Jeffrey Archer - The art of writing
With works published in 100 countries and more than 51 languages Jeffrey Archer is one of the top 25 fiction authors of all time. His books have sold over 275 million copies worldwide and he is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (nineteen times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries).
Born on 15 April 1940, Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare is married to Mary, Chair of the Science Museum Group’s Board of Trustees. They have two sons, William and James, three grandsons and two granddaughters, and divide their time between homes in London, Cambridge and Mallorca.
To mark the publication of his latest book Next in Line, he tells us about his work, his dreams, and much more.
Lord Archer, your latest work Next in Line has been released at the end of September. Can you please tell us about it?
Yes, of course! This is book number 5 in the series featuring Detective William Warwick. In the first book, Nothing Ventured, we saw William graduating from university and joining the Metropolitan Police force. He has now reached the position of Chief Inspector and his Scotland Yard squad must face a new challenge.
The story takes place in London, 1988. Detective Warwick and his squad are sent to investigate the Royalty Protection Command at a time when the whole nation has fallen in love with Diana, ‘the people’s princess’. As I ask at the beginning: is this a true story? It’s up to the reader to decide that.
Your debut novel Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less was published in 1976. Since then, you have written fiction, non-fiction, short stories, children’s books and much more: we could say you have written virtually everything. Do you have a favourite genre?
I don’t have a favourite genre but, of course, I am very sentimental about Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. Interestingly, it took me some time to find a publisher for this first novel. When it was published, it only sold 3,000 copies in hardback. The paperback did a bit better, selling about 20,000 in the first year. However, as word-of-mouth took over, demand increased and the book has now been reprinted 57 times.
The public has indicated a clear preference: your 1979 novel Kane and Abel is among the top 100 best-selling books in the world, with an estimated 34 million copies sold worldwide. Would you say this is also your best work?
As you rightly say, the public has chosen, so who am I to argue with them? I would probably include Paths of Glory (2009) and A Prisoner of Birth (2008) among my best works.
As well as novels and short stories, you have written three stage plays. Have you enjoyed the process? What is the difference between writing a novel and writing a screenplay?
Yes, I enjoyed writing the screenplays very much and, absolutely, it’s a totally different process: a play is based on spoken speech from beginning to end, and it must include detailed descriptions of what is happening on stage. Therefore, writing a play requires a different set of skills.
You spend considerable time writing and re-writing each book. You usually produce the first draft in your house in Mallorca working in blocks of two hours at a time, then write anything up to 17 drafts in total. Has this process changed, over time?
I don’t think so. I usually get up early in the morning and do a first session between 6 and 8 am, then one between 10 and 12, a third one in the afternoon between 2 and 4 pm and a final one before going to bed, between 6 and 8 pm. This has been a pretty regular routine for many years, and I feel safe with it. I like being disciplined and having a sort of rule book for work. There are hundreds of reasons for not writing a novel, so you just have to keep yourself head down and get on with it.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors who wish to write their first book?
Each person is different. I am by nature a lark while my wife, for example, is by nature an owl. She can write for five hours in a row, without stopping, while I need to stick to my routine of two-hour sessions. To an aspiring author, I would say: “Do the thing that suits you. But remember there is no shortcut.”
Do you believe talent can be developed with discipline, or do we have to be born with it?
I think craftmanship can. With time, I have become a better craftsman but, to answer your question, I don’t think talent can be developed. Frankly, if you want to be a ballet dancer, or you want to play the violin, or you want to sing an opera, you must have talent. Why should it it be any different if you want to write a story?
You studied in Oxford but later moved to Cambridge and both cities have often appeared in your books. What are the differences between them?
That is a fair question and I'm not sure there are many differences. I would say Cambridge is a more beautiful city, but their academic reputations are about equal. Of course, it depends on what subject one would like to study. For Politics or Economics I would say Oxford, while for Sciences, Cambridge might be a better option.
As a boy you dreamt of being captain of the English cricket team and you have always supported the Bristol Rovers Football Club. You then went on to become one of the bestselling authors of all times. Would you rather have been an athlete?
You are right, I dreamt of becoming captain of the England cricket team and I failed. At 82, my chances aren't looking too good!
What inspires you?
I am inspired by many things. For example, I am a huge admirer of author Stefan Zweig and especially of his work Beware of Pity. I discovered him when I was in my sixties and, since then, I have read all his books. Another source of inspiration has been Margaret Thatcher, simply because her work ethic was incredibly strong.
Are you currently working on a new project?
I am working on book 6 of William Warwick’s adventures. In each book he has a higher rank and my plan is for him to reach the position of Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police but, in order to achieve that, I have to live at least until I am 86, so I can complete the series.
You have five grandchildren. What do you like to do when you are with them?
Yes, I am blessed with two sons and five grandchildren, and I consider myself very lucky. Spending time with them is such an amazing experience: the questions they ask, the things they want to do. In them, I see the future, and that is wonderful.
In the cover: Jeffrey Archer
images courtesy of the author
