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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, Jeff Senior, author of The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched, shares the inspiration behind his story and his creative writing process.
Written by JJ Barnes
I interviewed Jeff Senior about his life and career, the story of his new book, The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched, and what inspired him to write it.
Tell me a bit about who you are.
I’m Jeff Senior. I was born in West Yorkshire and still live here, in a place called Liversedge, with my wife of over 53 years. We have two sons and two grandchildren.
I started working in IT and, after about ten years, became a freelance writer. This was initially as a technical author, writing user guides and help text for computer software. I later moved on to writing articles for business magazines, which meant I was able to interview some very interesting people, including a few celebrity chefs. I also filled in with writing website text and blogs.
When did you first WANT to write a book?
I’ve long had an ambition to have a published novel but financial constraints meant I needed a more dependable income. Now I’m past retirement age and the mortgage is paid off, I’ve had the opportunity to finally achieve my aim.
When did you take a step to start writing?
At school, I was particularly interested in English Language and Literature, and I liked to write. I continued that into my career and have always written in some form or another, although nothing that’s been widely read.
As most people know, computer user guides don’t get read. They just sit on a shelf. I did have a published book in the 1980s, “Microcomputer Buyer’s Guide”, which had a very restricted circulation and sold hardly any copies. I’ve ghost-written two business books that aren’t of course in my name although I do get an acknowledgement.
Now I’m trying to get into proper writing that people might actually read.
How long did it take you to complete your first book from the first idea to release?
The whole process probably took something over three years.
After I had the initial idea for the book, I spent around eighteen months writing it. This was done on a part-time basis due to other demands.
Once it was finally finished to my satisfaction, coming in at around 82,000 words, the next big challenge was finding a publisher. I initially started submitting to literary agents but the general response was “it isn’t for us” or some other vague and meaningless brush-off. I then moved on to publishers who were looking for submissions and finally got it accepted.
From that point, it took a further eighteen months or so to achieve publication. It seems a long process but there is plenty to do, from editing and cover design through to pricing and distribution. Now we’re in the marketing phase, which the publisher is doing to some degree (not much) and I’m also contributing as much as I can. I find this stage much more difficult and time-consuming than the original writing. It’s also preventing me doing much new writing, which I suppose is one of the challenges of being an independent author without the backing of an agent or a large publisher.
How long did it take you to complete your latest book from the first idea to release?
The second book is underway and is currently sitting at about 63,000 words, so I have more to do. I’m currently, when I find the time, reading through what I’ve done to check for errors and holes, and to re-organise where necessary.
This one has probably been in progress for well over a year, again only on a part-time basis. It’s even more part-time now with the marketing effort required for the first book, which I think is slowly, very slowly, starting to have some effect.
Focusing on your latest release. What made you want to write The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched?
I have been a writer for most of my career and have wanted to write a ‘proper’ novel for many years. The problem was a lack of time and the need to focus on earning money to support my family. Now I have more time to tackle the project but seem to be working harder now than I did when I was working full-time.
The book idea came from me thinking about life in general. About how the decisions we take and the actions that result can change not only our own lives but also those around us and then those around them. It’s like a ripple effect and means our lives are not like they would have been if we had acted differently.
The original plan was to describe different outcomes depending on the decisions taken but that became too complicated and I settled for the story that was eventually produced.
What were your biggest challenges with writing The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched?
The biggest problem was a lack of time to devote to the project. So I finished up writing it wherever and whenever I could, on a phone or tablet, whichever was available at the time. The main writing was on a laptop, so all the bits were eventually transferred there for incorporation, further writing, consolidation, checking, editing and polishing. It sounds a bit complicated but seemed to work.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Protagonist?
The main two characters are a retired couple and I suppose they’re very loosely based on myself and my wife. However, we lead fairly uneventful lives so the story digresses quite rapidly from what we do. Supermarket shopping probably wouldn’t be very interesting.
Who or what inspired you when creating your Antagonist?
I don’t think there’s anyone in particular who the antagonist is based on. He just sort of appeared and developed as the story progressed.
What is the inciting incident of The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched?
The main two characters are an elderly couple who are happy in retirement. The inciting incident is them coming across a woman on a bridge over a motorway, who seems intent on taking her own life and who eventually falls to her death. This sets them off on a quest to find out why she did it and to bring to justice the person responsible.
What is the main conflict of The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched?
The husband becomes obsessed with the quest for justice whereas his wife is increasingly concerned about the dangers they face. So it does affect their relationship, which is put under severe strain.
Did you plot The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched in advance, or fly by the seat of your pants and write freely?
I basically had the initial idea for the book, wrote the first and last chapters, then filled in the rest. So the overall plot and the characters were developed as I went along. It did seem to work out okay and I’m largely using the same process for the second book.
Did you get support with editing, and how much editing did The Itch That Couldn’t Be Scratched need?
I did the initial spellchecking and proofreading myself and then had the book read through by others before submitting for publication. The publisher provided further editing, although the changes that resulted were minimal. That’s either because I did a brilliant job or they weren’t very thorough with the editing. You choose!
What is the first piece of writing advice you would give to anyone inspired to write a story?
As a debut novelist, I’m not sure I’m in a position to give writing advice. However, I will say that, if someone has an ambition to write, then just do it. Stick with it and keep writing because it becomes easier and better with practice.
Can you give me a hint about any further books you’re planning to write?
The second book is a follow-up to the first one and I’m hoping to develop a series based on the same characters. However, I’m a long way off that and the success or otherwise of the first book may point the way forward.
And, finally, are your proud of your accomplishment? Was it worth the effort?
I suppose those of us with an ambition to write just want to see our name on a published book. So, to receive my author’s copies and to be able to hold a book with my name as the author was a proud moment. I think it’s also an achievement to know that people will buy my book and read the words I’ve written. There may not be many of them but there already are some.
Pop all your book, website and social media links here so the readers can find you:
Apple Books: https://apple.co/4bThFlB
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4bQeStH
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4bS1Xar
Website: https://www.jeffsenior.co.uk/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/dashboard?ref=nav_profile_authordash
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555810474059
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