Jessie Elland: 'There’s something about gothic horror that is so addictive to me'
BY Maya Fernandes
22nd May 2025
Jessie Elland was a student on our Rewrite Doctor course in 2023. We caught up to discuss her debut novel, The Ladie Upstairs – out now from Baskerville (John Murray Press).
Read on to discover the inspiration behind Jessie's gory literary horror, her writing routine and her top tips for creating a gripping narrative.
Jessie, you studied on our Rewrite Doctor course in 2023. How did studying with us shape the way you approach your writing now?
I have a real non-linear, jigsaw-esque approach to my writing, which means I can end up becoming so close to my material that I struggle to step back and see it from a new perspective when editing. The Rewrite Doctor gave me everything I needed and more to develop an editorial eye that helped me criticise and celebrate my work; both of which are needed in the editing process.
Your debut novel The Ladie Upstairs tells the story of scullery drudge Ann who longs to become a lady's maid and experience life ‘above stairs’ at the grand Ropner Hall. Can you tell us a bit more about the book and the inspiration behind it?
As an aspiring actress, I set out to write a historical play that I would put on as a one woman show to try and get an acting agent. However, I very quickly realised I had no clue how to write a play, and that idea was swiftly scrapped. But the setting and characters I’d come up with wouldn’t leave my mind, so I felt compelled to write them in a format I was more familiar with. Cultivated by my love for gothic literature, my idea and its new format snowballed until it became The Ladie Upstairs!
The novel is set in an unspecified historical period. Was this an intentional choice, and what was your process for developing the dynamics of Ropner Hall?
Originally, I was going to set the novel in the mid to late 1800s, but as the plot developed it became really important to have Ropner Hall exist as a liminal and timeless space. I wanted it to be a fly trapped in amber. The ambiguity of the historical period created a sense of freedom that allowed me to anthropomorphise Ropner Hall and develop it as a character in its own right, which then helped to shape and intensify the dynamics for the characters living inside.
Do you have any advice for writers looking to craft gothic horror on how they can find beauty in the grotesque, and create a gripping narrative that both unsettles and satisfies readers without crossing the line?
With regard to finding the beauty in the grotesque I think it’s all in the detail. It’s about questioning how you can turn something universally benign into something suddenly sinister or suspicious with the slightest little switch. This in itself is fun, but it gets even better once you start experimenting with how many answers you actually want to give your reader. Sure, it’s important to breadcrumb clues to make sure your reader is satisfied, but sometimes when things are left to the imagination, the horror can grow tenfold and that's when you can create something truly gripping.
What is it about the gothic horror genre that speaks to you as a writer, and what do you think it offers readers that other genres don’t?
There’s something about gothic horror that is so addictive to me both as a reader and as a writer. I think it’s the marrying of the beautiful and the grotesque that creates this brilliant ‘I don’t want to look yet I can’t look away’ dynamic. I also love the slow so-sinister-it’s-sickly build up that gothic horror seems to prefer over jump scare shocks. Beyond that, I think gothic fiction and horror can be brilliant vehicles for exploring terror off the page as well as on; The Yellow Wallpaper is an oft cited perfect example, and Mona Awad’s Rouge, and Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber also effectively use horror and gothic tropes to (often brutally) rip open important conversations around themes that otherwise may not be widely broached.
Dark, feminist books about female rage are incredibly popular at the moment, and your debut has had comparisons to the likes of Ottessa Moshfegh, Eliza Clark, and Mona Awad. Do you have any favourite books within this sub-genre?
At the moment I love reading short story collections in this genre, I think the format allows authors to be so much more experimental and really push their imagination to some crazy places, which makes for an enjoyable albeit stomach-churning read! Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung, The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez, and Let Me Tell You by Shirley Jackson are just some examples. Not a short story, but I also loved Woodworm by Layla Martinez and wish more people knew about it!
What is your writing routine?
I wish I could tell you that I have nailed down a consistent routine or schedule when it comes to writing, but that would most definitely be a lie. More often than not I have to build a schedule for ‘non-writing’ time, as usually once I get going with a project, I love writing so much that I find it hard to stop. With that in mind, I’m trying to get into the habit of writing first thing in the morning, dedicating the afternoon to all ‘non-writing’ things, before having the evening to go over my work from earlier.
And finally, what’s next for your writing journey?
I have wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember and I feel so lucky that I’ve managed to achieve such a big dream so early in life. So, I really want to make the most of it, and ensure that learning and growing as an author is always something at the forefront of my mind as I continue my journey. As a result, I’m having fun writing new projects that allow me to experiment with different genres and voices. I don’t think I’ll ever fully abandon gothic horror but I’m excited to push myself to explore new avenues as an author.
Get your hands on a copy of The Ladie Upstairs.
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