Krystal Sutherland was a student when she first experienced heartbreak and turned to writing to soothe her. The result was Chemical Hearts: an anti-YA that tells the story of a boy who wants desperately to be in love, but has very naïve ideas about what love is, and who he wants to love, and how it should look. Years later, Director Richard Tanne was so moved by her characters and story that after reading her novel that he immediately began writing a script to adapt it, even before he secured the rights. Chemical Hearts was released on Amazon Prime in August 2020 starring Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) and Austin Abrams (Euphoria). Krystal’s subsequent book A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares has also been optioned for adaptation by Yellow Bird US.

It’s clear that Sutherland has a special ability to draw complex characters, atypical characters that draw the reader into her stories. She’s also unafraid to subvert YA tropes and has an ability to explore difficult themes with tenderness and humour.

How does she do it? Join us for an intimate conversation with Krystal about her career and craft as a writer.

We’ll also explore:

• How to turn difficult person experiences (e.g. heartbreak) into fiction
• Krystal’s writing process
• How to battle writers’ block
• The difference between writing for screen and for the page
• Breaking into the YA market
• How to generate ideas and where to draw inspiration from
• How to understand your reader and write authentic and engaging scenes
• How to find your voice when you’re feeling unsure
• And much more

About Krystal Sutherland

Krystal Sutherland is an internationally published author. Her first novel, Chemical Hearts, was published in over 20 countries and was named by the American Booksellers Association as one of the best debuts of 2016. The film adaptation, produced by Amazon Studios, stars Lili Reinhart (Riverdale) and Austin Abrams (Euphoria); Sutherland served as an executive producer on the project. Her second novel, A Semi-Definitive List of Worst Nightmares, was published to critical acclaim in 2017 and has been optioned for adaptation by Yellow Bird US. In 2018, she appeared on the annual Forbes “30 Under 30” list. Originally from Australia, she has lived on four continents and currently calls London home. Her next novel for young adults, House of Hollow, is set for publication by Penguin in spring 2021.

London Writers' Salon Hosts:

Parul Bavishi has been an editor for over a decade. In addition to hosting LWS she helps thriller, YA and non-fiction writers level up their craft and get published. She writes and edits for the Story Grid and Publishing Uncovered. She has worked as an editor and literary scout at Random House, Quercus & Eccles Fisher. She analyses TV hit shows (Killing Eve, Ozark, Game of Thrones) on the Story Grid Showrunners Podcast.

Matt Trinetti is a writer, publisher, TEDx speaker, and facilitator. In addition to hosting LWS, Matt designs programs to help unfulfilled professionals pursue creative work, start businesses, and reinvent their careers. Matt's work has appeared in Quartz, Observer, Creative Mornings, and on his blog GiveLiveExplore.

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