Eliza Moss: Writing Is an Endless To-Do List

Eliza Moss is the pseudonym for Sarah Moss, a London-based actor, and singer. She double majored at the University of Manchester, gaining a first class degree in English literature, and studied method acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York. In 2021 she completed the Curtis Brown Creative three-month novel-writing course. Follow her on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

In this interview, Eliza discusses how a desire to make sense of herself led her to write her debut novel, What It’s Like in Words, what surprised her in the publishing process, and more.

Name: Eliza Moss
Literary agent: Millie Hoskins at United Agents
Book title: What It’s Like in Words
Publisher: Henry Holt
Release date: December 3, 2024
Genre/category: Literary Fiction
Elevator pitch: Eliza Moss’s intoxicating debut novel is a dark, intense, and compelling account of what happens when a young woman falls in love with the wrong kind of man.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I’m not sure; it just felt like I had to. In hindsight, it likely came from a need to make sense of myself, the relationships I’ve been in, and the people I’ve been drawn to. There are themes in the book that I’ve been writing about in songs, short stories, and attempted novels for years. Completing this book was as cathartic and wild a process as a considered one.

How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?

Four years. Because in that time I did multiple theatre contracts, with the exception of lockdown, I was unable to spend more than a couple of hours a day writing. The idea never changed but the execution did. I knew the heart of what I was writing, but it took time to turn that heart into a story. Two of the biggest changes were re-writing the past sections in the past tense, and changing the person from a second person address to a third person address. I began writing in 2020. I finished the final draft in 2022. I signed with my agent that same year. Publishing deal in 2023. Publication in 2024.

Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?

Everything has been a surprise. It’s a completely new industry for me, so I’ve had to learn the language. One of the best surprises has been how creatively fulfilling it’s been. My voice has mattered every step of the way, and as an actor, that wasn’t something I was used to. It was also a surprise to me that books go out as ARCs prior to being completed—I’m a perfectionist, so this was an exercise in letting go. I reminded myself what (I think) Florence Welch said about music—I can’t find the quote so this is entirely paraphrased—that it’s not meant to be perfect, it’s just a moment, the beauty is in the imperfections.

Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?

I’m quite an intense person in how I feel emotions. When I’m up, I’m up, and when I’m down, I’m down. And I think I had this idea of writing as a calming activity, a neat profession. But the last few years have made me feel more extreme than ever. And unlike acting where you can leave a performance on the stage, or singing, where there is a catharsis when you finish a song, writing is an endless to-do list, it stays with you, it keeps you awake, it lingers. And that’s amazing, but it’s also a little like being haunted. You have to make friends with your ghosts.

What do you hope readers will get out of your book?

I’m happy for readers to get whatever they want from it. That’s the beauty of literature. But I think, particularly for people who might be able to relate to Enola, I’d like for them to feel less alone, and empowered to re-write their story.

If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?

Just switch off whatever it is you need to switch off and write.