Writing a Gothic Novel—Victorian Serial Style

Writing a Gothic Novel—Victorian Serial Style

By Mimi Matthews

My upcoming supernatural Victorian gothic novel John Eyre has been an experiment on so many levels. Not only is it a new genre for me, I wrote it in an entirely new way. Well…new for me. In the Victorian era, many authors wrote their novels in a serialized format, releasing them to the public in installments that maximized tension and kept readers on the edge of their seats, clamoring for the next chapter and the next.

John Eyre isn’t releasing as a serial, but I wrote it as if it were. My audience was an audience of one—my mom. She’s a HUGE fan of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and the other classic Victorian novel John Eyre was inspired by (a novel I can’t reveal without spoiling the story). The two of us had often talked about my writing a retelling one day. When I finally did, my mom was beside herself. She couldn’t wait to read each chapter. And so, I sent them to her, one every few days, as if the novel was a serial in a Victorian era magazine. 

I never do this with my novels. Quite the reverse. I keep my manuscripts close until they’re done, afraid that allowing someone to read them too soon will hurt my creative process. I also typically revise as I go, polishing and repolishing so that, by the time I’m finished, the manuscript is pretty close to being ready to send to my editor. This method has always worked well for me in the past. It allows me to write at my own pace and to really zero in on those areas that need extra time and care.

But John Eyre was different. For one thing, in many ways, it felt as though I was writing it specifically for my mom. Instead of obsessively revising, I powered straight through, all the while knowing that I had someone eagerly waiting for the next installment. This resulted in an initial draft that was far more bare bones. It also allowed me—when I finally did revise it—to view the manuscript with a much fresher pair of eyes.

Writing John Eyre in this way had several other unexpected benefits. The biggest benefit was that it encouraged me to keep the tension in the story ratcheted up to an extraordinary degree. It also prompted me to end each chapter with a really strong hook, as if I was trying to tempt an audience to “tune in next week.” 

In addition, I knew that my mom was reading the chapters I sent her late at night. This gave me added incentive to make them as creepy as possible. Some nights, she would message me to say that, after reading an installment, she was too scared to fall asleep. Other nights she’d send me an email that just said: MORE. 

And so, I kept writing for my audience of one—scene by scene and chapter by chapter. John Eyre was finished in record time (at least in comparison to my previous novels). Later, as I began my revisions, I couldn’t believe how different the manuscript felt in pacing and tone. Perhaps the Victorians were onto something?

John Eyre is my first retelling. I believe that played a role in the way I wrote the story. It freed me from the intensely proprietary feeling I have for my other manuscripts. Because I was drawing on two classic novels—whether in terms of character names or the way I framed out certain scenes—the story never felt as though it was entirely mine. This allowed me to share it earlier and in a much rawer state, without the attached insecurities I usually feel when sharing my work.

The paranormal aspects of John Eyre were also quite freeing. I wasn’t bound by mortal limits. Aspects of the story could be darker and a lot more over the top.

Would I write a novel this way again? That depends. I can’t imagine that it’s a method that would work for one of my slow burn Victorian romances. But for a gothic novel with elements of supernatural horror, writing my manuscript serial-style brought out the very best in the story. Not only that, I actually had fun, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what writing fiction is all about?

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Biography

USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews writes both historical nonfiction and award-winning proper Victorian romances, including Fair as a Star, a Library Journal Best Romance of 2020; Gentleman Jim, a Kirkus Best Indie Romance of 2020; and The Work of Art, winner of the 2020 HOLT Medallion.

Mimi’s novels have received starred reviews in Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus, and her articles have been featured on the Victorian Web, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and in syndication at BUST Magazine. In her other life, Mimi is an attorney. She resides in California with her family, which includes a retired Andalusian dressage horse, a Sheltie, and two Siamese cats. Her next romance, The Siren of Sussex, will be out in 2022 from Berkley/Penguin Random House.

Where to Find Mimi (website, social media, etc.)

Website: https://www.mimimatthews.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MimiMatthewsAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MimiMatthewsEsq

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmimatthewsesq/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/MimiMatthewsEsq/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/mimi-matthews

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JOHN EYRE: A TALE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOW

One of BookBub’s “25 of the Best Books Arriving in 2021”

From USA Today bestselling author Mimi Matthews comes a supernatural Victorian gothic retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s timeless classic.

Yorkshire, 1843. When disgraced former schoolmaster John Eyre arrives at Thornfield Hall to take up a position as tutor to two peculiar young boys, he enters a world unlike any he’s ever known. Darkness abounds, punctuated by odd bumps in the night, strange creatures on the moor, and a sinister silver mist that never seems to dissipate. And at the center of it all, John’s new employer–a widow as alluring as she is mysterious.

Sixteen months earlier, heiress Bertha Mason embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Marriage wasn’t on her itinerary, but on meeting the enigmatic Edward Rochester, she’s powerless to resist his preternatural charm. In letters and journal entries, she records the story of their rapidly-disintegrating life together, and of her gradual realization that Mr. Rochester isn’t quite the man he appears to be. In fact, he may not be a man at all.

From a cliff-top fortress on the Black Sea coast to an isolated estate in rural England, John and Bertha contend with secrets, danger, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. Can they help each other vanquish the demons of the past? Or are some evils simply too powerful to conquer?

*John Eyre will be out on July 20, 2021 in eBook, paperback, and audiobook wherever books are sold.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NPLVHVN

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/john-eyre-mimi-matthews/1139467158?ean=2940162965473

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/john-eyre/id1540684427

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Mimi_Matthews_John_Eyre?id=XWEtEAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/john-eyre-1

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ADVANCE PRAISE FOR JOHN EYRE:

“In this thrilling remix of Charlotte Brontë’s work, Matthews skillfully transforms a well-known story into a truly original tale.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Bertha Mason Rochester shines, dominating her scenes with vitality and strength. The style, too, is spot-on, reprising the spirit of 19th-century Gothic prose without descending into mimicry.” – Publishers Weekly

“[Matthews] retells Charlotte Bronte’s classic story in a way that will keep fans of the original novel totally gripped from cover to cover… Fresh and dynamic… Fast-paced and spellbinding…a book you will have a hard time putting down.” – Readers Favorite

“[A] captivating and ingenious retelling of Jane Eyre with a supernatural twist. Smart, suspenseful, and deliciously spooky, JOHN EYRE is a must-read; I loved everything about it!” –  Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries and the Electra McDonnell series

“One of the most moving, suspenseful, innovative and remarkable retellings of a classic in the history of, well, ever… Every page is sheer rapture as [Matthews] moulds popular source material into a spell-binding creation so wholly her own.” – Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration

“A wonderful sinister atmosphere, deliciously creepy characters, and a female character who is a powerful force… A true homage to the gothic genre without being derivative… Highly, highly recommended!” – Clarissa Harwood, author of Impossible Saints

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: On Writing