Ask the Author: Sophia Bennett
Answered Questions (15)
Sophia Bennett
Oh dear - I have just discovered this question. I'm so sorry! No I didn't at all have the trilogy mapped out when I started writing Threads. It was very much a standalone book until the very last scene. But I found that once it was done, the characters carried on living their lives in my head as if I was still writing about them, and I had the theme of child slavery that I also wanted to talk about. So book 2 came quickly. Then I knew I wanted it to be a trilogy. Book 3 was harder to write because there was so much going on for the girls as they faced up to leaving school. But my favourite bit was Edie and Harry. I ship them too! My inspiration for Threads came from my childhood love of costume and the many fascinating anecdotes about the high fashion world that I picked up. I loved the idea of a girl genius - and I was also very affected by the news about the child soldiers in Uganda. There's more about it on my website so do check it out. Sophia xxx
Sophia Bennett
Augh! Oishee, I've only just seen your question. Not sure how I missed it. I suppose I have been writing for a slightly older audience, yes. It felt like a natural progression. However, after the sequel to Following Ophelia I will be trying to write for younger readers again. I must say though that whatever age reader I have in mind, my core readers for every book tend to be 10-15, with quite a lot of 20+ readers thrown in! I think it just depends on what a reader is interested in. Thanks so much for your comment and good luck with your writing. Sophia xxx
Sophia Bennett
Hi Nisarga. I'm so glad that's the effect The Look had on you! Every book I write is about female empowerment in some way. It's what inspires me. Girls all over the world need the confidence to know that they can choose a powerful path in life. We should adapt the way we look to please ourselves and nobody else. Nina, in Love Song, does this - and discovers her inner confidence is the most attractive thing about her. I hope you enjoy reading her story too. Sophia xxx
Sophia Bennett
Hi Charlie. Sadly not. My publisher tends to prefer single books to series. I'm so glad you found it funny and compelling though. I certainly missed Ted and Ava when I'd finished. I'd love to have explored what happened to them. I hope you write the story in your head and that good things happen! Sophia xxx
Sophia Bennett
Hi Preetha. Thank you! That's so lovely to know. I'm currently working on a book set in mid-Victorian times, about a girl who gets involved with the Pre-Raphaelite painters. I've wanted to write about the art world for a long time, so this is a subject I love to research. I'm finishing the first draft and my new publishers are hoping to publish it next spring, so look out for it in the new year. Sophia xxx
Sophia Bennett
Hi Khadijah. First of all, thank you so much for writing to me, and I'm delighted you enjoyed the book. Thanks for your questions. I wanted to highlight the issue of child slavery in The Castle, and in my research I discovered that some of the young people at risk come from the area around the Indian Ocean, so I chose to write about them. I did as much research as I could to get the language right, so I'm pleased you think I did. Although I'm Catholic myself, I have great respect for Islam and was pleased to include the religion in the book, as I don't think it features often enough in children's literature in the UK. Happy reading, and thanks again for writing. Sophia xxx
Sophia Bennett
I'm afraid this question is too general, Brooklyn. Can you tell me what it was referring to?
Sophia Bennett
Hi Sophie. Interesting question! I tend to pour over my books for months, so I'm generally happy with them by the end. I always include lots of themes that I'm passionate about, and I'm pleased to get the chance to share them with my readers. I don't think there's anything I regret writing, apart from maybe one word in Threads, that I wasn't happy with anyway, and that sadly put off some people from recommending it. (Literally one word! Augh!) The ending of The Look was originally slightly different, and I think I still prefer my original version. There was less of a love story element to it, and I liked that. But I also like the little love story I have. As for things I haven't written about ... well, I tend to think that I haven't written about them YET. Hopefully there will be more books, and more opportunities. I still feel as though I have a lot to say.
Sophia Bennett
Hi Rachel. That's always such a tricky question to answer, because I put so much of myself into each of my books, and there are times when each one is my favourite. In a way, it will always be Threads, because Nonie was my favourite narrator, and there are lots of other characters in the book, like Crow, Granny and Harry, who I really enjoyed writing. The Castle has the most of me in it, and the best twists and turns, I think. You Don't Know Me is the most important in addressing the issue of cyberbullying. Beads Boys and Bangles was the most fun to write. And The Look as the best scene! (The hairdressing one.) So there you go. Take your pick! xxx
Sophia Bennett
My most recent book was The Castle. It was inspired by recent events such as the Arab Spring uprisings, and my life growing up as an army daughter, surrounded by soldiers doing dangerous things and believing that I could do the same if required. It's a girl-power adventure story and I'm proud of it.
Sophia Bennett
I always have a story going on at the back of my head. Sometimes several. Some stick and some fade away. My inspiration comes from the things I've always loved: art, music, fashion, design, adventure, saving the world and making things. It also comes from my children, and the students I meet when I tour schools, as well as the fans who write to me. The Look was inspired by a fan, and the book I'm writing at the moment was partly inspired by some answers that readers gave me in a competition I ran a long time ago. For me, plots come quickly, but getting my characters right and finding the right voice takes ages, and is difficult every time.
Sophia Bennett
My seventh book will be a story about a band, and a girl, and an English country mansion. It's half-written (should be finished by now), and I'm working on it madly.
Sophia Bennett
Look at the writing tips on my website! There's a whole page of them, because I often get asked this question and I have lots of suggestions. (Many of which I've copied from other writers. Neil Gaiman and Elmore Leonard are particularly good on the subject.) But above all, do three simple but demanding things. Read a lot, across lots of different genres. Write. A lot. Preferably every day. And finish things. Don't spend your time fantasising about agents and publishers. Write. And good luck! If you want it badly enough, it will happen.
Sophia Bennett
I've had stories going round in my head for as long as I can remember - since before I could walk, I think - so being able to get some of them down on paper is a wonderful release. Researching a book means you get to live your fantasy life more intensely: so recently I've been reading up about rock stars and old English mansions. And that's my job! It rocks. Sometimes you're writing a scene and a character just takes over and does something surprising and amazing. Those days are special. And after slaving away over a book for a year, hearing back from a reader that they loved one of your characters, was inspired by a theme, or that she was helped through a difficult time in her life, or even that she just couldn't put it down - it's the most rewarding feeling you can get. Plus, I love to make things. Looking at a bookshelf, and seeing lots of stories I made there - that's special too. I've often said being a writer is the best job in the world, and it is.
Sophia Bennett
Hmm. Writers' blcok. For years I didn't have it, but now occasionally I do. I can always write, but there are times when I don't have confidence in anything I've written, and that's writers' block for me. As a professional author, I have deadlines to meet, so I have to find a way to write through it. Occasionally I'll take time off, do something different, visit a gallery and try and inspire myself again. I'll read books I love, and definitely go for a long walk. Long walks rock! But at some stage, you just have to get back to the writing. So I keep going, even if I'm not sure what I'm doing, and I'm usually amazed, looking back, that it was much better than I thought. Keep going - that's the answer. Forge through that block and find out what's on the other side. It will be OK.
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