Newnham is known for its strong literary heritage and it is now being celebrated with a series of NewnhamWrites interviews.
Newnhamite author Amna Boheim (NC 1995) has launched a dedicated Q&A section on her blog featuring Newnhamite writers to give readers an insight into their lives.
Amna, pictured, said: “Some have always written; others turned to writing as a second career; while some pen novels as a parallel job. Aside from being women and utterly brilliant at what they do, the one common factor among them is their drive.”
The first installment is out now and features Jenn Ashworth (NC 2000).
Jenn understandably refuses to talk about how she juggles being a mum to do what she does because men don’t talk about that, so why should she? She does talk about teaching Creative Writing at Lancaster University, her time at school, why she became a writer and why she doesn’t have a favourite mug.
She explained: “I don’t need a special tea in a special mug; or a special pen or pencil. It’s not about being in a certain mood. They all sound like excuses. Writing’s a discipline. You just write. If you can’t write a particular scene, then write something else.”
In the NewnhamWrites series Amna also interviews Radika Swarup (NC 1997) who writes in the early hours of the morning because that’s her quiet time before the daily chaos of parenthood kickstarts.
Carol Cooper (NC 1969), a GP, teacher, newspaper columnist and author, and novelist Claire King (NC 1990) are also featured.
Amna studied Land Economy at Newnham and is herself a published author, her debut novel The Silent Children is out now.
Amna added: “Over the next five weeks I’ll be posting each interview. I hope this is just the first batch of many. I’ve enjoyed getting an insight into their writing lives – one absolutely hated writing their first novel; another absolutely hated school and the rules that went with it.
“One went speed dating and was inspired to write a novel, another wrote a story that paid homage to her ancestral history, and another wrote a beautiful and heartbreaking mediation on love and happiness.”
Read NewnhamWrites on Amna’s blog