Malorie Blackman on receiving 82 rejection letters from publishers
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What inspired Malorie Blackman to leave computing and start writing?
Welcome to Desert Island Discs Postcards. I'm Lauren Laverne. We've cast away thousands of people to our imaginary Desert Island, among them, many writers. Today's castaway, Mallory Blackman, has written more than 70 books for children and young adults, with her Knoughts and Crosses series perhaps best known among them. But getting her first book published was hard, she told Kirsty Young in 2013.
When I was in my mid twenties I had enough of computing. And I thought, okay, what can I do? And I tried acting classes for a while and I was a dead loss. Um, absolute rubbish.
How did Malorie’s acting and improv classes influence her storytelling?
But the I used to come up with sort of scenarios for our improvisations. And after a while it was oh Mallory, what do you think we should do? So at the end of the course the tutor said to me, um, Mallory, have you ever thought about writing some of your ideas down? 'Cause you come up with some really good ideas. And that's how I started on my writing classes and kind of try to get into it. So
then when you wanted to take that step out of um I'm sure a pretty well paid job in the being a financial markets analyst and in full time into writing, did you worry about the cash? Did you think how will I pay the gas bill? Yeah, it was. And I
mean but I c I was so unhappy. I mean, m it was taking its toll on me physically and mentally.
What fears did Malorie face when she quit her well‑paid job to write full‑time?
I started having really bad nightmares. Um Nightmares where I'd wake up screaming. And I was so desperately unhappy because I wanted to write. I didn't want to work in computing anymore. Um and so in the end, because Neil, my hubby, could see how unhappy I was, we made a deal that I would take a year off and I would try and I'd just write solidly for that year. And see if I could make a go of it. But if I couldn't then I'd have to go back to computing. So I
I'm right, I'm I it was eighty two rejection letters.
Why did Malorie receive 82 rejection letters before her first acceptance?
That's right.
When letter eighty three sudded on to
To the doormat and it said, Yes, we quite like what
you've written. Tell me about that, dear.
Oh wow, I still remember that because y every time the postman arrived I'd go charging down the stairs and it was always Dear Mallory Blackman, not suitable for our list and no thank you. And then I I heard the postman, I went charging down the stairs, tore open the letter, and it was Dear Mallory Blackman, we would love to publish your story. And I just stood in the hall and screened my head off. I was so thrilled. And my hubby came charging down the stairs, going, What's the matter?
How did the 83rd rejection letter become the breakthrough that launched her career?
What's the matter? And I said, Oh my god, oh my god! And I just freaked out. And it was one of the best days of my life. And and after my third book was accepted for publication, that's when I gave up my job.
Mallory Blackman speaking to Kirsty Young in twenty thirteen when she was children's laureate. She was made a dame in this year's birthday honours. You can listen to her full episode on BBC Sounds. Just search for Mallory Blackman Desert Island Discs.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What inspired Malorie Blackman to leave computing and start writing?
0:14–0:49
2
How did Malorie’s acting and improv classes influence her storytelling?
0:49–1:25
3
What fears did Malorie face when she quit her well‑paid job to write full‑time?
1:25–1:54
4
Why did Malorie receive 82 rejection letters before her first acceptance?
1:54–2:28
5
How did the 83rd rejection letter become the breakthrough that launched her career?
2:28–2:54
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from Desert Island Discs
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