9 minute read
Books
7 Elizabeth Day talks Motherhood, Fertility, and Failure at UEA Live
by Louise Collins
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On 27th October, UEA Live was joined by Journalist and podcast host, Elizabeth Day, in discussing her current projects and latest novel, Magpie. Day starts off by joking about the plot twist of the book, and the trouble she has explaining Magpie without spoiling it.
Magpie is a psychological thriller focussing on a young woman, her partner, and their new obsessive lodger. The book has themes of motherhood, mental illness, fertility and what it means to be a woman.
As a writer, Day only understands her themes once she’s finished writing, truly realising what interests her as she completes more books. One of her recurring themes is the idea of what constitutes mental illness, pointing out that we have a history of ‘othering’ mental illness. In explaining this, she says she “wanted to show how someone can live with a serious mental condition” whilst showing “a great deal of humanity” remains, especially considering how demonised mental illness can be in literature. Her writing has a focus on unreliable narrators, but it’s important to her that they’re always sympathetic. “We’re all unreliable narrators in our own mind,” Day claims, which is why she doesn’t want to create unlikeable characters, as it ignores the multifaceted nature of mankind.
When asked about her writing process, Day explains she is a very character-first novelist. Rather than drowning in post-its scribbled with plot points, she had a sheet of paper with character description and basic setting points. It is more important for her to write into the voice of the character and to understand them. However, with Magpie this was different. She knew, at the start, what the themes of the novel were and what the major plot twist was going to be. By having three characters set in one house, she heightens the sense of claustrophobia and oppression her narrators feel.
As well as being a fiction novelist, Day is a journalist, hosts her podcast How to Fail with Elizabeth Day, and has several non-fiction books published. All these occupations link together for Day, like a mosaic, as her podcast explores the human condition which feeds into writing her characters. Her journalistic training helps her meet deadlines, and the broadcasting, she claims, “has just been a delightful present.” When describing her array of careers, she claims, her favourite of them all is writing books, as “I do genuinely feel most myself when I’m in the flow writing on my own.”
In giving advice to new writers, Day states, “the key to great writing is authenticity.” If you’re trying to write like other people, you’re more likely to fail than if you write as yourself from your experiences. Day emphasises that your voice is unique, and you’re best when being yourself. Whilst discussing her podcast, and how it has inspired her in her own life, Day says, “talking about failure has an extraordinary way of stripping back your pretence and making you vulnerable and honest.” After hearing this, I, for one, know which podcast I’m listening to next.
#BookTok: Worth the Hype?
By sienna Norris
If you’re not familiar with the concept of BookTok, it’s a communal space for the readers of TikTok where books are recommended and discussed between users. It has benefitted people all over the world.
I’m not ashamed to admit that when looking for a book recommendation, BookTok is the first place I check, and it’s helped me discover some spectacular reads which I’ve devoured throughout the summer. However, I can’t help but ask, would I have found some of these books if I hadn’t stumbled across this phenomenon? BookTok has been around for a while, but during the pandemic, many book-lovers turned to this community in order to cure their boredom. BookTok has almost 23 billion views on the hashtag alone, and it has skyrocketed book sales for smaller authors as well as creating a digital space for readers to connect.
I love to read, but I don’t read as much as I would like to. I tend to drift in and out of the habit of reading before bed, but over the summer of 2021 I fell even more in love with reading, which I didn’t think was possible. Many of the books I’ve read recently were endorsed on BookTok, and I feel that without this platform I wouldn’t have encountered authors like Taylor Jenkins Reid and her book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (my new favourite) or The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, amongst many more names that I hadn’t heard of before.
Not only has BookTok given me a new zone to further my book collection, but it’s encouraged me to only purchase second-hand books, or download books on my kindle to slightly help the environment. It’s a space dedicated to ethical reading, or at least in my experience of it. In my somewhat biased opinion, BookTok is definitely worth all the hype!
Cli-Fi: Exploring the World Through Children’s Fiction
By Louise Collinss
Photo: Unsplash
Mitch Johnson studied English Literature and Creative Writing at UEA and is now a published children’s author. His books expose injustices of the world whilst still being fun and accessible to young readers.
