Vanessa Woolley, author of Secrets at Sunset, shares her journey to publication, the support systems that helped her along the way, and the realities of writing while balancing life, work, and self-care.
We also discuss how Vanessa shapes her stories around real-world issues like rhino conservation, grief, and young adult mental health.
In this episode:
- Vanessa shares how her love of storytelling began with childhood imaginings inspired by Little House on the Prairie and early creative writing success at school.
- She explains why she did not begin writing full-length novels until her 40s, after years working in human resources and the NHS.
- Vanessa outlines the value of the Romantic Novelists’ Association new writer scheme, including manuscript feedback, mentorship, and conference one-to-ones.
- She discusses querying agents, receiving full requests, and eventually finding a home with Kingsley Publishers, a small independent publisher based in South Africa.
- Bronte and Vanessa compare notes on editorial feedback, structural edits, and the value of not revising chapter one forever.
- Vanessa introduces her current work in progress, All at Sea, a Cornwall-set story about a mother, daughter, a mixed cassette tape, and a mystery with emotional stakes.
- They talk about writing location authentically, including the practical advice to place fictional settings where services, work, and transport would realistically exist.
- Vanessa explains how she builds characters from real people she has observed in choirs, on buses, and in everyday life.
- The conversation returns often to the emotional reality of writing, including imposter syndrome, persistence, and the importance of self-care.
Connect with Vanessa here:
https://vanessawoolleywriter.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/vanessawoolleywriter/
https://www.threads.com/@vanessawoolleywriter
vanessawoolleywriter.co.uk · linktr.ee
