Jane Turner: 'Writing that feels authentic is based on observation'
BY Katie Smart
1st Feb 2022
Jane Turner studied on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2018. After the course she gained representation from Sophie Lambert at C&W literary agency. Now the heart-warming debut that she worked on with us, The Way From Here, will be published by Orion this May.
We chat to Jane about her time studying with us, the real-life rowing club that partly inspired her debut and her advice for aspiring novelists…
You studied on our three-month Writing Your Novel course in 2018. How did your time on the course impact your approach to writing?
For me, the experience was completely transformative. Being on the course gave me the confidence to say out loud, 'I am writing.' It made me believe that, with a great deal of work, I could have my writing taken seriously. Above all it made me take my writing seriously.
Many of our students form writing support groups. Are you still in touch with any of your course mates?
Yes! This group has been at least as valuable to me as the course itself. I can’t imagine not having these people in my life now. They have been invaluable for support on the emotional roller-coaster of a journey I have been on the last couple of years. Plus I continue to learn so much about writing from them.
Your debut The Way From Here will be published by Orion this May. The novel follows the lives of four women who are a part of a local ladies rowing team. Where did the idea of this rowing club come from?
I am a rower and a coach. A few years ago I set up a program to teach rowing mid-week. Most of the people who signed up were middle-aged women. Over time I gradually learnt their stories and I was struck how many of them had real challenges in their lives. I witnessed how learning to do something difficult and outside their experience transformed them, both physically and mentally. Above all I saw how empowering the experience was for them. This started me wondering how their renewed confidence might have impacted other aspects of their lives.
One of the core themes of the novel is the power of female friendships. What inspired you to place these women at the heart of your story?
I believe that as women get older, our female friends take on a much greater significance. I know mine (including my crew) have helped me through tricky times. I wanted to celebrate the power of female friendship in my book as it is not something I believe we hear enough about.
What advice do you have for writers aiming to create believable characters and friendships?
I’m not sure I’m ready to start giving out advice! For me, writing that feels authentic is based on observation. I am endlessly fascinated by people, how they behave, what motivates them and so on. When I see something that doesn’t make sense, I have to make up a story in my head to explain why someone behaved in that way. Characters are believable when they behave in a way that is recognisable to us – even if they are doing something we have never done our seen ourselves, we can imagine how they would behave based on a lifetime’s observation of human nature.
What does your writing routine look like?
I’m not good at writing if I think I am going to be disturbed, so I prefer to block out whole days or at least half a day so I can give it my full concentration. I usually take myself off somewhere – a club I belong to or a café. If I am struggling to concentrate I take a long train journey somewhere. Bath to Durham is great for writing!
Who is your favourite fictional character?
Olive Kitteridge.
What one piece of advice would you give to aspiring novelists?
The first draft of every great book looked a bit rubbish. Those books didn’t become great until they had been edited and reedited. So don’t lose heart if your first draft doesn’t seem good enough. Keep going – it will be vastly improved with editing.
Finally, what’s next for you and your writing journey?
It has taken so long for my novel to come out because of the pandemic, I have already written a draft of another novel. So – watch this space!