interview with Alison Summers

Today I am talking to Alison Summers. Born in Edinburgh, Alison attained a Masters in Creative Writing in 2010, and is now half way through her PhD.


JANE: What sort of things do you write?

ALISON: I enjoy writing short stories. I like to have something I can see in a snapshot. I occasionally write poetry, usually when I can’t think how to express something in a story. For my PhD I am writing a novel about a fashion buyer who in the space of a year gets her dream job and relationship but faces losing them both when she is diagnosed with a degenerative illness.



JANE: What made you start writing?

ALISON: I started writing regularly in the course of a chronic illness when I was sent (on prescription) to a writing class. I really enjoyed the reaction from the rest of the class when I read out my stories.



JANE: What does writing mean to you?

ALISON: It's a way of making sense of the world. I love playing with the different ways I can tell a story. I also enjoy performing my work to an audience. It is great to get that kind of feedback.



JANE: What situations/environments inspire you?

ALISON: Situations of unfairness and situations that make me angry inspire me.



JANE: What has been your highest moment writing-wise?

ALISON: There are two high points: when I received a cheque from My Weekly on their acceptance of a story, and when I read a story at the Edinburgh Book Festival I was given access to the Authors’ Yurt. I felt really privileged to be sharing the Yurt with published writers.



JANE: What has been your lowest moment writing-wise?

ALISON: When I was told that if I wanted to make any money I should not continue writing. It was said in a particular context but it makes me feel sick even remembering it.



JANE: What has been the most encouraging comment someone has made about your writing?

ALISON: The most encouraging comment that someone has made is that they found it difficult to stop reading.



JANE: Do you have a routine where your writing is concerned?

ALISON: No, but I notice that on a “day off” I am absolutely desperate to write.



JANE: What are the good things about writing?

ALISON: There are special times when you like what you have created and then find that others like it even more.



JANE: What advice would you give someone wanting to become a writer?

ALISON: Find a writers’ group and at least two people who are willing to read your work on a quid pro quo basis and listen to their feedback. Read outside your comfort zone. Back up your work every day.



JANE: When you advise people to read outside their comfort zone, are you recommending they read books that they'd never attempt or even want to attempt to write?


ALISON: There may be writers out there whose techniques you can use to enrich your own writing. If you stick to reading what you know you like it's a bit like going back to the same holiday destination every year. I used to think I would never find anywhere as attractive as Greece until I went to Morocco!



JANE: Which published/unpublished writers have inspired you most and why?

ALISON: Helen Dunmore, Noel Streatfield, Katie Fforde, Marian Keyes, Maeve Binchy, Charles Dickens, Somerset Maugham, Graham Greene. I like them all for their atmosphere and characterization.



JANE: Re the saying, ‘people ask for criticism but they only want praise’, is this true for you?

ALISON: I need praise as well as criticism. I teach writing and I always ask “what kind of feedback would you like?”



JANE: With the ever-advancing internet access, how do you see the publishing business developing in the future?

ALISON: I think that publishers will tend more towards e-books in the future.



JANE: How have you taught yourself to write?

ALISON: I read text books, read fiction, went to adult education classes, taught classes, did an MA and I am doing a PhD.



JANE: What aspect of the craft do you think is most difficult to learn?

ALISON: I find it all difficult but dialogue and plotting are hardest for me.



JANE: Do you ever suffer from writers’ block and if so, how do you get over it?

ALISON: Writers’ block comes and goes. I go for a walk, talk to another writer, go to art galleries. My favourite tip is writing over and over “I don’t know what to write, I don’t know what to write… ” For some reason that seems to kick start my brain.



JANE: Have you needed to make any sacrifices to allow you to write, and if so, what?

ALISON: The only sacrifice I have made is not having a regular income!


Thank you, Alison, and the best of luck in completing your PhD and getting published.