Kehinde Fadipe: 'I created detailed biographies for each character and asked myself countless questions until I really knew them inside out'
BY Emily Powter-Robinson
1st Aug 2023
Kehinde Fadipe is a British-Nigerian actress, author and former student of our three-month Writing Your Novel course (online). She is a RADA-trained actress with stage and screen credits including Misfits (E4), Of Mary (Lesata Productions) and Ruined (Almeida Theatre). Her debut novel In Such Tremendous Heat was published by Dialogue Books in July 2023. We spoke to Kehinde about her time studying with us, writing from multiple points of view, and her advice for aspiring authors.
You took our three-month Writing Your Novel course (online) in 2019. How did your time studying with us impact your writing journey?
I went on the course after getting some feedback from a literary agent who I had submitted the first three chapters of my manuscript to, and who loved the premise but wasn't crazy about the delivery. So I knew that I needed a course that would give me lots of great critique as well as include writing exercises and some one-to-one guidance. That was exactly what the Writing Your Novel course (online) did; it allowed me to see my work objectively, helped me carve out time every day to work on my book and gave me the incentive of being able to pitch to agents at Curtis Brown. After the course, I spent another year polishing the manuscript, using so much of what I had learned from Suzannah Dunn and the other writers.
Many of our students find lifelong writing friends on our courses. Are you still in touch with anyone you met during the course?
I’m not in regular touch with anyone from the course but I have had a few people send me some really lovely, congratulatory messages and saying that they remember the manuscript, which has been really kind. I can remember lots of the stories that we critiqued and I get really excited when I see other people from the course getting their work published, because I remember some really strong characterization and plots that still live in my mind.
Your debut novel In Such Tremendous Heat was published by Dialogue Books earlier this month. Basking in Singapore’s non-stop sunshine, Dara, Amaka, and Lillian are living the dream – until their carefully constructed lives are upended by a handsome and mysterious new arrival. Can you tell us a bit more about the novel and the inspiration behind it?
It was inspired by the different black women I was meeting in Singapore and also by how disparate expat life can be here depending on only a handful of factors; just one small shift, and you can have a completely different experience in Singapore. I had just completed my first manuscript which was much heavier and darker when I had my first child, and I really wanted to write something lighter and more contemporary, so it was really fun to look around and capture the people and lifestyle here. Over the years and over several drafts, I developed the characters’ arcs and themes so that the book had more meat to it, and I began to address some of the more complicated aspects of living in a foreign country whilst running away from baggage you really need to deal with.
Stories told from multiple points of view can be notoriously tricky to navigate but you manage to weave the stories of Dara, Amaka, and Lillian together seamlessly. How did you go about alternating between viewpoints?
I created detailed biographies for each character, which is something I do as an actor, and asked myself countless questions about their idiosyncrasies, their preferences, how they would behave in hypothetical situations etc., until I really knew them inside out. But I tried to still leave space to discover them through their actions and reactions to certain events in the book. One of the challenges of multiple POVs is trying to capture the character’s voice but the three women were quite clear to me from the start, so through internal monologues as well as dialogue, their points of view became easier to capture, especially the more they moved from archetypes to real people. Once I started working with my incredible editors, they had me create timelines for each character which helped immensely. By the final draft, I felt I knew each woman so well that I could place them in multiple different scenes and know how what they would do and how they would be. I don't know if I did this seamlessly, but separating myself from them very definitively, allowed me to enjoy exploring Dara’s common sense approach to life, Amaka’s over the top self-centeredness and Lillian’s vulnerable sensitivity, without judgement.
If you could invite three fictional characters to a dinner party, who would you invite and why?
I would invite Jane Bennett from Pride and Prejudice, because she’s witty, kind and would bring some old school etiquette to the table (no pun intended(; Kainene from Half of a Yellow Sun because she would be no holds barred, straight shooting and acerbic, but I think once the liquor starts to flow and she realizes how cool and authentic the other women are then she would have a really good time; and finally, Elizabeth from The Thursday Murder Club because she would have the most incredible stories and could teach us lots of self-defense and survival skills. She would probably overpower me and take over hosting, but the night would never be boring with Elizabeth at a party (if you she can convince her to come to your party!).
Do you have any advice to share with the aspiring authors reading this, particularly those who are thinking of applying to a writing course?
If you really want to commit to sharpening your skills as a writer and you feel ready to take on and apply feedback, but you don't have the time or means to go on an MFA, then a course like Writing Your Novel course (online) is perfect. Lots of people who were in my cohort were working full time and were from all over the world. There was something so validating about the fact that we all cared so much about telling stories, that we were willing to give up our time and put in so much effort, without any guaranteed end result. I really encourage anyone who feels that they want to take their writing seriously to apply, because you're going to meet other people who will value and care about your work and who will expect you to commit to theirs too.
Finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
I'm working on my second book. I'm still on the first draft which is exciting and terrifying in equal measure. I want to write more for screen but for now I'm really loving the freedom of chasing my characters down the street and seeing what happens. You only get one first draft so I want to enjoy it.
In Such Tremendous Heat is out now.
Find out more about our three-month Writing Your Novel course (Online).
Photo of Kehinde Fadipe by Vinod Rai Sharma.