Emma Green
Novel: Troll
Emma Green’s writing inspiration comes from all the books she has ever read (stepping into the wardrobe, falling down the rabbit hole, dreaming of Manderley), all the jobs she has ever done (teaching English in Japan, dealing with holiday complaints in a ski resort, writing reports which no one ever reads) and noticing the unusual in everyday life. She lives in South East England with her husband and daughter.
Troll is her first novel; it asks what drives a person to troll online and whether the same motives could lead them to murder.
What made you enter the Cheshire novel Prize?
One of my writing friends suggested entering. I’d entered a number of competitions without success, but when I heard that the Chesire Novel Prize gives everyone feedback, it was a no-brainer. Feedback is so important because writing is such a solitary process and it’s so hard to judge your own work, particularly when you are writing a first novel.
What did it feel like when you were LL and SL?
Beyond excited! I never expected to be long listed, let alone short-listed, so I’m just enjoying the ride.
What was the reaction like from those around you? Family? Friends?
My husband, family and friends have been so supportive. I watched the short list announcement on X with my daughter. She’s only ten. We saw the name of my novel pop up and she gave me a massive hug. That was special – I’ll always remember that she was part of it. My mum is also very proud as she’s always been a big cheer leader.
How did you come up with the idea for your book?
A BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour episode on ‘trolling’ was the inspiration for my novel. One contributor in the programme unmasked her trolls as regular women you might walk past in the street. It got me thinking about how we are all grappling with the ways technology is changing our lives and how good people can end up doing bad things. We’re all guinea pigs in a big social experiment. And these online tools are re-writing the societal rules. An idea for a story began to form, with the participants in an anonymous online group being the suspects in the murder of a famous celebrity they were trolling. My protagonist is one of the trollers.
How long did it take you to write it?
I had the idea in July 2021 while I was studying for an MA in Creative Writing with The Open University and I submitted sections for my long assignments. I’ve been working on it since.
What advice would you have for anyone thinking of entering?
Just do it! If that statement isn’t trademarked.
What’s changed for you since entering?
It’s a massive confidence boost and it has also given my writing focus.
What’s your novel about?
It’s a psychological thriller about a women who is a troller. She gets drawn into solving a murder because she’s convinced that someone in her trolling group is the murderer of a famous celebrity. The book is also about friendship, love, motherhood, lost opportunities and how technology is changing our relationships with the people we love. It’s set in the modern day with flashbacks to Oxford University in the late 90s.
What’s your writing routine?
I don’t have a routine. I work full time and have a daughter so I generally need to write in the evening when she is in bed. I’m not a morning person, so I’m not one of those people who can get up with the lark and get loads of morning pages done by 8 o’clock. I would love to have more time to write, but to be honest, sometimes having less time makes you more focused, just because you have to be.
What’s next for you?
I have a number of ideas for further novels, some of which are quite different to this one. Stories are ultimately about the characters for me, but you also want a great plot and a great location. I might try a ghost story next. I also enjoy writing short stories and I love the oral tradition of telling stories – it’s amazing to think how our fairy tales have been handed down and evolved as they have moved from one country to another.
Have you done any writing courses?
Yes – lots. I would recommend doing one if you haven’t already. There are free ones with The Open University so it doesn’t have to be really expensive. There is also lots of great advice on YouTube from writers if you search for the ones whose books you like to read.
What are your two favourite books and why?
One brilliant non-fiction book I read recently was Wavewalker by Suzanne Heywood – as a 7-year-old girl, she was taken by her parents on a 10-year sailing trip around the world following the route of Captain Cook and it’s about her fight to get an education. I think non-fiction books can offer great inspiration for characters.
The fictionalisation of real events can also be fascinating because of the depth and immediacy they can bring – I loved reading Mrs Hemingway by Naomi Wood, which tells the story of Earnest Hemingway’s different wives and girlfriends from their perspective.
What advice do you have for any aspiring writers?
For so long, I’ve wanted to write a novel, and it can feel such a daunting prospect and you can wonder whether your idea is any good, and whether it’s worth pursuing, but ideas create ideas and words spawn more words. It’s about starting, getting something down and then playing around with it, re-drafting and re-editing. Once you have something on the page, you can work with it to make it better. And slowly it grows, a word at a time, a page at a time, a chapter at a time. Forget perfect and focus on starting at whatever point gets you most excited in your story. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Find what works for you. And you don’t ever have to show what you write down in your first draft to anyone.