An Interview With Jake Frankel
Create relatable characters — As I mentioned earlier, a key way of getting readers to sympathise with your message is to have them sympathise with your story’s characters. That’s not to say that they should be faultless hero types, but there should be something about them that makes readers want to spend time with them. That could be a struggle they’re facing, an aspiration readers can get behind, or an engaging character trait. Your characters are the readers’ eyes into the world you’re creating.
As part of my series about “How to write a book that sparks a movement” I had the pleasure of interviewing P.J. Murphy
P.J. Murphy writes novels that introduce unusual and humorous twists to established genres. His mystery novel, Dead Letters, was selected as the genre winner in the 2023 Page Turner Book Awards, and his coming-of-age novel, Yesterday’s Shadow, was the genre winner for contemporary fiction in 2024. Born in the UK and currently living in Switzerland, P.J. Murphy has worked in the nonprofit sector his whole career. His first novel, Troubleshot, satirised the interactions between local government and the community in the UK, and his latest, Six Steps to Salvation, takes the satire to an international level, setting it among Geneva’s international organisations.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you share the “backstory” of how you grew up?
I grew up in the UK and spent most of my formative years in Essex (the northern part, not the The Only Way is Essex part). I studied history at university, mainly because I loved reading about the stories and characters. Why I didn’t do this with English Literature is a question yet to be explored. I’ve worked for my entire career in the nonprofit sector, initially in the UK and for the past twelve years or so in Geneva. It gave me plenty of content for my stories!
I’ve loved writing since childhood, when I would spend months putting together fantasy and science fiction stories. This evolved into contemporary fiction because I wanted to write about real-life experiences. I ventured into indie publishing a few years ago, and it’s been a learning experience ever since!
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story?
The book that probably had the greatest impact on me was George Orwell’s 1984, which I read as a teenager and haven’t been able to return to since. Many things about it struck me: the controlling nature of the state; the dehumanisation of the individual; the flexibility of truth. What stayed with me most was how hope got dashed halfway through, when (spoiler alert) Winston gets caught by the Thought Police. I was reading without any idea of the plot, so I naively expected a happy ending. Of course, Orwell’s message was all the more powerful for the lack of one.
On a lighter note, I was pleased when my new novel, Six Steps to Salvation, charted above 1984 on Amazon for a few fleeting hours. I took a screenshot and am now using this to claim that this proves my novel is better than Orwell’s. It’s my way of trying to put the trauma behind me…
What was the moment or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
I’m a big proponent of the old adage “write what you know,” but the problem is that unless you’ve had a colourful life, that doesn’t always give you engaging content to work with. It can work well for TV series, because you can write about everyday settings that many people can relate to (I’m thinking The Office or Superstore), but a novel requires something more, as it’s so much of a time investment for the audience. When I started putting together ideas for my first novel, Troubleshot, I intended to write a sitcom about the charity sector in the UK, based on the ridiculous things that happen that “you couldn’t make up.”
As I was writing, I realised that I had a wider theme. At the time, the UK was suffering the after-effects of the 2008 financial crisis, and the government was promoting a thing they called “Big Society”, which was effectively a guise for stripping back public services and encouraging the community and voluntary sector to step in (the same sector that was itself reeling from swingeing cuts to its funding). It’s a theme that continues to be relevant today. I realised that there was an unexplored angle of exploring how the public, private and charity sectors intersect — the interactions and, of course, the conflicts.
Troubleshot took several years to write. This was partly because when I started, I was too close to its themes. I could see the impact these challenges were having on real people. Satire requires distance. You need to be willing to be cruel to your characters to make your point, and so it was only a few years later that I felt able to approach the novel and write it in full.
What impact did you hope to make when you wrote this book?
At the time, I was just trying to get something out there and share perspectives that aren’t often written about. I also wanted to write it in a way that people unfamiliar with the public or charity sectors could relate to.
Did the actual results align with your expectations? Can you explain?
I knew I had hit on something universal when one of my readers in Switzerland told me that it reminded them of the goings-on in their commune. So, even if you don’t know how local government works in the UK, there’s definitely something in there for everyone.
What moment let you know that your book had started a movement? Please share a story.
I wouldn’t claim that my book has started a movement, but it has certainly touched on universal themes to which people relate. Movements are, by nature, unpredictable, and I believe that no one person can intentionally start one, not with all the effort in the world. But what I have observed, though, is that they all start with a grain of something that moves people. It can gain momentum as more people get involved, but the heart remains that spark. It can be embedded in a novel, or even something as simple as a hashtag or meme.
What kinds of things did you hear right away from readers? What are the most frequent things you hear from readers about your book now? Are they the same? Different?
Troubleshot was my first novel, so a lot of the feedback I heard at the time was pretty generic first-time-author stuff: talk about enjoying the book, or people just being generally impressed that I’d finished something. These days, with four books under my belt, readers can see more clearly what I was trying to achieve with each. My most recent novel, Six Steps to Salvation, is the redemption story of the antagonist in Troubleshot — so of course that results in readers viewing him differently in the first book, from a more human angle.
What is the most moving or fulfilling experience you’ve had as a result of writing this book? Can you share a story?
I’m still at the stage of my writing career where I get a lot of joy just from hearing that people have read one of my books and enjoyed it. If they engage with the themes underneath, even better. One of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had is getting feedback from a reader that my book opened their eyes to how the charity sector works and the challenges it faces. If you have experience in a sector, and work in it your whole life, you assume that everyone understands how it operates. It’s not the case. Many think that charities are rather fluffy and staffed by well-meaning amateurs and pushy fundraisers. If my writing can help increase awareness of their professionalism, that’s motivation enough for me!
