Becky Alexander: 'When brainstorming "twists" think about your character’s drive – their wants and needs, so the reader leaves the novel knowing why it all happened'
BY Emily Powter-Robinson
10th Jan 2024
Becky Alexander was a student on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2021. Her debut novel Someone Like You is out now from Storm Publishing.
We discussed her time studying with us, the inspiration behind her psychological slow-burn thriller and her advice for keeping 'the twist' fresh and unexpected within the thriller genre.
You took our three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2021. How did your time studying with us impact your writing journey?
My CBC course changed everything for me. I had a rough half-draft of a novel when I applied for the course, and I was getting rejected by agents. Something wasn’t working but I felt out of my depth trying to work out what. Charlotte Mendelson and the CBC tutors gave me the practical tips and perspective I needed to improve my writing, and the thoughtful feedback and edits from my course mates showed me exactly what I needed to change.
Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met during the courses?
Yes! I feel incredibly lucky to have met so many talented writers and we chat online most days! We are all writing in different genres so there is no sense of competition – only support and excitement at each other’s progress. We are all very open about our writing, responses from agents, publishing deals etc and that has helped us all feel confident in our choices. I think 5 now have agents and 4 have publishing deals already, with book launches planned for this year. One has self-published and has had great success through that on Amazon. Some are still writing and I would not be surprised at all if more deals come along. They are a very talented bunch!
Your debut novel Someone Like You came out today with Storm Publishing. It’s a psychological slow-burn thriller full of ambition, lies and secrets that winds its way toward a shocking ending. The story follows out-of-work RADA trained actress, Jemima Evans, who is prepared to go to any length when she is offered a casting opportunity with extremely influential executive producer, Rebecca Sheridan. Can you tell us a bit more about the book and the inspiration behind it?
Oh it was such good fun to write. I am fascinated by actors – they go through so much competition and rejection to make it onto the stage or screen, and then face even more judgement and scrutiny. Just why do they put themselves through it? What drives someone to do that? I wanted to explore why. So all my characters are ambitious and driven. I am very interested in the MeToo movement and how that has (hopefully) taught those in power that they might get caught. I wanted to bring that in too. One or two of the characters are inspired by real-life people but I couldn’t tell you who… I also wanted to bring in glamorous theatre locations, so we go to the Minack, Soho and New York. Basically living my fantasy dream life.
Someone Like You comes to a head with a shocking ending. When writing within a genre so known for ‘the twist’ how do you keep things fresh and unexpected?
Readers who love thriller and pysch novels expect a lot of action and twists and turns, so it can be hard to do that, and keep it realistic too. For me, I wanted the characters to be authentic, and show what might drive them to act like they do. Thankfully, the acting world is known for its drama so that helped give me plenty of options.
What do you think makes a good twist – and do you have any advice for budding thriller writers on how to pull one off?
The books I’ve loved that do it well, keep as much hidden from the reader as possible, but without cheating the reader. I was taught to ‘write your story, and then go back and add in clues, if you need to’. The CBC course taught us that the most memorable stories are about character. So when brainstorming ‘twists’ think about your character’s drive – their wants and needs, so the reader leaves the novel knowing why it all happened, rather than just some random twist.
What would you say to anyone reading this who might be thinking of applying to a writing course?
I know the cost can be off-putting for many – I only got to do the course because my Grandma May died and left me some money. There are some great scholarships with CBC (my course mate Ally Zetterberg paid for one out of her first advance!). For me, it was money well-spent – enjoyable and mentally stimulating. Also, paying for something makes you focus!
What new releases are you looking forward to reading in 2024?
Emily Howes was on my course, and her brilliant novel, The Painter’s Daughters, is out in Feb. I read the first draft and am very excited to read the final version. Ally Zetterberg’s The Happiness Blueprint is out in April and I love this one so much – funny, smart and romantic. Nesting, by Roisin O’Donnell is out in 2025 but I want to mention that one too, as Roisin was also on my course! I told you they are a talented bunch.
Finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
I have a two-book deal with Storm so I am busy editing my next novel, which will be out later this year. Storm have been brilliant to work with. Kathryn Taussig gave me three pages of notes, which is terrifying, but also incredibly helpful. You have to be happy to be edited when you write – biscuits help, I find. And then, who knows! I have an idea for another, so watch this space.
Someone Like You is out now!
Some of the books linked in this blog can be found on our Bookshop.org shop front. Curtis Brown Creative receive 10% whenever someone buys from our bookshop.org page.