Interview with Emily Bitto

Emily Bitto has been named the winner of the 2015 Stella Prize for her debut novel, The Strays. Find out more here.


What does winning the Stella Prize mean to you?

Winning the Stella Prize is one of the most incredible, life-changing things that’s ever happened to me. I’m only just beginning to contemplate what it will mean in terms of my career as a writer, but even being on the shortlist has had a huge impact on the kind of attention my novel has received. As a validation of my work, it is an absolute honour. And of course the prize money will give me the most precious gift of all – time to write! The Stella Prize is also particularly dear to my heart, because its aim of redressing the gender imbalance that exists in the literary world is one that I feel very passionately about. So to have won this prize in particular really means a lot to me.

The Strays is your debut novel. What have been some of the challenges – and some of the unexpected delights – of publishing your first book?

I knew before I started that writing a novel was going to be hard work, but I had no idea how long and hard a slog it was going to be! Sustaining your motivation to keep working on the manuscript, and trying to make it the best it can be rather than just stopping at the point of exhaustion, is the kind of challenge that feels impossible by about draft number ten. But it’s also one that brings a surprising sense of exhilaration once it’s over. You push yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of, and I think that sense of satisfaction ultimately eclipses any praise or attention that comes later. For me, that is both the biggest challenge and the most unexpected delight of writing. Another delight is becoming part of a community of writers – suddenly not feeling alone in your endeavors. I feel extremely fortunate to be part of a really supportive writing community, and I’ve experienced a lot of encouragement and generosity from other writers.

What’s the last book you read and loved, that was written by an Australian woman?

Ellen Van Neerven’s Heat and Light, contains some of the freshest and most exciting writing around. I’ve also got three new books by Australian women on my bedside table right now, which I’m itching to get into: Abigail Ulman’s Hot Little Hands; SJ Finn’s Down to the River; and Amanda Lohrey’s A Short History of Richard Kline. I just can’t decide which one to start first!

Which books, written by women, inspired you as a child?

The main ones were the Moomintroll books, written by Finnish author Tove Jansson, which are still among my all-time favourites. They are so magical, and so full of wonderfully complex characters, even though they’re all imaginary creatures. I also adored Astrid Lindgren’s children’s books, especially Pippi Longstocking and the Emil series. Hmm… I seem to have been very fashion-forward in my early consumption of Scandinavian literature, which is so hot right now!

When writing, are you a meticulous planner or do you figure things out as you go along?

I definitely figure things out as I go. With The Strays, I knew the basic plot, but I find I lose interest in the process if I plan too much. I’m also a big believer in unconscious process, and letting the themes and symbolism, for example, emerge naturally rather than being too carefully thought through. I often have the experience of struggling with a problem – of plot, or structure, or whatever – and then having the solution come to me quite clearly in the middle of the night. It doesn’t help me to be a well-rested and functional person, but it’s just how I work. Someone once told me that the mind is like a fax machine: it can only process one thing at a time. I like outdated technology metaphors, and that rings true to me. Rather than meticulously planning, what works best for me is just to set my mind on a particular project and let it completely consume my thinking. The process seems to work more easily that way.

We know that you mustn’t have much spare time on your hands as the co-owner of your newish bar and cafe a couple of doors down from our Carlton shop, Heart Attack & Vine, but can you tell us a little about what you’re working on next?

I’m quite superstitious about discussing my ideas. Mainly because they can suddenly seem really naff when you simplify them enough to try to explain them to someone else. But I do have a second novel on the go, albeit in the very early stages. The bar is keeping me extremely busy at the moment, but it’s also a blessing in disguise, because I’m totally itching to get back to writing, and I think it will ultimately help avoid the pressure that can be generated around the notoriously difficult second novel. All I will say is that it will be a contemporary novel, rather than being set in the past, as The Strays was.

You have been a sessional tutor in Creative Writing at University of Melbourne in the past, what books did you encourage students to read in order to develop their craft?

I don’t tend to recommend particular books to students unless they specifically ask, because everyone has such different taste and different aims as writers. I’ll often be teaching students who want to write sci-fi in the same class as students who want to write highly experimental literary fiction, so it’s hard to recommend books that will suit everyone. But what I definitely encourage students to do is to read widely and voraciously, and also to read in a particular way, as a writer. It’s quite a difficult habit to get into when you are used to consuming books purely for entertainment, but if you train yourself to read in a different way – trying to work out how it’s done, with a focus on the technical elements of structure, scene, plot, character, dialogue, perspective, imagery etc. – then you can learn almost everything you need to learn as a writer.


To celebrate Bitto’s win, we’re delighted to offer The Strays at the very special price of $17.95 (was $24.99) and signed by the author! Hurry, this limited time offer is available online and in our shops until midnight on Wednesday 22 April.

Cover image for The Strays

The Strays

Emily Bitto

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