Interview with the author of "Dambuster" Susan Ottaway

On Writing had the chance to talk with author Susan Ottaway 

What inspired you to start writing?

We always had lots of books in our family home and were encouraged to read. I was fascinated with those about the Second World War and read many belonging to my father, one of which was called Enemy Coast Ahead and was by a young pilot called Guy Gibson. It told of his time in the Royal Air Force, the raids in which he took part and the people he met. I really enjoyed it and he became my childhood hero. I was distraught when I discovered that he had been killed returning from a raid over Germany just a month after his twenty-sixth birthday. When I searched for more information about him I discovered that, apart from his role as leader of what became known as the Dambusters’ Raid, there was very little to be found. Eventually I gave up looking but many years later decided that I would research and write a book about him myself.

What is your favourite genre to write? Why?

I only write non-fiction books and my favourite subjects are twentieth-century history and aviation. I think these were my favourites because I grew up hearing stories about the two world wars from my grandparents and parents and because my father was an aircraft engineer. I worked for airlines for twenty years and have never lost my love of aviation.  I am now concentrating on telling the stories of some of the agents of the Special Operations Executive during the Second World War.

What does your writing process look like? Did it take you a while to develop?

When I first started writing I really had no idea how to go about it. I had already signed a contract with a publisher before a single word had been written. His confidence in me came from the enthusiasm I had for the subject but, more importantly, from the support I had received from aviation author, Chaz Bowyer, who had also been published by the same company. I remember lying awake at night full of anxiety about my ability to write at all and for several weeks after receiving the contract still hadn’t managed to get a single word on paper. Then, in the middle of one of these sleepless nights, I thought of an opening sentence, leapt out of bed and typed it on my ancient computer. Even though those first few words were eventually discarded, they helped me to get the book started. For the past few years, I have had a brilliant agent, Andrew Lownie, who makes me write proper proposals which I usually have to revise several times before he is satisfied.  Although they require a lot of work to get right, they make the actual writing process so much easier.

Do you take criticism hard or do you have a thick skin? Have you ever received criticisms that you felt were unjustified or too harsh? Are you your worst critic?

Many of the subjects about which I write have had their official records closed until recently and some people aren’t willing to have their long-held beliefs about a person or event dispelled by my work. This sort of criticism used to bother me but now it doesn’t, because I always research my subjects thoroughly and, wherever possible, check facts from more than one source so, if people don’t want to believe the truth, there is not a lot I can do about it.  I have been fortunate to have received more good reviews than bad and understand that ‘you can’t please all the people all of the time’ so am not too upset if a few people don’t like what I have written.

How do you keep motivated to finish a writing project?

Knowing the date that the typescript has to be with the publisher usually keeps me quite focused.

If I find it impossible to write anything worth reading on a particular day, I go and do something else and usually find that I’m back on track the following day. It helps to have written a proposal at the start because it shows the direction I want the book to go. The first half of the book is the most worrying time as there is still so much to do but I’m always surprised how the second half just seems to fall into place.

What do you wish people knew about life as an author?

It’s hard work, the hours can be very long, it can be quite lonely and very few authors earn a fortune for their efforts. It’s also difficult to have a satisfactory social life when you have tight deadlines.  On the other hand, when all the work is finished and you see your book in print for the first time, it is magic. 

To learn more about Susan Ottaway, click here. 

To purchase "Dambbuster; The Life of Guy Gibson VC" click here.