{"id":4695,"date":"2022-11-04T05:16:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T05:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/?p=4695"},"modified":"2025-06-12T10:07:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-12T09:07:10","slug":"author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\/","title":{"rendered":"Author Spotlight With Heidi Stephens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"\" src=\"\"><em>In this&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/tag\/author-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">series<\/a>, we interview published Novlr authors to learn about their work, routines, and how they use Novlr. Heidi Stephens has spent her career working in advertising and marketing; some of her early writing work includes instruction manuals for vacuum cleaners, cookware and sex toys. For the past twelve years, she has also freelanced as a TV journalist and liveblogger for The Guardian. She lives in a small town in the UK with her partner and her Labrador, Mabel. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can you tell us a little about yourself as a writer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve been a writer of sorts for the past twenty years \u2013 mostly as a copywriter in marketing agencies or freelancing as a journalist. But I came to novel writing late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wrote my first novel during the first lockdown of 2020, aged 47. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.bookshop.org\/a\/864\/9781472285829\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Two Metres From You<\/a><\/em> was published in 2021 and earlier this year, won <a href=\"https:\/\/romanticnovelistsassociation.org\/2022\/03\/heidi-stephens-two-metres-from-you\/#:~:text=TUESDAY%208TH%20MARCH%202022%20Chippenham,fiction%20in%20all%20its%20forms.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Debut Romance Of The Year at the Romantic Novelists\u2019 Awards<\/a>. All my books so far have been contemporary romantic comedies; I can\u2019t ever imagine writing a twisty thriller, but who knows?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What publishing route did you choose, and why?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I wanted a traditional publisher, if possible, to help me navigate an industry I knew nothing about. So I dived into the submission process and was lucky enough to be signed by a brilliant agent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In turn, my agent got me a two-book deal with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.headline.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Headline<\/a>, which has since been extended to four books. The third is out in November 2022, and the fourth in summer 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.bookshop.org\/a\/864\/9781472285829\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"598\" height=\"924\" data-src=\"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8B66B2E3-9F6C-4DBD-8818-B7526ECB7720.jpeg\" alt=\"Two Metres From You by Heidi Stephens\" class=\"wp-image-4698 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8B66B2E3-9F6C-4DBD-8818-B7526ECB7720.jpeg 598w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/8B66B2E3-9F6C-4DBD-8818-B7526ECB7720-194x300.jpeg 194w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 598px) 100vw, 598px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 598px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 598\/924;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I wrote a lot of stories as a child and was an avid reader, but I never imagined I could make a living out of it. I had my children very young, and life commitments took over \u2013 it took decades (and a global pandemic) before I actually had the time and headspace to give it a go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is your writing routine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Sporadic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I still have a job and various journalistic commitments, so I fit a chapter in whenever I can \u2013 sometimes at 6 am, sometimes at 10 pm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Occasionally I\u2019ll get a full day at a weekend, and I\u2019ll hammer out 5000 words. Luckily I write quite fast (or so my agent says), and I\u2019m quite good at writing in my head while I\u2019m walking the dog, and then jotting it down when I get back. I haven\u2019t missed a deadline yet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do you have any interesting writing quirks?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m a notoriously organised person \u2013 my lists and spreadsheets are the stuff of family legend. So I assumed I\u2019d be a meticulous planner of plot and character, but I\u2019m not. I just dive in and keep writing, knowing vaguely where the story ends and finding the path as I go along. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It seems to work, although it\u2019s not at all how I imagined it would be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.bookshop.org\/a\/864\/9781472285850\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"598\" height=\"922\" data-src=\"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/A220F0E0-E79A-491E-A607-E79E0B2925FD.jpeg\" alt=\"Never Gonna Happen by Heidi Stephens\" class=\"wp-image-4699 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/A220F0E0-E79A-491E-A607-E79E0B2925FD.jpeg 598w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/A220F0E0-E79A-491E-A607-E79E0B2925FD-195x300.jpeg 195w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 598px) 100vw, 598px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 598px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 598\/922;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you find your inspiration?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All KINDS of places. My second book, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.bookshop.org\/a\/864\/9781472285850\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Never Gonna Happen<\/a><\/em>, was borne out of a news story I read on Facebook about a hair straightener fire. Another book I\u2019m itching to write is inspired by a lyric from a pop song. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m also pushing fifty, so I\u2019ve travelled a bit, done lots of jobs, raised a family, and met loads of interesting people. When you\u2019ve been around the block a few times, there\u2019s ALWAYS plenty to work with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long have you used Novlr, and how does it fit into your writing routine?