🎙 INTERVIEW: The Art of Writing Literary Fiction w/ Tessa Hadley
​** This is a LIVE interview with author Tessa Hadley about the craft of writing and reality of building a writing career. Attendees will be sent a recording after the interview. **
​It took Tessa Hadley 20 years of struggling to write—and four failed novels—before she landed her first publishing deal at age 46. Today, she’s one of the most celebrated literary authors of our time, with her work frequently appearing in The New Yorker and Granta. Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls her “one of the best fiction writers writing today.”
​How does Tessa transform the seemingly mundane details of daily life into extraordinary, emotionally resonant stories?
​In this conversation, Tessa shares her journey as a writer, her creative process, and her methods for crafting characters and narratives that feel achingly real.
​We’ll discuss:
​How she uncovers drama in the everyday
​The art of capturing unspoken desires and inner conflicts
​Writing "close to home"—and why personal truths make powerful fiction
​Her approach to novels vs. short stories and the unique challenges of each form
​The role of curiosity, observation, and memory in her storytelling
​About Tessa HadleyÂ
​Tessa Hadley is the author of six highly acclaimed novels and three short-story collections. In 2016 she was awarded the Windham Campbell Prize and the Hawthornden Prize. She teaches literature and creative writing at Bath Spa University. Her stories appear regularly in The New Yorker, Granta and other magazines.
​Your London Writers' Salon Hosts:
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​Parul Bavishi and Matt Trinetti are the co-founders of the London Writers' Salon, creators of the webby-nominated Writers' Hour daily writing sessions, and hosts of the London Writers' Salon podcast.
​Parul Bavishi has been an editor for over a decade. In addition to running LWS she helps thriller, YA and non-fiction writers level up their craft and get published. She writes and edits for the Story Grid. She has worked as an editor and literary scout at Random House, Quercus & Eccles Fisher. She analyses TV hit shows (Killing Eve, Ozark, Game of Thrones) on the Story Grid Showrunners Podcast.
​Matt Trinetti is a writer, publisher, TEDx speaker, and facilitator. In addition to running LWS, Matt designs programs to help unfulfilled professionals pursue creative work, start businesses, and reinvent their careers. Matt's work has appeared in Quartz, Observer, Creative Mornings, and on his blog GiveLiveExplore.
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