In October, Johnson conducted a talk as part of the Norwich Science Festival, discussing the power of children’s literature, particularly climate fiction. Children’s fiction has a rich history of discussing environmental destruction, which Johnson points out may be due to the prevalence of animal characters, dealing with hard topics in fun, comfortable ways.
In his talk, Johnson recommends a wide range of books, including The Giving Tree, The Last Bear, and Green Rising. These books all focus on climate change or taking the world’s natural resources for granted. In discussing The Lorax, they compare versatility with our tendency to overuse plastic. What stands out to Johnson is how The Lorax places the responsibility in the hands of the reader, and the idea of hope it finishes with. The Last Bear uses real science and statistics to not only inspire fiction, but to help it really make an impact.
Johnson has worked on several projects surrounding cli-fi and climate change, including The Living Book, an immersive experience which inspired young children to express their views on the changing world. The project explores the future of our planet, imagined by those who will have to live with our consequences. It is an incredibly moving and emotional project, because the desperation felt is palpable.
In discussing his own works, he described Pop as exposing the “topsy turvy logic of capitalism” and shedding light on the dangers of allowing one corporation to have so much power. Johnson stated that he never realised how affected he would be by the science he read in researching his upcoming book Spark. Many of us ignore the fact that our offspring will be witnessing the loss of resources, and the loss of species which we have taken for granted, but cli-fi makes us face these issues head on. Johnson stated, “the true power of cli-fi is to put a reader in a place where they can reflect on the impact we’re having on the people coming after us.”
Whilst Johnson wants his books to be a light on the problems caused by mankind, he ultimately wants to contain an element of hope. He wants to give a reminder that things can change if only we step up, and that, yes, things are heading into destruction, but there’s always hope for a better world.
Mitch Johnson and the Importance of Cli-Fi
by Louise Collins
Before his talk at Norwich Science Festival, I got to sit down with Mitch Johnson and ask him about his novels, and the impact he hopes they are having.
Can you tell us a little about your books? What are the common themes?
Kick is about an Indonesian boy who works in a sweatshop making football boots, Pop is about a girl who finds the secret recipe to the world’s most popular fizzy drink, and focusses on plastic pollution and corporate greed. Spark, which comes out in February, is about a boy trying to find safety in a world decimated by climate change. They all tackle some sort of issue – whether social, economic or environmental.
Some might say you’re indoctrinating children because of the social and political themes. What’s your response?
I’m trying to counteract some of the indoctrination children already experience. Children only start to fully understand advertising when they’re 11 or 12 years old. So, young children are being manipulated by companies with no defence against it. I’m trying to restore a little balance and reveal the more negative side of corporations, allowing us to question what we’re being sold. These conversations are important because they’re incredibly urgent, and if you can’t face them in the safety of children’s literature, how are you meant to do it in the real world where everything is at stake?
Who, or what, do you take your inspiration from?
I was initially inspired by other writers. Now, it’s the knowledge that my work could have a positive impact on people in the real world. Thinking I can make a small contribution or be part of the solution is really motivating and inspiring. We’re in a golden age for children’s fiction and other authors are always making me want to do better.
What made you want to write political children’s fiction?
The idea of Kick took form as a short story for my creative writing dissertation at UEA. I was sure this kind of book already existed, and when I found that it didn’t, I thought that was a real shame, and I wondered what other areas children weren’t exposed to. They’re more receptive than people realise, they have a real sense of right and wrong, and writing for that age group is really rewarding. But children’s fiction isn’t just for children, it can be for adults too.
What is the most influential text you’ve ever read, and why would you recommend it to others?
Regarding climate change and Cli-Fi, The Lorax by Dr Seuss. It takes no time to read, but there’s something about the accompanying pictures that has an added impact. It’s so accessible, it’s fun, and sad and tragic, but it’s very true. We’re seeing this happen on planet earth and the tale isn’t silly, but moving and impressive.
Finally, are there plans to write Cli-Fi for older readers?
I would like to write for adults, not necessarily Cli-Fi, but there aren’t any solid plans at the minute. Now, I really love writing for children. They’re so responsive and enthusiastic, and there’s so many possibilities with that age group, and I already have so many ideas.
