Joanna Wallace: On Writing Through Grief

Joanna Wallace studied law before working as a commercial litigation solicitor in London. She now runs a family business and lives in Buckinghamshire with her husband, four children, and two dogs. She was partly inspired to write You’d Look Better as a Ghost, her debut, following her father’s diagnosis of early onset dementia. Follow her on X (Twitter).

Joanna Wallace

Photo © Paul Wilkinson Photography

In this interview, Joanna discusses how opening up about her love of writing helped fine-tune her debut novel, You’d Look Better as a Ghost, her advice for writers, and more!

Name: Joanna Wallace
Literary agent: Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown
Book title: You’d Look Better as a Ghost
Publisher: Penguin Books @ Penguin Publishing Group
Release date: March 26th, 2024
Genre/category: Fiction
Elevator pitch: You’d Look Better as A Ghost is a dark comedy thriller about a part-time serial killer called Claire, who sees her victims as ghosts before they die.

Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]

What prompted you to write this book?

I started writing this book when my dad was diagnosed with early onset dementia and I quickly became furious at the brutality of such a merciless disease, putting all my rage into creating Claire, my serial killer. At a time when I was powerless to save my beloved dad, there was a strange comfort in her strength and dark humor. When Dad died, I continued to write through my grief, using it to drive the story into unexpected places.

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

I first got the idea for this book in April 2015, and it was published in the U.K. in September 2023, so the entire process took eight years. I finished writing the first draft in January 2018, which I excitedly sent out, and although two agents requested the full manuscript, ultimately it was rejected. So, I saved it on my laptop and got on with all the other things more important than writing—my four children were very young, and as a working parent, I had plenty to keep me busy! A couple of years later, I stumbled across my book and when I reread it, I could immediately see a disconnect between Claire and the reader. My ideas for the story didn’t change but I added flashback chapters and worked hard on developing the book’s humor.

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

There have been many learning moments, starting with the basics: how I view myself. I’ve never done a writing course and for many years my writing was a hobby that I kept secret because I felt embarrassed and ashamed. With a million more important things to do with my snippets of spare time, it felt horribly self-indulgent of me to try to write a novel. Possibly the most important learning moment occurred when I realized I needed to be brave, tell people I love writing, and let them read my work before submitting. And not just friends and family. I realized I needed a professional opinion. After editing my book on my own, I sent it to a literary consultancy and edited in line with their feedback. This made all the difference because when I next submitted You’d Look Better as A Ghost, I received an offer of representation from my dream agent: Cathryn Summerhayes at Curtis Brown.

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

It surprised me how much I enjoyed spending time with a serial killer, Claire. I found myself looking forward to opening my laptop and discovering what she would do next! It also surprised me how much I enjoyed the editing process. Editing is hard work but just as important as creating the first draft, and possibly even more exciting, because I could feel the story and my characters becoming stronger with each edit.

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

The Daily Express has described my book as “First-class escapist entertainment—the most fun you’re ever likely to have with a hammer-wielding maniac!” I love this quote because it sums up precisely what I hope readers will get from my book. I want them to be thoroughly entertained whilst meeting the kind of characters they will (hopefully) never bump into in real life, with plenty of twists and surprises thrown in too!

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

I cringe now when I think about the first drafts I sent out, honestly believing my manuscript—without any editing—was ready! Undoubtedly, the most important thing I have learned (so far) in my publishing journey, and the one piece of advice I would pass on, is how crucial it is to get work read and then to be open to feedback. That’s how You’d Look Better as a Ghost moved out of the slush pile and into bookshops!

With a growing catalog of instructional writing videos available instantly, we have writing instruction on everything from improving your craft to getting published and finding an audience. New videos are added every month!