I’m excited to launch a new series of blogs I’m calling Kelly’s Writerly Q&A. First up I have Jess Kitching, debut author of the thriller The Girl She Was Before out today!

Originally from the north of England, Jess is now living in Sydney and is an active member of the wonderful Bookstagram community on Instagram, which is where we met. And with the launch of her debut novel, I wanted to know more about Jess’s journey to publication and thought you might too. So here goes.

Hi Jess, thanks for taking the time to answer some writerly questions. First of all, congratulations on signing a three-book deal with Kingsley Publishers. Can you tell me about your debut crime novel, The Girl She Was Before?

The Girl She Was Before explores the lasting impact of a trauma like bullying, toxic friendships and the pressures women are under to be 'perfect'. I wanted to write a book with 3D, rounded female characters who weren't 'good' or 'perfect' all the time - as well as a thriller with a wild twist at the end!

It sounds amazing, I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy! What prompted you to write this story?

I have a strawberry shaped birthmark on my forehead, and in the past, I’ve done advocacy work around facial differences. This story came to me when I was being interviewed by the organisation More Than A Face. I was asked about my experience of life with a facial difference, so I detailed some of the things that had happened to me. When I finished, the interviewer said, ‘I’m really sorry you were bullied’.

I was never someone who saw myself as bullied, but when I thought back to some of my experiences, I realised how much they impacted me. Even as an adult, the negative voice in my head wasn’t mine, but the voice of others. The way I described myself wasn’t in my own words, but in the words other people had used to describe me. Ugly, hideous, unlovable – all the things I said to myself when I was feeling down, none of them were words I’d thought to call myself before someone else did.

It made me think – if I didn’t class myself as bullied but have been so affected by that treatment, what about someone who was bullied? How would they feel? What would they think of themself?

The rest, as they say, is history.

What an amazing story! I love that you had that moment of realisation and then went on to frame your novel around the premise. How long did it take you to write?

This is a tricky one to answer because I’m not the best at writing in a linear fashion – I tend to get ideas at random times, start them and then get distracted by other ideas! But on and off, I’d say it was a process over eighteen months which involved writing, editing, querying my book, then going back and editing it again.

Having multiple projects on the go can make it difficult to keep track. How many queries did you send out before gaining your publishing contract?

Honestly, I lost count. The whole querying process can be quite brutal, so I think I’ve almost blocked it out! 

I started by pitching to agents first and had multiple close calls, before going straight to publishers. I received great feedback from publishers themselves, then an offer from Kingsley Publishers which has since turned into a three-book deal.

Querying was tough though, and I was debating giving up right before I received my offer from Kingsley. When I look back and think about just how close I was to saying ‘I’m done with this’ and consider where I am now, I almost shudder! It just goes to show how we can be on the cusp of something we could only ever dare imagine, but not know.

Thank you for saying this! The querying trenches are brutal at times and I know many of us feel like giving up sometimes but this is such an amazing reminder to keep going! Any tips for querying writers?

I wish I’d been reminded to not take rejections personally. I used to get so upset and really doubted myself. 

Rejections are hard, especially when you know how much time, effort and passion you have put into your book, but what I would say is that when people say ‘no’ it isn’t a reflection on you. There could be multiple reasons for that no – they could already represent a similar book, their list might be full, their time might be already stretched. And even if your writing style isn’t for them, it doesn’t mean it won’t be for someone else. 

Somewhere out there is a reader who will find your book the best book they’ve ever read, so don’t let the ‘nos’ stop you.

I totally agree. And the more rejections I get, the easier they are to take. When did you become a writer?

As cheesy as it sounds, I think I’ve always been a writer. I was the child with the wild imagination, making up stories or reading a book. I wanted to be just like Jacqueline Wilson, an ambition that was solidified when I was lucky enough to attend one of her author talks.

I can just imagine you sitting at her author talk, the young girl with big dreams. And now they have come true! What does your typical day of writing look like?

My typical day of writing starts after I finish working my full-time job. I tend to take a short break between the two, but I essentially push one laptop to the side and grab the next! I break for dinner and always try finish by 9pm so I have some time to unwind. 

I also have a slightly unusual way of ‘planning’ a story. If I get an idea, I scribble notes on a piece of paper – rarely more than one side of a4 – then I listen to music and imagine the story like a film. I imagine it again and again, changing bits in my mind or adding different scenes, until it ‘clicks’ into a coherent story in my mind. Then, I write. 

This has absolutely blown my mind! What an amazing way to dream up your next novel! I think I need to start doing some brain training because if I don’t write them down, my ideas disappear. Since we met on Bookstagram, I have to ask, what kinds of books do you like to read?

My favourite genre is thrillers (no surprise there ha!) but really I like to read anything. As long as there’s a believable world and characters I can get lost in, I’m happy! 

Of course! Great characters make me a happy reader too! Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Don’t give up would be my main piece of advice. Even when you feel like it, don’t! You never know what’s around the corner.

I’d also suggest reading a lot. I genuinely believe I have become a stronger writer because I have started to be intentional with setting time aside for reading, and branching out into new genres and to new authors. 

I’d also recommend joining a writing group. Doing this has made me a better writer, and I’ve also made some fantastic writerly friends!

Yes to all of this! Writing groups have changed my life, and this week I had one of those moments where I felt like giving up and then got a full request! So, what can we expect from your next two novels?

My next two novels will both be thrillers, and they will both (hopefully!) have endings that get readers talking. I love it when books end in an unexpected way or on a cliffhanger, so that’s the kind of book I am going to write. 

I’m also a big fan of characters that reflect real people, so who are layered, complex and make choices readers don’t always agree with. To have the reader not fully align themselves with the protagonist feels like a new boundary to be pushing, but I’m really enjoying exploring this and chatting with readers about how that made them feel.

Amazing! Endings are make or break for me so I’m all for that unexpected twist! I’m so looking forward to reading your book and seeing what other realistic and complex characters you will come up with, they rock! Thank you so much for chatting with me. You’ve been so lovely, and I’ve learned a lot! Enjoy your book launch!

So that’s the end of my interview, let me know if you enjoyed. And if you’d like to know more about Jess you can find her at JessKitchingWrites