‘I’m not governed by the constraints of genre’

Ever since Chocolat became the breakthrough novel for Joanne Harris in 1999, she has been one of the best-loved and most consistent storytellers of her generation.

Joanne is back again this year with Broken Light and it is another departure for the revered novelist, though she insists that she is not governed by the constraints of genre when she puts pen to paper.

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Two years after psychological thriller, A Narrow Door, Joanne has explained how her stories develop to The Book Insider and her thoughts on what she has produced with her new novel.

Speaking about how she begins a story, Joanne said: “I would never start anything without knowing I had a story to tell, but although I always have a reasonable idea of the direction I’m going in, I don’t always know what I’ll meet on the way.

“I find that ideas and developments often occur to me during the process of getting to know my characters, and by keeping the narrative fluid I stand a better chance of surprising the reader.”

With Broken Light, Joanne believes she has achieved her plans for the story and that the book was already in her when she started pouring it out onto the pages.

Joanne continued: “I didn’t start with a blank page. I started with a series of characters, a lifetime’s experience, and some ideas in search of a story. I think I found it.”

With France being the background to some of her most successful novels and her love of Norse mythology bringing a different path and readership, she told The Book Insider that she would be interested in entering the world of graphic novels but will let the publishers decide which genre her works fits in.

Joanne said: “That’s not really how I work: I don’t really acknowledge genre, except as a useful sales construct. I write the story I want to write, and let the publishers determine what genre it belongs in. But in terms of media, I’d like to work with illustrators again.

“I’d like to write a graphic novel. And I’d like to work with a dance company to translate some of my work into dance.”

After being a successful novelist for nearly 25 years, what measures does Joanne use to quantify whether a book has been a success? It would seem that the parameters of “success” are not really counted in a monetary way.

Joanne said: “I don’t really think in those terms. ‘Success’ is so dependent on what it is you’re trying to achieve – is it to chart? To make money? To open hearts and minds? Those things are largely out of my hands.

“I prefer to concentrate on what I can control, which is writing the best and most honest book I can.”

Buy Broken Light by clicking HERE.