DREAMING OF A DEBUT: PART 2

Debut Authors Offer Support & Open Up About Their Process

I shared last week that I’ll be running a four part series with celebrated debut authors whose novels are making a racket. The point of this series is to speak to successful debut authors and ask them what the process was like, what things they found the most difficult and what advice they would give to those struggling to take their dreams to write a novel to the next level.

I’ve spoken to four different debut authors who have all been extremely successful in bringing their dream to life, they’ve pushed past the pain barriers and persevered to get their novel published and on our shelves. I talk a lot about how hard writing a book is because I believe a lot of us give up at that stage, when it feels tough or uncomfortable. What I want people to understand is that is what writing a novel is like. (More on the joys of writing a novel coming to your inbox soon though!).

But first, this series is a reminder that you’re not alone and these authors have all been where you’re at right now.

Last week I spoke to Chloë Ashby who told us how she found editing herself to be the most difficult part and shared advice for those losing faith in their idea. This week I’m talking to Liv Little, author of Little Brown’s super-lead for 2023, the much-anticipated ROSEWATER.

Image credit: Chantelle Nash

Liv Little is an award-winning writer and the founder of gal-dem, a media company committed to spotlighting the creative talents of women and non-binary people of colour. She's worked in commissioning at the BBC and was a writer in residence at BBC Studios, where she developed an original pilot script. Liv wrote a short story – alongside Daisy Johnson and Eimear Mcbride – for the critically-acclaimed, ‘HAG’, a collection of forgotten folktales retold.

Her debut novel was pre-empted within twenty-four hours of being out on submission by two different publishers. It was snapped up by Dialogue and will be published in April 2023. [Full disclosure, I’m her agent]. And here’s what people have been saying about the book:

‘Rosewater is a confident debut, brimming with ideas and bursting with heart. It manages to get to the core of what it means to be young and open your heart today. Liv Little continues to be a gamechanger with this novel - I am in awe’

Nikesh Shukla

’Liv writes with ease, creating natural and effortless prose that is quietly powerful. The kinda love oozing from characters I've always wanted to see on the pages’

Travis Alabanza

’A wonderfully fresh, zesty and sexy debut novelist who is putting black queer lives, loves and longings centre stage, where they belong’

Bernardine Evaristo

Liv talks about her experience of writing a novel and how she juggled work, studying and being a carer with finishing her first book.