illustration: Paul Watson
Paper or computer?
What three pieces of advice would you give to a writing
If I’m already doing a quick edit as I type up, then I spell check
One: Make valuable use of nap time even if it’s just half an hour.
I write on paper to begin with and then type up onto my desktop.
mother?
Two: Get your partner or a friend you trust to look after your wee
and print.
one and join a writer’s group. Find one that suits you. Ask in your
I can’t edit on screen, I find it tedious and I can’t scribble all over the page, so I edit on paper. Then I’ll type my edit on paper
local library or in writer’s magazines. As well as valuable writing
to the computer. Print and repeat. I print four pages to one sheet
support, a group keeps you in the identity/mind-set of a writer,
of A4 to cut down on paper and ink.
and, if you’re like me, the only ‘me’ time out of the house. Or if that’s not possible join one online. I’m much more productive in
What books are you encouraging your daughter to read?
the days after a meet up. Three: Always back up your work and
Any from your own childhood?
not just on one computer. Get Dropbox. Your work will get squash
She has most of my childhood books waiting for her in boxes
spilt into it, it will get coloured in when you leave it unattended to
in the cupboard of doom under my stairs. Reading and weekly
answer the ‘phone or the door, banana will get smeared into it.
visits to the library are enjoyable for both of us.
Label your pages so when small hands get hold of them and drop them, you don’t have to stress. I found this out the hard way!
Her middle name is Rowena, after the author of one of my favourite books that was made into a children’s TV series when I was young, ‘Seal Morning’ by Rowena Farre. I adored that. Also,
Sue lives in Monmouthshire, Wales with her husband,
Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton and when she’s a bit older, Harry Potter!
daughter and kitten, Polly. She’s a BA (Hons) English
Language and Literature and a CELTA Teaching English as
What are the writing plans for the future?
a Foreign Language certificate. Sue loves teaching but is
I may go back and work on a piece I wrote a few years ago but
taking a break to bring up her daughter and write her novel,
hopefully I’ll get more ideas for fiction and move on with that.
‘An Hour Year’. You can find her at www.anhouryear.com or
When my girl goes to school, I may go back into teaching unless
on her Facebook author page https://www.facebook.com/
this authoring malarkey really kicks off!
SusanCHooper
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