In Conversation with Author & Poet Ruth Leigh
At Marketing for Authors, we spend a lot of time talking about websites, visibility, and helping authors build an online presence. But at the heart of it all is the writing itself, and the people behind the books.
So we thought it would be nice to step back from the how-to and have a proper conversation with one of our own.
In this post, we’re chatting with author, client and friend Ruth Leigh, best known for her much-loved Isabella M Smugge series. We talk about how she got started, what writing looks like day to day, the realities of being a published author, and why marketing plays such an important role alongside the creative side.
What first drew you to writing, and when did you decide to take it seriously?
I have been reading since I was four years old and that was my primary hobby from a very young age. I loved the idea of putting words on a page which made people feel things, and I did that a lot at primary school. Since 2008, I've been writing for freelance clients which has honed my style, but fiction writing gives me free rein to explore imaginary worlds and put them down on the page. That started five years ago, but I've always taken writing seriously
What would you say to someone discovering your work for the first time, and what have you published so far?
I'd say "You may not like the idea of my heroine at first - she is very snobbish and up herself - but stick with her and I promise you'll start to like her. I've published four books in the Isabella M Smugge series about a pretentious influencer moving to the country, one poetry collection (The Little Book of Unexpected Poetry), Pride and Prejudice short stories and some of my selected blogs (A Great Deal of Ingenuity). I’m a massive Jane Austen nerd, and writing those Regency stories was such fun. I was delighted to win an award for the book, and I’ve got a life-sized cardboard cutout of Colin Firth (Mr Darcy), which travels around with me when I do talks and events.
What’s been the biggest surprise or learning curve since becoming a published author?
Honestly, the fact that most people think being an author is a glamorous profession.
What does your writing process actually look like day to day, and what do you find hardest?
It's very workmanlike. I don't wait for the muse to descend, or have any writing rituals or lucky pens or anything of that sort. Most days, I've got a piece to write, a novel to finish, or a talk to compose, so I generally just get on with it. I turn on my laptop, answer my emails and crack on. When inspiration seems to have fled, it can be difficult, but I'm very stoic about that and just write anyway.
What’s one thing you wish you’d known before you started publishing?
I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but actually, there is nothing. I was so fortunate to find a wonderful publisher, and other writers helped me so much that it was a smooth and enjoyable process.
At what point did you realise that writing the book is only part of it, and that marketing plays a big role too?
I knew that right from the start. I'm quite unusual in that I actively enjoy marketing and promotion. All of that said, it felt a bit odd talking about myself at first, but with plenty of practice, I’ve relaxed into it. I’ve perfected my elevator pitch so that I’m always ready to answer the question, “What’s your book about?” Working with Marketing for Authors has been a joy, since Jason often films content for me, and I’ve been able to develop my confidence and speaking style through that means. I know it works as people often mention they’ve seen my videos on the socials, which makes a huge difference to reach and engagement.
How has having a proper website and online presence changed things for you as an author?
It has been a game-changer. Before I got a website, I had bits of paper with orders scribbled on them, and I had to trawl through texts, WhatsApps, emails and messages to find addresses and who wanted what.
The website confers an air of professionalism upon me (not that I wasn't professional already, obvs!) and helps me to organise book orders, get blogs out there and help people to find me. I worked with Marketing for Authors to build a very basic website, since I only had one book.
As time went by and I wrote more books and offered more services, we were able to add to the website. I publish my blogs through it, there’s a shop, and I know it’s sold me lots of books. I attend events and give talks throughout the year, and my business cards, with my website address and social media handles on them, are a really helpful resource.
What are you working on at the moment, and what can readers look forward to?
I'm on the first round of edits for my fifth and final Issy Smugge novel, I'm writing a short Dickensian Christmas piece for a Christmas anthology, and I'm starting to think about another kind of Issy book for next year. The Deliberations of Isabella M Smugge is out on 18th September, but if you sign up to my newsletter, you can get yours on pre-order three weeks earlier #whywouldntyou
Marketing for Authors curates my MailChimp mailing list for my monthly newsletter, which is so helpful. Tech is not my thing, although writing is.