New York Times Bestselling Author Jessica Knoll on Writing Suspense, Book to Film Adaptations, and Her Secret Fear
“This is the first time I've worked outside of a contemporary setting.”
By Diana Tramontano
Jessica Knoll is the New York Times bestselling author of The Luckiest Girl Alive, The Favorite Sister, and her most recent novel, Bright Young Women. With each of these books, Knoll has dominated the suspense and thriller landscape, drawing fans in with her beautiful writing and page-turning plots. Her novel The Luckiest Girl Alive was adapted into a TV show that aired in October 2022 starring Mila Kunis. You can listen to Zibby’s Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books podcast interview with Jessica Knoll here.
In our recent interview, Knoll reflects on the inspiration of crime stories, the experience of film adaptation, and the writing and publishing process. Read below to get the inside scoop on one of our favorite authors!
Zibby Mag: Each of your books has a throughline of suspense, crime, and secrets. Do you rely on real stories to generate inspiration for the mystery and drama in your stories?
Jessica Knoll: I rely on my own instincts that draw me to moments I can't get out of my head, and think about stories that suggest there might be another side left untold. I have a strong urge to correct the narrative and find the angle that hasn't been examined before—maybe it's the former journalist in me.
How does your latest novel, Bright Young Women, differ from your past novels? What are you most excited for readers to experience while reading Bright Young Women?
This is the first time I've worked outside of a contemporary setting. I worked really hard to research the 1970s—what young women were wearing, reading, eating, worried and excited about. I'm excited to take readers into this world because it feels transportive and very real to me. Every time I sat down to work on it, I had the feeling that I was eager to step back into these characters' lives and homes, go into their closets and pick out what they would wear that day.
After the overwhelming success of your novel The Luckiest Girl Alive, how does it feel to be publishing something new?
Exciting but foreign. The publishing landscape has changed so much in the eight years since I published The Luckiest Girl Alive and the five years since my second novel, The Favorite Sister, came out. It's actually a healthier market—readers are buying a lot of books these days—but it also makes the space that much more competitive.
Did you enjoy the process of adapting The Luckiest Girl Alive to film? How does writing for film differ from writing a novel?
It was a joy to be part of a group of creatives working together to tell a story. Writing a book is lonely, frustrating work, and it takes a long time to cross the finish line. Making a movie is inherently a collaborative experience. I loved troubleshooting script issues with other creatives and seeing how the actors interpreted the words I'd written. The whole experience was much more dynamic and communal than writing a book. I miss it!
What are the most challenging and exciting aspects of writing a new novel? What advice do you have for aspiring authors?
The isolation wears on me after a while, especially when I hit the murky middle of a novel and what I had in mind just isn't coming out on the page. My best advice is to just accept it: accept that writing is hard and that getting the story to flow takes time and multiple drafts. Struggling is not a sign you should abandon the project; it's a natural part of the process.
What would readers be surprised to learn about you?
I'm a really strong swimmer, but few people know this about me because I'm so terrified of sharks that I hardly ever get in the water.
Posted October 6, 2023
