Sophie Parkin tells Phil Williams how the recession of the early 90s prompted her to switch career – and how she started earning a living from writing.

At 5pm on the dot, Sophie Parkin sweeps into the room with her entourage – an intriguing juxtaposition of red beret, red lipstick, red coat, fishnets, and shoes that reminded me of those my sister used to wear as a child in the fifties. Sophie insists that she has never grown up, yet her work is witness to the highest of professional skills.

Recession opportunities

Sophie switched career from artist to writer as a result of the recession of the early 90s and serendipity then played its part. She was invited by the publisher who had declined to publish her novel to contribute to a collection of writing on mothers by daughters. Her contribution, for which she was paid the princely sum of £250, caught the eye first of Vogue and then just about every national newspaper, eventually  earning her £15,000 plus massive interest from the publishing world, with the result that her declined novel, All Grown Up, was published and achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success.

She was then poached and offered riches; but it was a deal with Mephistopheles, which she had great pleasure in declining with delicious drama. Not being grown up must have helped at this point: the teen novels The Life and Loves of Lily came about through a chance conversation at a book launch with the Managing Director of Piccadilly Children’s Books. Sophie was asked to offer ideas for a series. She researched the book shelves and offered five, one of which was accepted. Now she is working on something different again.

Modern bookselling

Sophie has her loves and her hates in the publishing world. She loathes and detests the ‘terrible trend of misery books’, which are still a fast-growing section of the non-fiction market. They have, she acknowledges, made writing about the past instantly marketable, but just how reliable is memory? In truth, she says, it is fiction dressed up as fact. This wave of criticism spills over onto celebrities and their ghost writers.

On the other side of the coin, Sophie is fearsome in her support of independent booksellers and libraries, and urges others to do likewise. She sees in general publishing and bookselling a move toward every greater commercialism, with need, for example, to buy space in Waterstone’s window. As a result, she is strong in her support of independent publishers, and says with the advent of print on demand it is much more feasible for young entrepreneurial publishers to enter the market.

More than a novelist

Sophie insists that she is a writer and not just a novelist. She is convinced that if you can write and formulate ideas, you can write anything. It is a simply a matter of learning in the saddle. For Sophie, being a writer, rather than just a novelist, is illustrated in three diverse ways. She writes for the Daily Mail which pays well and respects her copy; unlike some broadsheets, she hints.

She also writes for love. For her piece on the Closing of the Colony Room in Soho in www.penpushermagazine.co.uk she received no payment but much acclaim. She flags up this as a great site for new writers and also the short-story magazine, free to bookshops, Tales of the Decongested (www.decongested.com). Sophie teaches short-story writing and warns that the short story is difficult, much neglected but emerging as a form for new writers; new publishers are looking at short story magazines for their next authors. Above all, she sees writing as fun. On the first Tuesday in every month she hosts an evening of music and new writing at The Green Carnation, 5 Greek Street in Soho, London, from 9pm to 1am.

Take some advice

So, what advice does Sophie Parkin have for aspiring writers? Take every opportunity; never write down to children; and never think of your writing as precious. Editors will change it. All Grown Up was re-written twelve times. To find out more, go to her website:  www.sophieparkin.co.uk

Sophie is currently running a week-long summer school here in Falmouth, teaching aspiring writers you how to turn your life into a book! Watch this space for news on future courses.