interview with Kate Blackadder

Edinburgh-based Kate Blackadder is a published writer of short stories and poetry. In 2011 her first serial for The People’s Friend, The Family At Farrshore was published in seven weekly instalments. It has now been produced by large print label Ulverscroft in their Linford Romance Library, available only in public libraries.

Kate is the membership secretary of the Edinburgh Writers' Club. In addition to this role, she regularly updates the club on forthcoming writing events, an invaluable source of information.

JANE:  How did/do you teach yourself to write?

KATE:  I’ve always been a reader but, apart from adolescent poetry, came late to writing. I went to an Edinburgh council-run creative writing class about ten years ago, taken by an inspiring teacher. Joining the Edinburgh Writers’ Club was a big help – I wouldn’t want to be all alone in the proverbial garret; I like being with other writers, hearing talks and taking part in workshops. But the only way to improve is to keep exercising that writing muscle.

JANE: What does it mean to you?

KATE: It’s the best thing in the world when it’s going well, when what’s in your head makes it on to the page or when you’ve puzzled over how your character can resolve a problem and suddenly it’s clear. Plus, over the last few years, writing friends/events have come to constitute a large part of my social life.

JANE: What situations/places inspire you to write?

KATE: I do tend to start off with a situation or a place in mind, rather than a character or plot. As a young child I lived in north-west Sutherland and although that’s rather a long time ago, and it was only for two years, I find that I’m drawn to the landscape. I set my People’s Friend serial there – I made up the village of Farrshore but in my mind it’s somewhere between Cape Wrath and Durness.

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

KATE: No. I’m full of good intentions in that respect but … I would love to say I was inspired at nine o’ clock every morning. It’s more fits and starts.

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

KATE: Having my first acceptance from The People’s Friend and being shortlisted for the Scotsman/Orange Short Story Award – two very different stories! But it’s always thrilling to get an acceptance; I’ll never be blasé about it.

JANE: What were the challenges of writing a serial for a magazine?

KATE: Once the synopsis – seven pages of A4, scene-by-scene for each of the instalments – had been approved by The People’s Friend it was almost (almost) like joining the dots. After writing an instalment I sent it to them for their comments before proceeding with the next one. As I’m not a plotter or planner I found the synopsis very difficult to do, but it was a great learning experience. And I liked the discipline of having to stick to a word count (7000 words for the first instalment, 5000 thereafter) – it really makes you think about what’s important to take the story forward and what’s padding.

JANE: What advice would you give to new writers?

KATE: To read, read, read. To meet others in the same position. To learn to give and take constructive criticism. To read your work out loud, preferably from a print-out – somehow you see things differently from how they are on screen. To try writing in longhand for a while if you get stuck. To not be discouraged by rejections.

KATE: Tell us a bit about your next project?

JANE: I always have a few stories on the go with various magazines and competitions in mind. I’d like to write something longer than the 37,000-word serial and I have a couple of things in hand for that, both in very early stages. It’s hard to get out of thinking in short story mode. My inner editor keeps wanting to cut, cut, cut so I’m trying to turn her off. 


Thank you, Kate.  Best of luck with your future writing.