Interview with honorary chair Louie Stowell
Louie Stowell, photograph by Robin Christian
Louie Stowell worked in children’s publishing for 15 years before becoming a full-time writer. Her debut novel for children, THE DRAGON IN THE LIBRARY, came out in 2019, followed by two more in the series, THE MONSTER IN THE LAKE and THE WIZARD IN THE WOOD. In 2021 she published OTHERLAND, a middle grade novel (very) loosely based on Spenser’s Faerie Queene, with a touch of Queenie from Blackadder. Translated into 29 languages and counting, Louie’s bestselling and multi-award-winning LOKI: A BAD GOD’S GUIDE series began in 2022 and, if she has anything to do with it, will go on for many years. She also writes short stories and writes and draws comics. Louie lives in Hackney with her wife, Karen and a nameless creepy puppet that is probably cursed.
You’ve had an incredibly varied writing career across many aspects of writing and publishing, what advice do you have for a new writer starting their journey?
I have a lot of “I wish I’d known…” pieces of advice that may be specific to me, but here are some of them. 1) There is no normal publishing and writing journey. It is anarchy. Don’t worry if you take longer than others to get published. There’s no “correct” length of time to publication. 2) Don’t be scared to put yourself out there. I didn’t submit enough work, I think. I spent too long noodling with things in private. Rejection is part of the process, embrace it, don’t be afraid of it. You’ll improve faster and also develop the thick skin you need in this business. And 3) Chase your own particular brand of weird. You can’t anticipate the market on purpose, and markets are irrational. But the books that often really connect with readers are the ones where the author believes in their own vision, and expresses something that they’re excited about. If publishing is going to be a rollercoaster of capitalistic unpredictability, feeling authentic will help you not lose your sense of yourself as a writer.
What’s been the most difficult moment in your writing career?
The nearly 20 years it took me to get published. I wrote my first novel in 2001. I had my first novel for kids published in 2019. I never stopped hoping, but there were a lot of crushing moments. Every “No” hurts and even though people told me “You only need one yes”, it’s very hard to feel that in your bones when all you’re getting is “No”. My publication journey was long and complicated. I had various agents. I had some close-but-no-cigar moments. And when I got my first deal, it was off the back of blanket rejections for the book I went out on sub with. It was a YA comedy about zombies. Except it wasn’t really because I didn’t understand that YA requires you to talk about feelings and not just make jokes and show zombie heads being blown off. BUT off the back of everyone saying no, one publisher – Tom Bonnick at Nosy Crow – said “No to this…but what else have you got?” So a rejection turned into a yes. It’s a WEIRD old business, and it really does just take one editor believing in you.
What single best thing can a new writer do to help their book find its readers?
I’d push back on this question – I don’t think it’s a writer’s job to make sure books reach readers. That’s a publisher’s job. Yes, you can do events, talk on social media, have a newsletter… but in the end it’s the publisher who’s set up to reach readers, and it’s psychologically much more helpful to acknowledge that you don’t have the power to truly move the needle in terms of sales. Your job is to write a book you’re excited about, that’s as good as you can possibly make it.
How do you balance the creative aspects of writing with the practical considerations of the publishing industry?
I try to ignore the practical considerations as much as is humanly possible. It took me a long time to learn how important that was. I spent years thinking about what types of books were “marketable”. I wrote whole books because I thought they were what publishing wanted. But writing things you don’t believe in is foolish. If you do find success with them, you’ll be trapped writing what you hate. And perhaps you’re less likely to succeed because kids will be able to smell that the books are false? I’m not sure. But I know that trying to block out the industry and focus on the work is the way to a calmer life and, for me at least, better writing. I worked in-house for 15 years and while insider info is useful on one level, it is also something you have to unlearn in order to pursue the books you want to pursue.
In your opinion, what are the key elements of a successful story?
Making strange/Russian formalism. (?)
When did you start to feel established as a writer? When did you know you’d “made it”?
I’ll let you know when I feel established as a writer! I felt established in my publishing career, but as a writer, I’ve only been doing this for six years, and in terms of the length of a writing career (I hope) that’s just the beginning. In terms of making it, I have some books that are doing well now, but as someone with a publishing background I’m all too aware that writers come in and out of fashion, so there’s never a moment of safety, where people will always, inevitably, buy your books. So it’s always a process of striving for the next thing, making each book as good as I can, because that’s the only control you have as a writer, really.
What is your favourite moment or scene from one of your books?
It’s a toss up between two scenes. One in book 3 where Loki realizes the enormity of something he’s done (keeping it vague, spoilers) while fully dressed in stage costume and makeup, in the bath. Another, more light hearted scene, where Loki turns himself and Georgina into dinner ladies as a disguise. (That one led to a lot of research into whether people are still called dinner ladies, most kids I asked said yes so I went with it. Not scientific, but good enough for jazz.)
What is your favourite part of the writing process? (research, first draft, copy-edits, etc?)
Ideas! I love the ideas stage, when inspiration strikes and anything is possible. I love plotting out the arc for the whole series, thinking about reveals, character development, and how the various aspects of Norse myths will fit into the human story. Beyond Loki, I’m always plotting new things, and I think the connections that come when I’m exploring a new story world are when my brain feels most alive. Then, in descending order my preferences are drafting (fun) > copy editing (easy, I often accept all) > structural edits (a special form of brain hell). I love drawing too, as that is something that feels quite natural and doesn’t require the front of my brain somehow, it’s more instinctual.
What do you read for pleasure when you’re not researching for your own books?
I read a lot of kids books as people send me proofs. I love some of the comics coming out for kids at the moment – Boss of the Underworld by Tor Freeman blew me away. For adult books, I love non-fiction about science, culture and history, and when it comes to adult novels, SF, fantasy and thrillers, especially ones with spies in. I’m yer da in my reading tastes a lot of the time.
What advice do you have for anyone entering Undiscovered Voices?
Pretend the market doesn’t exist. Pretend we live under a utopian version of Anarcho-Communism where the best stories are what succeed, not what’s marketable. Pretend the cream WILL rise to the top. At least, that’s the route to sanity for me. And this business is a very long haul business, so looking after yourself and remembering what’s really important feels key. That’s not to say if someone suggests changes to a book to make it more marketable you should ignore them. There are practical considerations. But if you keep “make the book as good as you can” as your shining light, that’s best.
Which power would you choose: The ability to shapeshift or the ability to tell when somebody is lying?
Shapeshifting. Lots of fun, no potential trauma. I could fly! I could hide! I could pretend to be Taylor Swift and cause mayhem by saying I’m about to announce a new tour! I have no desire to know whether people are lying. Lies are comforting. Lies are polite. OK, that is perhaps me channelling Loki. But I do think some things are better left unknown.
Interviewed by A. Connors
