Literary Birthday – 27 July – Juliet Marillier

Happy Birthday, Juliet Marillier, born on 27 July 1948.

Juliet Marillier Quotes

1. I think my ideas come from life, from things I observe people doing and ways I see them reacting and interacting: human behaviour, I guess. That doesn’t mean I put real people into my books as characters, but I do use all sorts of ideas my experience suggests to me.
2. I’m influenced by traditional material – I’ve loved fairy tales and folklore, myths and legends since I was little. I read a lot of history books, and I travel to places I’m interested in – that’s a luxury I’ve only been able to afford since I became a published author!
3. Because most of my books are set in real history, I need to get everything at least reasonably correct. I often choose periods and places that have few contemporary written records, which leaves room for informed guesswork and imagination.
4. My books are fantasy, not history, so readers shouldn’t expect perfect historical accuracy. Usually when I get things ‘wrong’ it’s done on purpose, in the interests of better storytelling.
5. I read very widely – some of the writers who may have influenced me are Charlotte Brontë, Daphne du Maurier, Mary Stewart, Dorothy Dunnett, Dorothy L Sayers.
6. You need to be writing because you love doing it and because you have a story, poem or whatever just bursting to get out. You need the passion for it first, then you develop the techniques and the stamina to keep going.
7. Read a lot, and read widely. Experience life, because that’s your raw material. Grab any opportunity you can to get your material into print.
8. If you want to submit something to a publisher, make sure you comply with their rules (most publishers have a web site showing their submission guidelines.) There’s no point in sending your bug-whomper fantasy novel to someone who only publishes gardening and craft books. And you must get the basics right: spelling, punctuation, and grammar need to be OK, and the presentation should be professional.
9. Don’t be too discouraged if you get rejection slips. Everyone does. Keep trying, but seek advice as well, from teachers or other writers. Take creative writing classes if you think it will help. At the very least they provide a forum to have your work critiqued.

Source for quotes: Author’s Website

Juliet Marillier is a New Zealand-born writer of speculative fiction who has been a full-time author for more than 20 years. Her novels blend historical fiction, folkloric fantasy, romance, and family drama, creating richly imagined worlds inspired by history, mythology, and tradition. Her debut novel, Daughter of the Forest, was published in 1999 and marked the beginning of a successful career. Since then, she has written 25 historical fantasy novels for adults and young adults, as well as two collections of short fiction. She is best known for her acclaimed Sevenwaters series and the Blackthorn & Grim series. In 2025, Juliet received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Fantasy Convention in recognition of her contribution to fantasy literature. She is also a member of The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. Follow her on Facebook.

Source for photograph: Author’s Website

by Amanda Patterson
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