Writer and editor Lauren Schott joins Si Sapsford for a conversation about writing, creativity and the long process of turning an idea into a novel.
Lauren is the author of Very Slowly All at Once, a psychological thriller about marriage, mystery and the consequences of seemingly small decisions. Before becoming a novelist, she spent more than two decades working in publishing and editing.
In this conversation, Lauren talks about where ideas come from, why she can spend months thinking about a story before writing it, creating characters, editing and the difficult balance between working on other people's stories and finding time for your own.
We also talk about children's books, publishing and rejection, writer's block, adapting books for screen, and the growing impact of AI on writing and the creative industries.
At the end of the conversation, Lauren recommends a book that has stayed with her, and Si responds with a recommendation of his own.
My Private View is a series of conversations about how we look at art and culture — and what we notice, think about and take away from the creative work of others.