Writing to Writers
A letter exchange with Carys Shannon
Many months ago the wonderful writer and I discussed how reading and responding to each other’s Substacks felt a bit like the way writers used to write each other letters back in the day. An idea must have sparked in me then and for months it would come back around, a little tickle of a thought. Eventually, I acted on it and reached out to Carys to asked if she’d like to be part of an idea I had, to actually write to each other and share it here. To my delight, she agreed. Below you will find Carys’ letter and my reply (which she will be receiving at the same time as you all). I hope you enjoy this…
Listen to Carys reading her letter to me
Dear Susannah,
This week I've been thinking about the incredible act of reading.
My novel, Truth Like Water, is on the cusp of publication. When the book is in the hands of the reader, it’s no longer just the words I wrote. It gets remade each time it’s read - by someone else’s memories, someone else’s imagination, someone else’s emotions. That blows my mind, in the best possible way. I feel deeply humbled by it.
It feels so powerful because I was a reader long before I was a writer. I know how much books have shaped me - the characters I’ve loved, the way certain books have changed how I see the world, how they've built my inner life. The idea that someone might give their time and attention to my words; that they might be moved, or changed, or even just feel something, overwhelms me with emotion. I'm so grateful.
Reading and writing feel like the purest collaboration. A kind of invisible magic between two people. The very fact that reading and writing exist together. Stories exist. That some words on a page can create this incredible experience for another person. That is truly magical. And especially in dark times, remembering the beauty and power of stories feels more important than ever.
This Thursday, my book takes its first public step - the cover reveal. It feels like the first crossing. The story beginning to leave my private keeping, moving towards the wide open, unpredictable world of readers.
I do feel ready to let it go.
I've done everything I can. The book and its characters are the best versions they can be, shaped by the writer I am now and all the versions of myself who wrote them, over the years. Now it’s time to let them go and see what happens.
I feel deeply curious about that - curious to hear from readers, to catch glimpses of what their imaginations create or connect with, what they might find in the novel that I don't even know is there. Curious about how imagination will meet imagination.
And yes … I feel nervous too. I’m naturally quite shy, so it’s always been hard for me to take up space, to be seen. Talking about the book, asking people to spend time with it, support it and me, feels huge. But because I know I have written the most authentic version of this book that I possibly could, I can also meet this next phase with peace.
I'm proud of the journey. Proud of how long it took. Proud of how much it asked of me. Proud that I kept going and found my authentic voice.
So, I'm trying to meet this moment with openness and curiosity, trusting that it will change me too.
And underneath it all, is just deep gratitude. For stories. For readers. For the miracle that human imagination exists at all.
Thank you for asking me to write this letter.
With love,
Carys x
Listen to me reading my letter to Carys
Dear Carys,
First of all, I am so excited for you that your novel is almost out in the world.
I feel like the greatest honour for a writer is to be read. That sounds like such an obvious thing to say and yet we get caught up in so many other metrics of success. Every writer I know and every writer I’ve ever heard speak, talks about interactions with readers as offering them the most ‘soul juice.’ There is almost no greater privilege, I think, than having someone interact with your work and tell you what parts of themselves they found in it. A friend said to me once, ‘we write to connect,’ and that has stuck with me as among the most truthful statements about why we write that I know. And I think that’s also why we read.
When I had a flash fiction piece published last year, my very favourite thing about it all was hearing different people’s reactions to it. Everyone had a different take depending on who they were. You’d think that a story that was under 300 words couldn’t be interpreted in so many ways, but as readers we take stories and process them through our own ‘memories, emotions and imaginations,’ as you said and make them our own. Some readers were asking me, what the ‘real’ meaning of the story was. But at this point, there is no real meaning. It doesn’t belong to me anymore.
What a joy that this story that you have given your everything to over these years will now be read and digested through other emotional bodies. What a joy to imagine someone reading your book on their commute, before they go to bed or staying up late just to read a few more chapters. What a delight that they might underline phrases or text something you wrote to a friend. What a joy that you might help someone understand themselves better or feel less alone. What greater thing can there be?
You say you feel ready to let your novel go, which is so wonderful to hear. Does that mean you feel ready for it to be a little less yours too? What does that idea surge in you?
Oh and I hear you on taking up space. I have one little tip, which has helped me with that. I try to decentralize myself from my offering. I think instead about the person it might help or the person just looking for this type of thing. If I am shy in promoting it, they may not get to hear about it and so it’s my job to help the news reach them. I know there are people in the world who need your words, I hope you let them find them.
I can’t wait to hear about the next steps, to hear how and if it changes you and I celebrate you as you cross the threshold into published author.
All my love,
Susannah
Carys’ Book- Truth Like Water
Carys’ beautiful book will be out in September and is available for pre-order now.
Longlisted for the Bath and Mslexia Novel Awards. Shortlisted for the Caledonia Novel Award. Winner of the Jericho Writers Festival of Writing Prize.
This is a story of lost women – some who can be found again, and some who can’t. In a small estuary village on the Welsh coast, Catrin is mourning the anniversary of her mother’s drowning when a teenage girl disappears on the same mudflats. Terrified of history repeating itself and driven by unresolved grief, Catrin becomes obsessed with finding Emily. Her search dredges up dark revelations from the village’s past and present, uncovering secrets about Catrin's own family. Secrets that her parents had never wanted her to discover.
Truth Like Water is the lyrical, gripping debut novel from an award-winning writer.
You can also subscribe to Carys Shannon’s wonderful Substack, The Whole Writer, to keep in touch with her and her writing.
Recommendations
A few things that I’ve enjoyed lately…
Novel: The Artist by Lucy Steeds is a stunningly poetic book set just after WW1 about a young journalist who goes to write about a famous artists shrouded in mythology but who finds something far more intriguing. Beautiful imagery, evocative storytelling, it’s a gripping tale.
Novel: I just finished Intermezzo by Sally Rooney and I loved it! I loved her first two books but I didn’t enjoy her last book, so I wasn’t sure which way this would go. I adored Intermezzo. It was masterful, moving and and will stay with me for a long time.
Short Story: I came across this story in a wonderful flash fiction class run by
(he’ll be running more classes later in the summer/autumn so subscribe to his Substack if you want more details). I found this story Does Your Tattoo Mean Something by Deirdre Danklin to be clever, funny, layered and just brilliant. I read it in Teas and Tales and wanted to share it here with you too.Mentoring
Recently one of my clients and I have been poring over the front cover of her book and I was just reflecting on how exciting it is seeing her book come to life after so much hard work, dedication and devotion to it. It’s such a privilege to walk alongside my clients’ on their writing journeys. If you’d like support to move a project from your mind to the page or from the page to publication, do get in touch!
Writing this newsletter is an act of love and joy. I am committed to delving into the beautiful, the messy and the sublime that is this act of creating meaning through words. Ultimately, my goal is to remind you that you are Write As You Are.
You can support me and my newsletter by:
Sharing it with someone else who might enjoy it/find it helpful
Liking and commenting (the interaction means a lot and is so fun)
Checking out my mentoring offerings
This was so beautiful to listen to and what a lovely way to elevate how special having a writer friend is 💕
I’m a fan of the audio version!