Kimberley Adam’s ‘Go your own way’ is a fantastically funny read full of relatable laughs and references. Donna is the first to go to university and spends her last summer in a funeral parlour. Which doesn’t go well…
Have you always been interested in (comic) writing, or did you fall into it unexpectedly? Have you ever kept a teenage diary?
l've always veered towards humour in my writing. I try to start off all literary serious but by the second page it usually descends into something I find funny! I did keep a teenage diary (in the days when we had to actually write with a pen in a book) and I still have one from when I was about 14 (it makes for pitiful reading let me tell you and I hope if I ever get famous, it doesn't make it into the hands of the press!)
We would all love to hear about where you get ideas for your wondrous wit? Do you have any tips you could impart to aspiring witty writers?
I'm a Geordie who lives in a region known for its humour. Wit is all around me, every day of the week. If you are a bit nosy, and a bit of an ear flapper then you can hear all kinds of things that you can squirrel away for your writing. My writing tends to be a real reflection of life in the north east, with a little bit of literary licence of course, but I use humour that has its roots firmly in the real world.
Speaking of which, where does your writing magic happen?
Funny enough, just did a facebook post earlier today about the very busy publishing company from where the magic happens - the company is me and the premises are in what was my dining room! I now have two romantic comedies out in the world, both since I found out about me being placed in CWIP although I had been writing the first one long before I entered the competition.
What is the best piece of content by a witty woman you've read/watched/listened to/experienced recently?
As I said before, I find comedy in the real world. Now you are going to think I am making this up, but I promise I am not. My aunt, 86 years young, said this to me only yesterday 'Kim, do you want a Titanic bar, they go down well with a cup of tea' See, that makes me laugh as is just naturally hilarious and l've copyrighted it for my next book! She meant a Titan bar from Aldi by the way!
Finally, do you have any advice for other witty writers thinking about entering the prize?
Being involved in the book gave me an opportunity to be traditionally published and see the differences between that and self-publishing which I am with my own books. Bragging rights for being in a book with such established comedians was also good. To anyone witty enough thinking of entering, just go for it, humour is always subjective, there's no way around that but I promise you that someone will get you and you just never know where the journey will take you. The other thing about me being placed in CWIP is that it gave me confidence that the judges had read my story and had enjoyed my writing - and I say a big thanks to them..
Helen says “loving your home grown ‘ear wigging’ school of wit - guaranteed humour right there!”
Kimberley's short story "Go Your Own Way" appears in The Book of Witty Women available to purchase now.
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