Have you experienced anything negative? Do you feel there are drawbacks to writing a book that starts such colossal conversation and change?
I think it’s very hard to write a book with a message, particularly a satire, without putting somebody’s nose out of joint. When I wrote Troubleshot, I knew it represented some burning of bridges for my future career. I haven’t suffered any direct consequences of this yet, but I can only imagine what would come up were I to apply for a job in local government. Maybe they would see my insights as potential gold for making an impact. Maybe not…
Can you articulate why you think books in particular have the power to create movements, revolutions, and true change?
The power of books is that they are immersive, both in terms of the time they take to read and the fact that they can delve into the innermost thoughts of the characters. This means that readers “live” the stories– this isn’t the instant hit of a movie; it stays with you as you’re reading, over a period of days, weeks or longer. The characters become your friends. This is a powerful source for change because people’s beliefs are shaped by their experiences. By living a story, readers internalise its world, as seen through the eyes of others. They understand the characters’ struggles, their aspirations, and they live the world’s injustices. It’s emotions that change mindsets, much more than facts and figures.
What is the one habit you believe contributed the most to you becoming a bestselling writer? (i.e. perseverance, discipline, play, craft study) Can you share a story or example?
I’m an “Indie Author”, which means that as well as doing the writing, I take care of other things around the publishing process. Something that’s helped is recognising what I’m just not good at and hiring people who know what they’re doing to help me. For example, I didn’t attempt to design my book covers. And, not being a fan of my own voice, I realised that trying to record audiobook versions of my novels, as do some authors, just wouldn’t result in happiness (or a decent outcome!). So, a level of self-awareness is absolutely necessary.
What challenge or failure did you learn the most from in your writing career? Can you share the lesson(s) that you learned?
I had a bit of an epiphany when writing a previous novel, Dead Letters, which took me over fifteen years, with plenty of rewrites and starts and stops. Part of the problem was that I went through many changes in my personal life during that time (I moved country, got married and had kids), so by the time I got to the end of the story, it didn’t feel like a book that fitted with who I was anymore.
On a more practical level, I realised that the story I’d written didn’t have a good enough hook, and the characters were unsympathetic. It was then that I adopted my mantra that a book should, above all, be fun to read. It can be beautifully written and evocative, with deep messages, but that’s not good if no one enjoys reading it. So, I now try to make sure there’s always a reason for a reader to read on, either a plot hook or just something amusing. And, if you’re going to be spending hours in a character’s company, you need, at the very least, to not actively dislike them!
Many aspiring authors would love to make an impact similar to what you have done. What are the 5 things writers need to know if they want to spark a movement with a book?
- Create relatable characters — As I mentioned earlier, a key way of getting readers to sympathise with your message is to have them sympathise with your story’s characters. That’s not to say that they should be faultless hero types, but there should be something about them that makes readers want to spend time with them. That could be a struggle they’re facing, an aspiration readers can get behind, or an engaging character trait. Your characters are the readers’ eyes into the world you’re creating.
- Find universal themes — You may want to write about a particular subject, but many readers may not know or care about it coming into the book. You have to make the writing accessible and lead the reader to understand the perspective and subject matter. Draw them in with themes they can relate to, to get them interested and keep them reading, while you build knowledge and understanding of the issue you want them to care about. I use humour (and in my more recent novels, interesting characters), but nothing can beat a good plot hook.
- Show, don’t tell. Yes, that old one! Normally, it’s applied on a technical level, in terms of how you approach backstory or how to describe how someone’s feeling, but it can be applied in so many ways. With novels, we have an unparalleled opportunity to allow our readers to live a story. Use it. Don’t throw it away by just telling them how you want them to think or feel about something. Avoid preaching. People don’t like being hammered over the head with an issue.
- Think about how people will access your writing — It’s a common mistake for writers to write something and expect readers to come to them. I often only think about who will read a book after I’ve written it, largely because I like to follow my muse, and I suffer for it! If you want to write a book that starts a movement, this becomes even more critical. I’m not just talking about which platforms your book is distributed on, but your overall online presence. There are thousands of books published every week; it’s never been easier for your work to get drowned in a sea of content. The solution is to think about how you interact with potential readers outside of the book. This could be about social media, being an active member of subject-related groups, or writing articles or opinion pieces for widely read publications. These things can feel like a distraction from your actual writing, but they’re essential if you want your book to be read.
- You’re in it for the long haul — It’s lovely to think you can write one book, which will be swept up in a wave of interest. That rarely happens. With movement-building, like any other writing, you need to build your profile and momentum. And because movements are so unpredictable, it’s about maximising your chances of being there at the right time. It could be only your third book that gets interest, or later. Keep at it.
The world, of course, needs progress in many areas. What movement do you hope someone (or you!) starts next? Can you explain why that is so important?
I think the world really needs to get to grips with the rise of populism by recognising not just its destructive potential, but the political polarisation and feelings of disempowerment that drive it. I plan to tackle this subject with my next novel, The Triumph of Common Sense. I’ve already had promising feedback from early readers, who have asked me how much I believe in the viewpoints I’m portraying, because they come across as very convincing. I take this to mean that I’m doing a good job of presenting believable characters and their beliefs.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
You can follow me on Facebook here or on Instagram
I also have a blog and a newsletter, which you can sign up to at www.pjmurphywriter.com
Thank you so much for these insights. It was a true pleasure to do this with you.
Author P.J. Murphy On How To Write A Book That Sparks A Movement was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.