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An Interview with Holly Smale by Hannah Draisey
Getting to Know Geek Girl Holly Smale, writer of the popular teenage novel series Geek Girl visited the Evelina Children’s Hospital in South London recently to speak to some of the patients who do their lessons in the hospital’s own school. While she was there, she spoke to young journalist and pupil Hannah Draisey about her books and her inspiration for the series. Hannah has kindly let us publish her interview.
What made you want to write Geek Girl?
I wanted to be a writer since I was four but didn’t know what to write about. I was 29 when I decided to write a story about my past.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Each of my books took a different amount of time to write. The first Geek Girl book took three years to write because I was working full time and writing at the weekends. The second book took a year as I didn’t have to work and had more experience. The books I write now take six to nine months each.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I get inspiration from everything. I listen to conversations, I pay attention to how people walk and dress, I am incredibly nosey. I use experiences from my own life, if I overhear something funny or interesting I might include it in my books.
Which books did you enjoy reading when you were growing up?
When I was very little, I read the Faraway Tree series. When I got a bit older, I read The Borrowers and Anne of Green Gables. Anne of Green Gables helped me when I was going through a difficult time.
Which books have you enjoyed reading recently?
I’ve just finished reading the Game of Thrones books. It’s the first time I’ve read a fantasy novel. I’ve enjoyed the difference in genre. As a writer it’s important to read different types of books. You can sometimes get stuck reading just one genre.
Do you ever read your own books?
Yes, I don’t read them for pleasure because I know them so well and I know what made me write the books. Because it’s a series, when starting to write the next book I go back and read all the books before that again. I remind myself what’s going on and the type of tempo the story is paced at.
I enjoyed the facts you included in Geek Girl. What interests you in facts like these?
I was a lot like Harriet (Geek Girl character) when I was younger and still am now. Facts are a different way of seeing the world and facts are Harriet’s narrative voice. It is also a way of showing Harriet’s personality and character.
Are any of the characters in Geek Girl based on real people?
No character is the same as a person in real life, most of them are fictional however a couple are very similar to people I know. Harriet’s dad for example is very similar to my own dad. Harriet was very similar to me as a teenager. Some of the characters are based on a mix of different people I’ve met.
To finish, Hannah also asked Holly some questions about herself. What advice would you give your teenage self?
I’d tell her to be brave. When I was younger, I blamed myself for things that happened; I’d go back and give myself a hug.
