Writing can be hard and exacting work, and it requires commitment and diligence, but in the end, everything about this journey is wonderful if you keep finding the fun in creating imaginary worlds.ĭid you model your characters in the book on specific Austen characters? The fans want to know who your inspiration was for each of the characters!Īs I describe below, my characters appear to me fully formed on the page when they first show up. It was actually easy to compartmentalize like that, because I only ever write when I feel like it, and because writing honestly was, and still is, the most fun I’ve ever had. The wall of agents’ and publishers’ silence that met my first five books was always extremely disappointing to me, but I never let it interfere with the writing itself. How did you cope with the disappointment or discouragement while you kept moving forward? It took you a long time to get published. Your family may always love (or have no interest!) in what you write, but teachers are the ones whose encouragement really carries weight and powers you through the years of rejection. I think every writer knows, it’s really the teachers on this one that make the difference. In fact, getting this book published gave me a great excuse to reach out to each of them where possible, and they are all so thrilled for me. The other key formative influence on my writing has been my English teachers and university professors over the years, each of whom I thank in the acknowledgements to my book. Both my parents thoroughly encouraged and supported me in whatever I did. And my father would always come back from business trips with books for me, including each of the seven Anne of Green Gables series and a wonderful Austen anthology, all of which I still own and treasure. My mum put together my first book for me when I was eight, with a front and back cover held together by string and those little seals for punched holes in paper. My mother says that even before I could read, as young as 2 or 3, I traipsed about the house with a little pencil in my hand and would pretend to scribble down musings. NATALIE JENNER: I don’t remember ever not wanting to be a writer. AMBER TOPPING: Who (or what) motivated you to become a writer? Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Natalie jenner the jane austen society