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I started my first novel in April 2020, and it took me about a week of Microsoft Word to realise I needed something better. I have quite an orderly mind and needed a way to move things around, put sections to one side, add notes and random thoughts that were easy to find later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I read lots of reviews of writing software and settled on Novlr; I wanted something cloud-based rather than device-specific, because I had a laptop for work and one for home, and I wanted to be able to use both depending on where I was. I\u2019ve never looked back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is your favourite Novlr feature?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I love the little prompts that give me a \u2018well done\u2019 for how many words I\u2019ve written \u2013 it\u2019s such a small thing but also a real boost. The goal setting is great too \u2013 when I was furloughed from my job and could write every day, I set a goal of 1000 words a day and at one point had a 68-day streak. That feels like a VERY long time ago now!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uk.bookshop.org\/a\/864\/9781472293558\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"614\" height=\"932\" data-src=\"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3A98F3FB-F78A-4B0F-8156-2735FF94D632.jpeg\" alt=\"The Only Way Is Up by Heidi Stephens\" class=\"wp-image-4700 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3A98F3FB-F78A-4B0F-8156-2735FF94D632.jpeg 614w, https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3A98F3FB-F78A-4B0F-8156-2735FF94D632-198x300.jpeg 198w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 614px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 614\/932;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What was one of the most surprising things you learned in the process of writing?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That the online writing community is incredible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The support I\u2019ve had from other writers, bookstagrammers, bloggers, booksellers and, of course, readers has been so inspiring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve had a pretty smooth path to publication and feel very lucky, but getting there involved studying the advice and wisdom of so many brilliant people who\u2019d been there before me. I hope I can pass that on one day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What do you think makes a good story?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For romance, it\u2019s all about character. Obviously you need heroes and heroines who your readers can really root for, but it\u2019s often the side characters \u2013 friends, family, colleagues, neighbours \u2013 who truly bring a story to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Readers of romance trust that whatever the twists and turns along the way, the author WILL give them the ending they want. So you have to fulfil that promise, but make the journey feel worthwhile and satisfying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can people find your books?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Heidi- Stephens\/e\/B08WM2ZDM4%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Amazon<\/a>, obviously, and if you\u2019re in the UK, you can order through your indie bookshop of choice. The easiest place to start is probably my website \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/heidistephens.co.uk\/\">heidistephens.<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/heidistephens.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">c<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/heidistephens.co.uk\/\">o.uk.<\/a> You can also follow me on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/heidistephens\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Twitter<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/heidistephens\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><em>If you\u2019re a Novlr writer who has published a book, we\u2019d love to hear from you. If you\u2019d like to tell us about your work and share your writing journey with us, please email\u00a0pamela@novlr.org.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this&nbsp;series, we interview published Novlr authors to learn about their work, routines, and how they use Novlr. Heidi Stephens has spent her career working in advertising and marketing; some of her early writing work includes instruction manuals for vacuum cleaners, cookware and sex toys. For the past twelve years, she has also freelanced as [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":8641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1280","footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-4695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing-tips","tag-author-interviews","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Author Spotlight With Heidi Stephens | The Novlr Reading Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Heidi Stephens is an award-winning romance novelist. 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Learn about her process, her books, and her writing tips in our author spotlight.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Novlr Reading Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/novlr\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-04T05:16:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-12T09:07:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Heidi-Stephens-Books.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1260\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Pamela Koehne-Drube\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@novlrtweets\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@novlrtweets\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Pamela Koehne-Drube\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Pamela Koehne-Drube\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/726ed0ac79316fa69373ac67027dd121\"},\"headline\":\"Author Spotlight With Heidi Stephens\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-04T05:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-12T09:07:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":987,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/Heidi-Stephens-Books.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"author interviews\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Writing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/\",\"name\":\"Author Spotlight With Heidi Stephens | The Novlr Reading Room\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/author-spotlight-with-heidi-stephens\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.novlr.org\\\/the-reading-room\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2022\\\/11\\\/Heidi-Stephens-Books.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-11-04T05:16:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-12T09:07:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"Heidi Stephens is an award-winning romance novelist. 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