel. I’d explored a story set in Peru, a love affair conducted entirely on Facebook and another set at Weight Watchers before I settled on a story following the lives and loves of parents who set up a support group for their special needs children.

Over time, the novel evolved to focus on one mother, Emma. I’ve really fallen in love with her - her voice, her struggle, her journey. There are a couple of twists along the way and it’s funny - I hope! - as well as poignant. It’s really about a mother coming of age. (It’s a good thing this isn’t an elevator pitch, isn’t it?!)

Maybe all that’s a roundabout of saying that Aspergers is close to my heart! Who knows? Either way, I’m very proud of the book which is called The Space Between The Words.

What about professional support you've had along the way?

Oh gosh, yes - loads of professional support. Writing’s a funny game, isn’t it? If I’d taken up painting or gardening, I wouldn’t necessarily expect my first efforts to hang in the Tate Modern or to be featured at Chelsea. But I really, really want this book to be published so I need all the help I can get!

One of the best things I did was enroll on the wonderful Self Edit Your Novel course run by Debi Alper and Emma Darwin through The Writer’s Workshop. That was truly fantastic - as was the follow up retreat based in Derbyshire. I also joined the RNA New Writer’s Scheme which includes a full critique of your novel. (I haven’t yet plucked up courage to go to any of their fantastic-looking parties yet!) I’ve also had fab mini critiques from Chris Manby and Claire Dyer and I’ve joined Reading Writers – which is a brilliant group and offers loads of support and opportunities to learn.

And I know you've had lots of friendly support too.

Starting to write and joining Twitter happened almost at the same time for me and I have to say that writers really are the friendliest and most supportive bunch. I’ve met such a fab group of people who have become my friends - yourself included here, Sue - and I’ve had such a laugh along the way.

It’s funny because I always tell my kids to be careful of who they’re talking online as they may not be who they seem to be. And then there I am meeting my Twitter pals up in London. Talk about ‘do as I say, not as I do!’ So far, though, everyone has been exactly as they come across online.

I’ve also been on a couple of wonderful writing retreats run by Jane Ayres and Moira Please at The Place to Write. I should perhaps have included them in the section above because they have great tutors and you get masses of professional support, but I’ve put them here because they are such fun. And there is cake. Lots of cake. And wine.

I agree. Moira and Jane's retreats are just wonderful.

Earlier this year, you felt your novel was ready to be submitted to agents. Do you mind sharing your experiences?

Not at all. It's all good (I think!).

So, yes, earlier this year I’d finished my third draft and was itching to get going. You know how it is!! So I decided to submit the usual first three chapters plus synopsis to eight agents in the hope of getting some useful nuggets of feedback to help with draft four.

I was flabbergasted when six of the agents asked for the full manuscript. I was also absolutely thrilled. Really, really thrilled. Agents liked my writing and thought I had a story worth telling! It felt fantastic.

In my heart of hearts I knew the book wasn’t ready to go out. Not really. But I sent the whole thing out to a couple of agents anyway. I know. I know, what can I say?! I’ve always been impulsive. So it was disappointing, but not a huge surprise, when they came back and said it needs a bit more work and would I please resubmit when I’ve made the changes.

So that's where I am now.

What are the most important things you have learned?

Not to be impulsive?!

Seriously though, I guess I learned it’s all a journey with plenty of twists and turns along the way and that I need to try and ride out the peaks and troughs and not to get too over-emotional by either. Hard though.

Also, once the sting subsides, any information – even the negative – is incredibly useful going forward.

What is the best piece of advice you can give other writers who aren't yet published?

Keep going. Keep learning. Keep the faith.

There will be days when you think that everything you write is a pile of poo and days when you think it isn’t half bad.

I’m beginning to think getting published is as much about tenacity and perseverance as it is about talent. I have met so many hugely talented aspiring writers.

We can do it. All of us!

What is next for you and your writing?

I'm editing!

I’ve had a professional critique done by the wonderful Debi Alper and it has been like gold-dust. I’m excited about making this book as good as it possibly can be and .then I’ll be re-submitting. Fingers crossed!

Kirsten, thanks for being here today and sharing your experiences. I hope to invite you back to talk about your fabulous publishing deal!

Thanks you very much for having me. That was great fun!

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Follow Kirsten on Twitter