stack of books and open notebook. Label: Quotation

Elly Griffiths on Writing


Head shot: A white woman with long brown hair.

“It’s a strange thing but writers can only write what they want to write. I used to be a commissioning editor and I remember wishing that I could point authors towards a particular genre or subject. ‘Books about librarians in Sheffield are popular this year, can you write me a couple?’ But, of course, this isn’t how it works. Instead of writing a cosy crime caper set in a library, the author would come back with a gothic sci-fi series set in the Falkland Islands. You can only write the story that’s in your heart. Readers can tell instantly if a book is written to order or with a cynical eye on royalties.”

Elly Griffiths

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