My Fat Mad Teenage Diary Author Interview
Conversation with Published Writer and Radio Presenter Rae Earl
Suite 101: When did you start keeping diaries and why did you start?
I had my first diary in about 1985. I think I started because my love for George Michael had grown too big for my brain to handle and I needed to express my love for him through the medium of verse. Obviously when Tom Cruise arrived in 1986 George was superseded. I think I stopped writing a diary when I'd run out of words that rhymed with either 'George', 'Tom', 'Top' and 'Gun'. I restarted again in early 1989.
Suite 101: Who bought you your favourite diary?
They were never bought. I nicked exercise books from school.
Suite 101: When you were writing your diaries did you have an imaginary audience in mind, was it a soul cleansing exercise or was it something else entirely?
Utterly soul cleansing. The thought of an audience was horrifying. All my diaries were kept firmly under my mattress. I thought it would be the last place my mum would look.
Suite 101: When did you decide to publish your diaries? What prompted your decision?
I was about to finally bin all 9 volumes in 2001 when my husband suggested that we should use parts of them on the breakfast radio show that we presented together. I read out a little bit every day and the response was amazing. It seemed to strike such a chord with people of all ages.
Suite 101: Did it take a lot of work to translate your diaries into an interesting, readable memoir?
It took a lot of editing. There was some deeply personal and potential hurtful stuff in there that all had to go. I didn't mind embarrassing myself - It's almost like reading the work of a different person though I know it's me. I felt, and feel, very protective over the other characters in there. My husband was a great advisor in this - we had many discussions about what to include and what to leave out. We only disagreed very badly once - and I maintain I was right.
Suite 101: Where did you enjoy writing? Did you have a special writing place and time?
I LOVED writing them up. I created a special 80's playlist and it was like reliving all the best bits from the safety of my 30's knowing I didn't die a virgin.
Suite 101: Now that you are an old pro at memoir writing do you think you would ever tackle a biography? If you were going to write a biography who would it be about?
I'm thinking of writing a book about my mum's life called 'This book should be miserable - but it's not'.
Suite 101: How easy or difficult was it to find a literary agent? How long did it then take to find a publisher?
I went through a fair mound of agent rejections but I actually found the industry very friendly, polite and supportive. I had many positive comments which kept me going. The agent I finally signed with, Eve White, just 'got' me and my book from moment one and it's hard to imagine being with anyone else. Publisher wise - it happened very quickly and again Hodder 'got' the book and have been great.
Suite 101: How did you feel when you first saw your published book?
It's the smell of a newly published book that's the most thrilling thing. AND having your own ISBN code! I use some of the numbers in my ISBN code as lottery numbers.
Suite 101: Has your life changed since publishing your memoir? Did anyone treat you differently after reading it?
Yes it has. I never expected it to have such an impact - I mean this is about 'me' nearly 20 years ago. However it's fundamentally changed my life as now it's all 'out there'. People got in touch who I haven't heard from in years with their perspective on the time and that's made me think too.
Look - This is a conversation best had over 2 bottles of wine - You bring the Pinot - I'll bring a rambling philosophical musing on life, love and regret. You better bring a copy of 'Heat' too because you'll be bored sh**less after 5 minutes.
Suite 101: Would you ever write a memoir of your adult life?
I'm thinking of turning some of my experiences into a sit com. I think the characters and the situations write themselves.
Rae Earl is the author of My Fat Mad Teenage Diary (ISBN:0340950943). Rae is represented by the Eve White Literary Agency. Eve White also took time out to speak to Suite 101 about the world of literary agents and the memoir genre.
