Writer Luisa A Jones is publishing her next book in March. She went to school in Cwmbran and grew up in the town, but now lives in Newport.
In this occasional Cwmbran Life spotlight on local writers, she talks about her upcoming novel and shares some tip for aspiring writers.
- What first sparked your love of writing, and how did you get started?
“I’ve always loved reading and writing. As a little girl at North Road Infants’ School I remember writing much longer stories in my exercise book than the other children in my class. One of them – a retelling of the story of Mary Jones who walked 25 miles to Bala and back to buy a Welsh Bible – was printed in the school magazine. My mum probably still has a copy of it somewhere!”
- What are you working on now?
“I’m currently in the middle of edits for my second World War Two novel, due for publication in March 2026. Set in 1939, it’s about a pregnant Londoner, abandoned by her fiancé, who reinvents herself as a married woman to avoid scandal when she’s evacuated. She’s billeted with a disapproving, pacifist Welsh minister who’s fighting his own battle against the war encroaching on his home. It’s partly inspired by the eviction of the Welsh-speaking community on Mynydd Epynt in 1940.”
- Who is your favourite author and why?
“That’s a difficult question. I love Sharon Penman’s historical fiction, and wish she was still alive and writing today. I also love Jojo Moyes, and the way she writes both historical and contemporary romantic fiction. I love both genres, and both authors have such a great understanding of people.”
- What does your writing routine look like? Where do you write? What tools do you use (computer and software)? Can you take a photo of your writing set up?
“I don’t have much of a routine because I have to write around my day job. I mainly write on weekends and in the evenings, using a laptop in my spare bedroom, which was my eldest son’s bedroom until he left home. I’d love a bigger writing room with a larger desk, a second screen, space for my printer, and many more bookshelves and noticeboards. That will have to wait until the next child leaves home!
“My first drafts are written on Scrivener, and I then redraft in Microsoft Word. All my research notes are saved in OneNote, but I keep files about each character and setting in Scrivener. As the photo shows, I don’t have a neat and tidy desk, and my cat likes to join me while I’m writing!”
- What advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing but doesn’t know where to begin?
“My advice would be to read as much as you can in your preferred genre, to absorb the essential aspects of stories, and to just have a go. Don’t be a perfectionist – if you compare your rough drafts to a polished book that’s been through multiple rounds of editing, you’ll just end up feeling discouraged. Write for your own enjoyment, not with a view to being read by others.
“Learn what you can about the craft of writing and story structure – you can read about this, or find tips on YouTube. If you’re not sure what story to write, maybe rewrite a fairy story with your own modern twist. I’d also advise trying to connect with other writers – maybe through libraries or community groups, adult education classes, or bodies such as the Romantic Novelists’ Association, which has a New Writers’ Scheme for aspiring authors of romantic fiction.”
- Where can people find your work or follow your progress?
“My books are all available on Amazon and people can follow me via my website www.luisaajones.com. If they sign up to my email newsletter, they’ll be able to download a free short story.”