Writer Of The Week: Greer Glover

By Tracey Steel | Nov 29, 2021

Tracey’s delighted to be chatting to Writer Of The Week Greer Glover, who’s making her “Friend” debut with the festive story “Being Crafty”, in this week’s issue.

Welcome Greer, how long have you been writing fiction?

I’ve been writing fiction for about 20 years.

Where did the inspiration for “Being Crafty” come from?

Every year, a friend and I spend a whole evening making our Christmas wreaths and chatting about everything that’s going on in our lives. We always end up concluding we have too much on our plate!

Who are your some of your favourite authors?

I read widely and so my favourite authors are Madeline Miller, Stacey Halls, Anthony Doerr and William Trevor.

What made you submit a story to the “Friend”?

Last Christmas, I was recovering from a skin cancer operation and I thought, ‘This is it, it’s now or never to send off a story.’

Having cancer became a really positive experience because it gave me the confidence I needed to face the fear of rejection.

Luckily, it all worked out okay!

What are your writing ambitions?

I’m writing a novel based on a family drama and my aim is to finish it in 2022.

What are your own Christmas plans?

Having been restricted for so long because of the pandemic, I’m going big on variety – but to stay safe, everything I do has to be outdoors.

So I’m taking my three teenage sons ice skating in London, shopping at National Trust Waddesdon’s beautiful Christmas market, and will be having mulled wine with neighbours in the garden.

I have New Zealand parents, so I had a very outdoorsy childhood and still love being outside at any opportunity!

What advice would you give to someone looking for writing success in the “Friend”?

If you’re serious about writing, you need to understand the publication you’re writing for.

Read the “Friend” regularly to get a feel of the stories, both seasonal and non-seasonal.

Know your readers and the subjects and issues they find important. You wouldn’t sell hot dogs in a vegetarian cafe, would you?

And treat readers with respect – they’re investing time and money in reading the “Friend” and they want a quality story that speaks to them.

For more from our Writer Of The Week series, click the tag below.

Tracey Steel Having worked on a number of magazines over the years, I have found my perfect place on the “Friend” as I’m obsessed with reading and never go anywhere without a book! I read all of our stories with a mug of tea close by and usually a bit of strong cheese too!