Interview with Debut Novelist and TV Story Producer, Olivia Ford

Olivia Ford has spent the last ten years in entertainment TV, most recently as a story producer. Olivia is a graduate of the Faber Academy where she wrote the beginnings of Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame, which was longlisted for the 2021 Women’s Prize Trust’s Discoveries Prize. Raised in Lincolnshire, Olivia now lives in London. Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame is her debut novel.

 

Describe a typical day for you?

I wish I could paint a picture for you here of a perfectly planned and aspirational day but that wouldn’t be the truth. There are two typical things about my day: it starts with a cup of earl grey tea, and it ends with me reading a book in bed… The bit in the middle really varies! In November last year, I had a little girl (my first!) so my days are currently more ‘reactive’ than ‘typical’, an assortment of walks in the park, baby classes, household chores, coffees with friends and stolen moments of work when she’s napping.

Before becoming a mother, I was juggling my day job as a TV Producer (most recently on reality show Made In Chelsea) and writing my debut novel. I would try to write before work, at the weekend and whilst on holiday but I never really had a routine as such and every day looked slightly different.

 

What do you feel are your greatest achievements?

My greatest achievement would be writing and finishing my debut novel Mrs Quinn’s Rise To Fame. My protagonist in the novel, Jennifer Quinn, embarks on a quiet ambition at 77 years old when she secretly applies for a TV baking competition. In many ways, Britain Bakes for her, was like writing a novel for me. It was something I so desperately wanted to achieve.

 

What’s in your handbag/ satchel?

I’m going to be honest, it’s a total mess. My purse, my phone and my keys (hopefully), a dummy chain, about 15 very unexciting receipts, old theatre tickets, an individually wrapped biscuit from the side of a coffee that I’ve, ‘saved for later’, a used tissue, several pens (some usually exploded) and a notebook just in case I have a brainwave. Come to think of it, it’s absolute chaos.

 

What are your ambitions in life?

On a work level, it is to grow as a writer. My latest ambition is to write a second novel, and one that has my whole heart in it, just as Mrs Quinn does. On a personal level, my ambition is to live a life struck through with love, and to share that love.

 

What do you wish you’d known at the start of your career that you now know?

I’m relatively new to writing as a career but I would tell myself to enjoy the journey of writing a book, rather than focusing on the destination of having written it. There is nothing better than the feeling of having a good writing day and feeling enthused by your idea but there are the tricky writing days too, days when you can’t get started and self-doubt creeps in.  On days like that, I dreamt of having the book finished and how it would feel to have accomplished this ambition. However, when I got there, it was a bit of an anti-climax. I missed the purpose and the characters. Ultimately, I realised that writing is much like life: it’s the journey that needs to be embraced, rather than the destination.

 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Hopefully having written more books, and with a little family.

 

What advice would you give a budding author?

There were two pivotal moments on my journey to becoming a published author. The first was enrolling on a writing course with Faber Academy where I learnt about the craft of fiction writing, whilst building my confidence with a group of fellow writers. Not only did I really enjoy it, but without it I’m not sure Mrs Quinn would ever have happened. The second is that I entered the first 10k words into the Women’s Prize Trust’s ‘Discoveries Prize’, a writing competition for unpublished female authors. I was longlisted, which ultimately led to me meeting my brilliant agent Lucy Morris. In short, do courses and enter competitions! You have nothing to lose on either count.

 

What advice would you give to a new parent?

As a new parent myself I’m still finding my way, but there are two things that stand out from my journey so far. The first is that all a baby really needs is your love. When you strip back all the pressure that comes with motherhood (how they sleep, what you’re feeding them etc.) really all they need is you, as you are. Your love is enough.

My second piece of advice would be that everything passes. I remember the first day I got back from hospital and she would only sleep on me. I was exhausted and overwhelmed. I thought that from now on I would always feel this tired, but of course that wasn’t true. If you know that something isn’t forever, you can embrace the moment more, in the knowledge that it’s only fleeting.

 

Finally, happiness is…

A good writing day, my cat’s velvet nose, baking, running in the rain, pottering in the garden with my husband, fresh flowers, a great conversation, exploring corners of a new city, Nora Ephron movies, reading a brilliant book, walks in the countryside, finding a beautiful antique, a delicious coffee, paint charts, two-hour phone-calls with my mum, my daughter’s laugh.

 

Buy the book, Mrs Quinn’s Rise to Fame here.

You can read more Wonderful Women Interviews here.