About Winn
As a child, Winn was always writing stories and creating imaginary scenarios, but it was only in early 2007 that she started writing seriously again. Now, she can't imagine not doing so, and always has a notebook to hand to note down ideas.
Winn writes for pleasure, although the odd financial reward certainly doesn't go amiss! She regularly enters writing competitions, with varying results. Of her inspiration she has this to say:
"I've read a lot of traditional Russian tales and folk stories and identify with the 'voice' of these, which is something I often try to emulate in my writing. This stems from when I was a child, and was given The Adventures of Pencil and Screwbolt by Yuri Drozhkov as a gift - before you laugh, go off and read it.
I love taking photos of nature, and the natural world features strongly in my writing, largely as part of the fairy tales. There's something about the two that seems to fit together. Occasionally I write something modern about human relationships, but I much prefer to escape into my imagination and see what magic or miracles I can create.
One of the biggest influences in my life has been music. From discovering the pop charts when I was a child, to an appreciation of classical music (which came much too late) and jazz (even later), there's always something in music that can inspire me to write. From pinching song titles to use for my stories, or just losing myself in something a piece of music has suggested, it's always there.
There's a lot to be said for travelling on public transport. A lot of writers will tell you they like to sit in coffee shops or bars, just listening to what goes on around them. They're missing a trick: some of the best ideas I've had have come from situations I've encountered while commuting by train. I also get a lot of spare time while travelling, which can make for useful idea-generating sessions.
I don't think you can be a writer without having assimilated an awful lot of other authors who you admire. My favourite authors, who influence my writing to a greater or lesser extent are, in no specific order: Thomas Hardy, Nancy Mitford, Evelyn Waugh, Maeve Binchy, George Eliot.
There are also some specific books, which haven't necessarily changed my life, but are worthy of mention because they've made me think about how I write. These are: The Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov), Birdsong (Sebastian Faulks), Lorna Doone (R D Blackmore), Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte), Wild Lavender (Belinda Alexander). It's a bit of a random selection, but I'd recommend any of them to anyone looking for something to read."
Winn was interviewed by Morgen Bailey in July 2011. Read it here.
Winn writes for pleasure, although the odd financial reward certainly doesn't go amiss! She regularly enters writing competitions, with varying results. Of her inspiration she has this to say:
"I've read a lot of traditional Russian tales and folk stories and identify with the 'voice' of these, which is something I often try to emulate in my writing. This stems from when I was a child, and was given The Adventures of Pencil and Screwbolt by Yuri Drozhkov as a gift - before you laugh, go off and read it.
I love taking photos of nature, and the natural world features strongly in my writing, largely as part of the fairy tales. There's something about the two that seems to fit together. Occasionally I write something modern about human relationships, but I much prefer to escape into my imagination and see what magic or miracles I can create.
One of the biggest influences in my life has been music. From discovering the pop charts when I was a child, to an appreciation of classical music (which came much too late) and jazz (even later), there's always something in music that can inspire me to write. From pinching song titles to use for my stories, or just losing myself in something a piece of music has suggested, it's always there.
There's a lot to be said for travelling on public transport. A lot of writers will tell you they like to sit in coffee shops or bars, just listening to what goes on around them. They're missing a trick: some of the best ideas I've had have come from situations I've encountered while commuting by train. I also get a lot of spare time while travelling, which can make for useful idea-generating sessions.
I don't think you can be a writer without having assimilated an awful lot of other authors who you admire. My favourite authors, who influence my writing to a greater or lesser extent are, in no specific order: Thomas Hardy, Nancy Mitford, Evelyn Waugh, Maeve Binchy, George Eliot.
There are also some specific books, which haven't necessarily changed my life, but are worthy of mention because they've made me think about how I write. These are: The Master and Margarita (Mikhail Bulgakov), Birdsong (Sebastian Faulks), Lorna Doone (R D Blackmore), Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte), Wild Lavender (Belinda Alexander). It's a bit of a random selection, but I'd recommend any of them to anyone looking for something to read."
Winn was interviewed by Morgen Bailey in July 2011. Read it here.
