Ruth Dugdall : novelist, screenwriter, Suffolk based, authentic, ex-probation officer

Photo above: Ruth’s desk at Essex University. Below: at Thomas Hardy’s writing desk Writers are notoriously superstitious. Along with whisperings of ‘the muse’ and the curse of the ‘second book’, writing spaces are shrouded in mystique. Famous writing nooks are places of homage, as if something in the structure of the room, or a trinket…

Ruth Dugdall and Her Unusual Perspective: A Fresh Voice in Crime Fiction In the vast landscape of contemporary crime fiction, Ruth Dugdall stands out as a distinctive voice, bringing an unusual perspective that enriches the genre and challenges readers’ expectations. Known for her psychologically complex characters and gripping narratives, Dugdall’s work offers more than just…

What inspired you to write your first novel? Getting lost! I love to go walking, and one Sunday I ended up taking a wrong turn, and arriving in a pretty village called Polstead. I remembered seeing a play, when I was at school, about the murder of Maria Marten, and how her body was buried…

I have arrived at Prospect Cottage.  I’m curled like a cat on the green velvet sofa, nestled down amongst tatty yellow cushions, basking in the warmth. It’s late October, and after a cold week the sun is glorious here in Dungeness, lifting the heads of red and pink flowers in pots lined up before the…

Ruth Dugdall has expressed that she writes to explore the complexities of human nature and to give voice to stories that might otherwise remain untold. She believes that writing allows her to delve into moral ambiguities and the darker aspects of life, offering readers a chance to reflect on the choices people make. For her,…

Books are the best teachers. Some key influences include:

The Open Wound : An Essay on Melancholy and Motherhood Marrying the immediate intimacy of autobiography, with insights of social commentary, this creative non-fiction unpacks the experience of the Empty Nest I’m crying as I write this. Today, for the first ever time, I mourned the fact that I no longer go to Cheeky Monkeys.…

Ruth Dugdall is a novelist and screenwriter. To be an authentic writer means to express my true thoughts, feelings, and experiences honestly and without pretence. It means writing in a way that reflects who I really am, rather than trying to fit into what I think others want to hear. Being authentic allows me to…