Writer of The Week: Patsy Collins

Our Writer Of The Week is author Patsy Collins. Patsy’s short story, “Rooted In Love”, is in Special 276, on sale now.

In your story the characters’ emotions felt real. Is this a process you enjoy capturing.

Very much so. I think fiction is a good place to explore emotions. Not many of us will have been in the exact situation as the people in this (or any other) story, but I bet at times we’ve all felt at least one of the emotions reflected in Rhiannon. Maybe we’ve said or done something to a loved one we later regretted. Or doubted our own worth. Or put off a potential improvement in our life through fear of failure.

Sometimes knowing a person, even an imaginary person, who found a way to deal with a situation can inspire us to seek our own solutions. I very much hope readers will, just as Rhiannon does, see these things as a small part of their life and move on to the joy and hope she experiences at the end.

A special tree appears in “Rooted In Love”. Does nature inspire you as a writer?

It is indeed a special tree, both in the story and in real life. I was inspired to write this story when I discovered one of the many photos my grandma took of me, standing under the tree she planted when I was very little.

Nature inspires me as a person. I love the countryside, wildflowers and animals, mountains, moors, rivers and coast. I’m very lucky to frequently travel to relatively unspoilt parts of the UK.

What one thing do you like and dislike about fiction writing?

I like everything about the actual writing. Making stuff up is fun – as is sorting out annoying people on the page, giving happy endings to those who deserve it, or looking at familiar situations from a different perspective.

Writing and rewriting a piece until I feel it’s as good as I can make it is satisfying. I have wonderful writing buddies, and we help and support each other, which makes the process even more enjoyable.

Do you set yourself writing goals?

I don’t have word-count targets, set writing hours, or a required weekly output. When I first began taking my writing seriously, I tried that approach but found it didn’t work for me. Both my lifestyle and personality are incompatible with rigid schedules.

I do have things I want to accomplish. When I first started, my goal was to get a story published. After that happened, I moved on to trying to get a story in all UK women’s magazines. (The “Friend” was the last one to give in and accept me!) I then decided to write a novel. Once I’d done a few of those, I had the dream of creating a cosy crime novel series.

I achieved that by releasing the third “Little Mallow” book earlier this year. While I decide on my next long-term project, I’m enjoying writing more short stories. Those get less attention when I work on novels, but I can’t imagine I’ll ever stop writing them.

What pastimes do you enjoy, and do they help you as a writer?

I’m a keen gardener and garden visitor. I also like to cook (I’m jolly good at eating, too). Flowers, plants and gardens feature in my writing almost as often as delicious food, especially cake, so there’s definitely a connection between the two. It might, however, be a case of writing research being an excuse for afternoon tea in beautiful surroundings. No, what am I saying? Of course, these things are vital to my work. Lemon drizzle and tulips should be tax deductible.

Another interest is travelling with my husband in our campervan. The locations and a few of our experiences do make their way into stories now and then, but the benefit to my writing is more indirect. Our trips, while fun and with time off for exploring, are usually part of my husband’s job – he’s a photographer. In fact, I’m writing this from the van, which is currently parked up next to a sea wall.

What is your favourite novel of all time, and what makes it so memorable?

There are far too many excellent novels for me to pick a favourite, but “The Secret Garden” is a memorable one. I read and enjoyed it as a child. Many years later, I decided to read it again. I was astounded I remembered so much, including a lot which wasn’t actually there! That showed me that the written word not only stays with people but becomes part of them. That might sound fanciful, but for decades my memory held a book partly written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and partly by my own imagination.

As a successful writer of “Friend” stories over the years, is it challenging coming up with new ideas?

Getting ideas has never been a problem for me. The challenge is in picking just one to work on, writing it in a way which will, hopefully, appeal to “Friend” readers. Also, to make sure a story is the length the editors currently need and set at the appropriate season.

The “Friend” has changed and modernised a little over the years. It’s still a “nice” family, friendly read, which rather than shock readers will cheer and comfort them. But some stories now have subjects, themes or characters that wouldn’t have been considered in the past. That gives us writers more scope – and more variety for the readers, too.

Thanks, Patsy!

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