Sarra Manning on J-17, the pomodoro method and her incredible career

The Sunday Salon with Alice-Azania Jarvis

I’ve wanted to interview Sarra Manning since I started this podcast - for many reasons. She’s a fab writer, a huge supporter of other authors, has tonnes of brilliant writing and publishing advice (seriously, this episode features some of the most original, no-nonsense and practical tips I’ve ever had). But also: she was the brains behind J-17’s legendary Diary of a Crush. Growing up in South Africa, I was given a subscription to the seminal, feisty, feminist teen mag and I can honestly say that I don’t think I’d have been a journalist if it wasn’t for that. I was obsessed - and I loved the Diary of a Crush column and novellas. Anyway, that was a long time ago, and Sarra has had a hugely successful career in both magazines and books since then. Currently the literary editor of Red magazine, she has written over twenty five novels, both YA and adult - including, most recently, the absolutely charming rom com Rescue Me. I hope you find her as inspiring and wise as I did.

Buy the book: https://www.waterstones.com/book/rescue-me/sarra-manning/9781529336542

Edited by Chelsey Moore