Interview with Jenny Robin Jones
My mother is a genealogist so I can certainly relate to Jenny's work. There is something very fascinating about our past and reflecting on where we have come from and how it can help us with our future.
Tell us about your latest novel or project:
My latest book is about belonging and how we can achieve it in what has been called an Age of Loneliness. Modernity demands we develop a strong sense of self, but does little to assist us with developing a sense of belonging, with the result that we are facing an epidemic of loneliness in countries around the developed world.
The book deals with the major ways in which we may belong: work, place, community, marriage, economy, nation, the universe. It includes interviews with people who have overcome challenges that face many of us.
But it is not enough for the individual to take responsibility for his/her own sense of belonging; society must play its part. Economic growth and hands-off government have become the prevailing religion of our times. The book argues that a sense of belonging is basic to what it means to be human and should be the central focus for all our social, economic and political institutions.
What got you started writing?
Having to stay home to look after a baby. I had long wanted to write but this was the time when I found it possible, even necessary, to commit to it – I was desperate to retain a sense of myself.
What challenges did you face when you first started writing?
Lack of confidence, feelings of isolation, being made to feel that writing was not an acceptable activity compared with mothering and housework. Robin Dudding became my mentor and encouraged me. It made a huge difference that someone was supportive.
Where do you get your ideas? Is there anything about New Zealand that has inspired you to write?
I wanted to understand where I come from and how I could fit in. This was problematical for me because although I was born in NZ I spent the years from 3 to 22 in England. I felt a New Zealander yet I had no networks or friends here and I had not lived through any of the country’s history.
Why do you think readers are fascinated by books written about New Zealand?
They want to deepen their sense of identity, relevance and belonging.
Who is your favourite New Zealand author and why?
There are many Kiwi authors I love but the one whose writing has been most inspirational for my own writing is Fiona Farrell. I loved The Broken Book, its thoughtful, intelligent rambling, the author giving herself permission to ramble within an overall theme.
Do you read your book reviews? How do you handle the good and the bad ones?
It might be better if I didn’t read them. I admire authors with the strength of mind to resist. I tend to take the negative bits deeply to heart and commit them to memory, while I skim over and discount the positive. Totally silly.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Too long, because I can’t help being thorough and conscientious. On the other hand, what I read becomes deeply part of me and is easily remembered long after the book is finished. This helps me make connections between pieces of knowledge, which is one of the essential aspects of creative writing.
Do you have any secrets to productivity?
Self discipline, regular habit of writing. I start by 9 am Monday to Friday and write all morning. Even if not actually writing, I give the time and space for the possibility of it.
Where did you get the idea for your first or latest book?
The idea for Not For Ourselves Alone was engendered by the 2011 Rugby World Cup. I suddenly experienced feeling part of it.
What is your best experience meeting a fan?
One was a year or so after publication of Writers in Residence. An Indian woman visiting New Zealand saw the book in Auckland library and went to great lengths to make contact. She loved my writing style and how I wove history with personalities and their products’. I was thrilled to find that the book could transcend the confines of my small country. A second standout was giving a speech to the reunion gathering of a family whose ancestors were on the voyage described in No Simple Passage. By now this family numbers in the thousands and about 120 of them gathered together in Wellington to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the arrival of their ancestors in New Zealand. I was adulated and told, ‘We were hanging on your every word’.
How important do you think marketing is for authors today?
Very. I resisted it for a while, regarding it as one of the tasks of my publisher but as soon as I went into private publishing I wanted to give a lot of thought to marketing and to be as creative as possible. If you don’t do this you sell your work short.
Do you have any book you have written that won’t ever see the light of day and why?
Two or three novels that I slaved over but now regard as part of my writing apprenticeship.
I think most writers has one of those. It is great learning and so never wasted even if they never get published.
What quirk or trope of your genre do you like or dislike?
Being able to use fictional devices but not feeling bound to create a plot. Shaping into narrative is fine, creating character is fine.
Often writers get to approach some serious subjects. Which serious subject are you most proud to have written about or was the hardest to write about?
The hardest is usually the most personal – it carries a sense of personal risk.
It is never easy to leave ourselves raw when we bear our souls in our writing. Thank you for sharing some of your story. Good luck with your latest projects.
