Pip Drysdale: On Failure as Inspiration
Pip Drysdale is an author, musician, and actor. She grew up in Africa, Canada, and Australia, became an adult in New York and London, and lives on a steady diet of coffee, dreams, and literature. All four of her previous novels—The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know, The Paris Affair, and The Next Girl—have been bestsellers in Australia. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
Photo by Katie Kaars
In this interview, Pip discusses how her own experience with writer’s block helped inspire her new thriller novel, The Close-Up, what surprised her in the writing process, and more.
Name: Pip Drysdale
Literary agent (if one): Mollie Glick, CAA Gallery Books
Book title: The Close-Up
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release date: December 3, 2024
Genre/category: Thriller/Suspense
Previous titles: The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know, The Paris Affair, and The Next Girl
Elevator pitch: After reconnecting with an ex—now a Hollywood Star—a struggling author discovers the dark side of fame when a stalker begins reenacting violent events from her thriller.
Bookshop | Amazon
[WD uses affiliate links.]
What prompted you to write this book?
This novel was inspired by a number of things including … writer’s block and failure. A lot of Zoe’s experiences with writer’s block and trying to “get over” her failed novel mimic mine. When it happened to me, it felt like the end of the world, like I’d never write another book. I did—I’ve written three since then—but I really wanted to dissect how crushing artistic disappointment can be and delve into the desperation of trying to get out of it. The Close-Up is an exploration of how far we might go to realize our dreams, while also delving into the dark side of what happens when our dreams do come true.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
About two and half years from first idea to publication. But aside from the opening paragraph which I wrote immediately, the first year of that was really just spent thinking, researching, reading, and dreaming. The bulk of the first draft was then written in about eight months and then there were edits and rewrites. And yes, the idea definitely evolved as I wrote and got to know the characters.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
There were a lot of surprises in the writing of it—there always are. That’s the magic of writing a book, when you think it’s going to go one way but then your characters do something to shift the course of the story, and it is so much better than anything you might have thought of upfront.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope it does two things: 1) entertains and 2) makes the reader nod in recognition of the truths held within it.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Probably: keep going. Even if it’s only one line at a time, one word at a time, just keep moving forward, inch by inch, and eventually you’ll get there.
