Catherine Steadman, author of 'Look in the Mirror' - Actor turned bestselling thriller writer discusses career pivots, character nuances, and why word count doesn't matter

·46 min·4 clips

Catherine Steadman reveals why she left a steady acting career at 33, fearing limited roles as a woman.

In this episode of Writer's Routine, host Dan Simpson speaks with Catherine Steadman, a former actor who transitioned to writing thrillers. Steadman shares that she left a consistent acting career, with roles in shows like Downton Abbey, at age 33 because she worried about being offered stereotypical roles as a woman in her 30s. Her debut novel, 'Something in the Water', was a Reese Witherspoon book club pick and sold over a million copies. Steadman describes her current writing routine, which involves working in a private studio with a sparse, atmospheric setup or considering a return to the British Library for its quiet bustle. She aims for 2000-2500 words per day but notes that high word counts aren't everything since chapters often get cut during edits. Steadman balances writing with TV script work and publicity tasks, learning to set boundaries after years as an actor accustomed to saying yes. She discusses her new novel, 'Look in the Mirror', a thriller about two women and a mysterious house in the British Virgin Islands, inspired by themes like the commodification of identity but avoiding true crime elements. Steadman explains how her acting background informs her storytelling, helping with character development and plot structure. She emphasizes the importance of staying grounded by submitting ideas to publishers for feedback and avoiding hubris despite her success. The episode also touches on her marriage to actor and author Ross Armstrong and how sharing an industry helps. Throughout, Steadman highlights the solitary nature of writing and the joy of connecting with readers through events.

As heard by us

A grounded career-pivot conversation about fear, writing habits, and the practical work behind a thriller career.

Catherine Stedman's turn toward thrillers comes through as less a grand reinvention than a practical response to a familiar professional fear: what happens when the roles ahead start to look smaller than the life behind them.

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Why you'd press play

You get an actor-to-author pivot with a frank reason behind it, plus a useful refusal to treat huge word counts as automatic virtue.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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