In this month’s issue of BucketOrange Magazine, we sat down with Elodie Cheesman – a young lawyer, writer, and author of the new novel Love, In Theory to talk about ambition, creativity, and building a life in the law.
Keep your eyes glued to our Instagram feed early next week when we’ll be GIVING AWAY a copy of Elodie’s book to two lucky readers!
Your first novel, Love, In Theory, has just been released this month. Can you tell us a little about the storyline?
“Love, in Theory is a romantic comedy about a 24-year-old lawyer, Romy, who learns that she is at her ‘optimal stopping point’ (the mathematically designated point at which one should select the next ‘best person’ who comes along in order to have the best chance at happily ever after). Highly analytical and data-driven, Romy decides to get serious about her love life … by applying academic theories about love to her search for the perfect person. What could go wrong?”
Like the main character, Romy, you’re also a lawyer based in Sydney. Is the book inspired by any experiences from your own life?
“Love, in Theory is definitely fiction, but I did draw on my experience of navigating Sydney’s dating scene in my early twenties – the feelings of excitement and uncertainty, and wishing there was a formula or guidebook to help me in my search. I was also inspired by the world of big commercial law firms in Sydney; though thankfully, my actual experience of that world is very different from Romy’s!”
Can you tell us a little about your career pathway to date?
“After completing my undergraduate law degree in Sydney and a BCL at Oxford University, I started as a graduate lawyer at a large commercial firm in Sydney. After a few years I took a leave of absence to work as an Associate to the Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, after which I returned to the same firm. I work in the areas of general commercial litigation and dispute resolution, and administrative and public law.”
Have you always wanted to write? Do you find it easy to access your creative brain after a long day at the office?
“I have always loved reading and creative writing, and it was a long-held dream of mine to have a novel published. It can definitely be difficult to muster the enthusiasm to write after a long day at the office – like physical exercise, it’s one of those things that is really invigorating once it’s done or underway, but requires a fair bit of effort to get started. I’m much more inclined to turn to Netflix after work, so I tend to write in the mornings or on weekends when I’m feeling fresh.”
How long did it take you to complete your novel, and how have you managed to balance full-time legal work while doing so?
“It took about 18 months to complete the first draft of Love, in Theory, and a couple more years to revise and find an agent and publisher. I balanced writing with full-time legal work by chipping away at my novel in the mornings before work. Slow and steady!”
Do you have any plans for a follow-up novel?
“Yes, I’ve started work on another novel – another romantic comedy!”
What advice would you give other aspiring writers?
“My advice would be: Don’t wait for permission, a bolt of inspiration or the ‘perfect conditions’ to write – just start, and find out by trial and error what works for you. This might involve setting aside 15 minutes each day to jot down thoughts to develop into a story, signing up to a creative writing course or writers’ group for some external accountability and encouragement, or starting with shorter-form pieces … whatever enables you to flex your writing muscle!”
Elodie’s book, Love, In Theory, is available to purchase now through Pan MacMillan Publishing.