When Sue Met Freya

Freya North gave an inspiring talk at the Maidstone Literary Festival in October 2025.

One of the UK's much-loved authors, Freya North, recently admitted she used to get told off for daydreaming at school. “I now get paid for it,” she laughed. Sue Pritchard was thrilled to meet Freya at the Maidstone Literary Festival and gain a fascinating insight into her writing life. Urging any aspiring authors to never give up or stop believing in themselves, Freya says if you have a dream of becoming a writer you must keep writing, quite simply because no one else can tell your stories for you.

Last night echoed a few vibes from that film A Night At The Museum. Passing a statuesque Lady Godiva in all her glory, I couldn't help but glance over my shoulder to see if the numerous antiquities displayed in a local museum, were coming to life and following me upstairs for an event organised by Maidstone Literary Festival.

In recent months I've had the privilege of seeing Paul McKenna, Miriam Margolyes, and Donna Ashworth, hearing all about their writing lives. Last night it was the turn of one of the UK's much-loved authors - Freya North.

Feeling at home in a room packed with middle-aged women, we were entertained by Freya's passionate insight into her 16 best-selling novels.

"I used to get told off at school for daydreaming," she laughed. "I now get paid for it!"

A night at the museum with Freya North and Maidstone Literary Festival

A Book Lover

Detailing her writing process and the virtues of speed typing but the trauma of editing manuscripts, Freya believes you should always judge a book by its cover. This is where her previous experience as a picture researcher has paid off - she has a knowledgeable love for helping to find the right covers for her novels. Although there was much amusement when she showed the audience how this can often be lost in translation for international copies of books.

Admitting that she's spent most of her life with people who aren't real, Freya relishes meeting her readers in real life and is obviously grateful for their loyal support over the years. We were also given an alternative insight into author book signings.

I'd always thought book signings were a valuable way to connect with readers, but Freya joked most authors know a signed book is a sold copy that can’t be returned. That’s why authors go into bookshops and sign loads, she laughed.

As an impassioned reader herself, Freya has also gone on to publish The Book Lovers' Journal. Described as a luxury desk diary where she interviews her most adored authors, the 2026 edition also gives over 150 book recommendations, as well as discussing important topics such as are you a bookmark or a fold the page over type of person?!

On a more serious note though, proceeds from this journal go to the BookTrust - a charity that works to ensure children from low income and vulnerable families can enjoy the lifelong benefits of reading.

Keep Writing

Speaking with Freya for a few minutes after her talk last night, when we both laughed about our lack of selfie-taking skills, I asked if she had any advice for aspiring authors like me who are now on that arduous journey towards publication.

Saying it had taken her four years to publish her first book, Freya's top tips were to never give up, always believe in your book, get active on social media, and keep writing. Quoting Charlotte Bronte, her last words at the end of her talk had been: I’m just going to write because I cannot help it.

“You must keep writing,” Freya had urged me afterwards. “You’re the only one who can tell your characters’ stories,” she said.

Thanks again to Freya North for such a fascinating insight into her writing life and to Maidstone Literary Festival for organising it.

After four years of rejections from publishers, Freya North finally signed her first book deal for her debut novel Sally in 1996. Now the author of 16 best-selling books, Freya feels her most accomplished ones are Little Wing and The Unfinished Business of Eadie Brown.

“They almost wrote themselves,” Freya laughed, adding how satisfied she was with what she’d written, the language used, and how the stories had unfurled and wrapped up.

“I have enormous fondness for all of my books,” she says, “but I’m especially proud of these two.”