Lambert believes that to write you must read, something she encourages her students to do and she found it difficult to narrow it down to her favourite writers given her vast reading collection. ‘Recently I have been reading lots of collections of stories. I have never been into genre fiction, apart from my teenage love of historical romances (there are some historical love stories hidden in the War Tour). I mostly read contemporary writers. For example Jennifer Egan, Dave Eggers, Alice Munro, Amy Hempel, Lorrrie Moore. I also love Ali Smith, Kate Atkinson and Maggie Gee.'
Lambert has worked her way up through the writing ranks to get to where she is today and is highly qualified in the area both academically and socially. She studied her creative writing masters at the University of East Anglia, followed closely by her PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University. She was the founder of the cult Manchester literature night, Verberate and is on the board of the Northwest Short Story Network. Despite her qualifications she admits that one life as a writer is never the same as the next . ‘Most writers have a day job. I support myself through lecturing. This is wonderful because I am always thinking about writing, but is difficult lecturing and marking takes up a lot of my mental and emotional energy. I am involved in the literary community in Manchester. I go to readings, events and literary festivals. I’m happiest in a café in the middle of a story. I enjoy doing reading, though I am always terrified and knock back a couple of glasses of wine beforehand. It’s a wonderful feeling if you read a story to an audience and they are hooked.’
Our interview ended with Lambert's advice for budding writers. ‘Write every day. Read the kind of stuff you want to write. A lot. How do they do it? Then keep writing. If it isn’t right the first time, don’t be disheartened. Think how long artists and musicians have to work to become great. Keep at it. Get feedback from those you respect. This could be joining a course, workshop or having one to one mentoring. Keep writing.’
The writing world is seemingly not just about the act of writing it is about the social aspect, networking. ‘Make connections with other writers. Go to readings, events. Get involved. When you feel your writing is getting ready for publication or has good feedback, send it out judiciously. Read the journal or website and see what they publish. Don’t write something for them on purpose, it will probably come across fake of imitative. But search for 'homes' for your work where you think they will be appreciated. Same goes for sending work to an agent. Your work has to be the kind of writing they are interested in. Read the Writers’ and Artists’ yearbook. Keep writing.
Lucy Walton