This week on the blog, we're sitting down with author, journalist, and 2025 Women's Prize for Fiction judge Emma Gannon! Read on to learn more about Emma's approach to writing, her favourite novels, and her new book Table For One...

Hi Emma! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us here at Joanie. Let’s start things off with a bit of background, can you tell our readers about yourself and your career so far?

Hello! I’m a writer, first and foremost, and I like to let my creativity lead me in different directions! Years ago, I wrote a book about being a multi-hyphenate—I’ve never been one for boxes. In my twenties, I worked in magazines like Condé Nast and The Debrief, writing columns before moving into writing books full-time. Since then, I’ve written several works of non-fiction (The Success Myth and A Year of Nothing) as well as two novels - Olive and my latest, Table For One. Alongside my books, I also run The Hyphen, one of the UK’s top Substack newsletters. You can find all my books here.

Your latest novel, Table For One, was published earlier this year. What inspired you to write this story?

I wanted to write a love story centred on an intergenerational friendship between two women. Our main character, Willow, encounters a young, very-online Gen Z woman, and they cross paths at a pivotal moment in both their lives. A recurring scene in the book is Willow eating at a “table for one”—(it’s also something I also say a lot IRL) and the book is a celebration of women embracing solitude, whether that means dining alone, living alone, or simply choosing themselves. At its core, it’s a story about stepping away from relationships that no longer serve you and discovering a new, self-defined path. (I was slightly nervous about following up my first one, Olive, as debut novels usually get a bit more fanfare, but I’m so pleased with how well Table For One has gone down with readers!).

Do you have any general tips for aspiring writers? What helps you most when you’re sitting down to start writing?

Just keep writing! I think Zadie Smith once said, to be a writer, you have to get comfortable with being in a room for long periods of time, alone! It helps to be comfortable and find ways to enjoy the process. After all, you spend most of your time doing the actual hard thing itself (it’s really not all glamorous parties, sadly). I have a really good chair in my office, and a big armchair for reading/writing. Make it cosy and romanticise it. Go to your favourite cafe, order a latté or a cookie. Anything to get you writing!

We’re avid readers here at Joanie, and there’s nothing we love more than a good book recommendation. Tell us – what’s your favourite EVER book, and what book have you enjoyed reading most recently?

I always find this question so hard, because I don’t have just one favourite book! But one that I return to often is Dinner with Edward by Isabel Vincent. It’s a memoir about a journalist going through a divorce who forms an unlikely friendship with her octogenarian, recently widowed neighbour called Edward. They share a series of decadent dinners together, teaching each other lessons about life along the way. It’s tender, uplifting, and one I love to re-read often.

Outside of work, what do you get up to in your spare time?

I love going on long walks, cold-water swims with friends, trying new restaurants, travelling, and being an auntie to my many nieces and nephews!

Finally, which Joanie pieces are you loving most right now?

Big fan of this vintage shirt and these gold shoes and anything with a Dachshund on.

Emma Gannon is the Sunday Times bestselling author of 8 books, including Olive, her debut novel, which was nominated for the Dublin Literary Award. Her second novel, Table For One, is out now with Harper Collins. Her popular newsletter, The Hyphen, was one of the first in the UK to reach thousands of paid subscriptions on Substack.