How writer, gardener and UU graduate Mariken Heitman brings science and fiction together

It was only after studying Biology in Utrecht that Mariken Heitman discovered literature as a means of giving meaning to the world. She started writing while working as a vegetable grower

Fiction gave her space where science and academic training set limits. It allowed her not only to observe but also to depict things. "Scientific models mostly offer a simplified representation of reality. They can never fully encompass the chaos and nuances of the human experience."

Heitman now has three novels to her name: De Wateraap (2019), Wormmaan (2021) and De mierenkaravaan (2024). Identity, normativity and the relationship between humans and nature are key themes in her work.

She won the Libris Prize, the Dutch equivalent to the Booker Prize, in 2022, thanks to Wormmaan (Worm Moon), a novel about a biologist, Elke, who wants to make the pea plant wild again on a Wadden island by ridding it of all modifications. The character questions her own identity in the process. Heitman's latest book, De Mierenkaravaan (The Ant Caravan) was on this year's longlist. The novel follows the chronically ill gardener Kiek, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and retreats into her garden.

DUB met Heitman, ginger tea in hand, at Bagels & Beans in her hometown, Nieuwegein. We talked about the influence of her academic background on her writing, the limits of scientific language, and nature as a source of inspiration.

When did you start writing?
"I always dreamed of becoming a writer, but I didn't do anything about it for a long time. After I turned 30, I thought: 'It's now or never.' So, I took a writing course in Amsterdam, and that turned out to be life-changing. It was a pretty regular creative writing course. It started with a short cycle, then a year-long programme with weekly lessons. 

I learned that I should show, not tell, and about story structure and style, but the most important thing is that I was with a group of people who also liked to write and we would read and critique each other's work. I don't know if you can relate to this: you can write something for yourself but it only starts existing the moment someone else reads it. That's when it starts talking back. That interaction was extremely helpful in my development as a writer."

How does your fascination with nature influence your writing?
"I've always felt a strong connection with nature. My family had dogs and we lived in Twente, close to the forest. My grandmother had a big vegetable garden, so nature was always present in my life. I was always getting books about animals. I once got one about Jane Goodall, the chimpanzee researcher. I saw her sitting there, surrounded by chimpanzees, and I thought: 'Yeah, I want that too.' Funnily enough, that has never left me.

I studied biology with the dream of becoming an ethologist. Now, I use biology as a framework to interpret things in my stories and thinking. Biological concepts help me shape my characters and explore broader themes such as identity, evolution and adaptation. At first, I thought I had to write about people, I assumed that was what literature was all about. But then a bean would sneak in as I was writing."

Biology is exact, while fiction is free. They seem like two opposite forces. How do you combine this in your work?
"I had to free myself from scientific restrictions. When I write about nature, I always think: 'Am I allowed to do this? Is this correct?' As a scientist, I can't say what a hedgehog is thinking, but I can as a writer. Nature and the science that studies it are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for me. Models simplify reality, but nature cannot be fully captured. A garden looks different every season and that tension fascinates me.

Perhaps there is a mystery that transcends our comprehension. It is precisely in that uncertainty, in that not knowing, that something beautiful lies - a story that I want to tell, with which I want to enchant people and broaden their view of nature and themselves. And occasionally, tease science a little, with a wink."

Gender and sexuality are thematic labels often applied to your work. To what extent are these themes present in your books?
"A longing for origins is interwoven in all my writing, although I often only realise it afterwards. I wrote my first book without a clear thematic focus, but my editor pointed out to me that my book was about gender and nature. I was surprised by that insight, but it was true. That is what is special about writing - sometimes you unconsciously reveal something. A book or manuscript functions as a mirror: you see what it is really about when others read it. Nowadays, I am much more aware of that and I think about the theme I want to explore from the start."

Does this theme make your books political?
"My work is not intended to be political, but it inevitably touches on social issues. As soon as politicians like Trump claim that there are only two genders, it directly influences how people see themselves and how they are perceived by others. Identity does not come to be in a vacuum; it is formed by social structures, expectations and language. If certain parts of yourself are not recognised, it can lead to a distorted self-image. In that sense, my work inevitably touches on politics because it deals with how people understand themselves and their place in the world."

Your first two novels have a first-person narrator: Elke, a student who later becomes a market gardener. In The Ant Caravan, you opt for an omniscient narrator and the garden itself almost seems to be an observing force. How do you choose the narrator in your novels?
"I deliberately chose a first-person narrator for my first book because it enabled me to leave Elke's gender open. I left room for interpretation by not using the explicit pronouns ‘she’ or ‘he’, which suited both the character and the theme of the story. For my second book, I thought I had to come up with a new character, but it didn't work. My editor said: ‘This looks a lot like Elke...’ So, in the end, I just went back to Elke, only a bit older. 

In my third book, I wanted to distance myself from the main character, Kiek, and I also needed a broader perspective. Since I had already explored gender ambiguity in my previous books, I could now describe Kiek as a ‘she’. Besides, it felt oppressive to be completely inside the head of a chronically ill character, especially since I have multiple sclerosis myself. Kiek's experience of isolation and physical limitations hit too close to home. An omniscient narrator allowed me to take some distance and give nature a voice. I wanted to tell a bigger story in The Ants' Caravan, not just from the perspective of one individual, but from a whole, an ecosystem. That's why an omniscient narrator was a better fit."

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
"I was lucky enough to bump into an editor during my writing course, who invited me for tea. That gave me a huge boost – the idea that someone with a professional eye saw something in my work. My first manuscripts weren't good enough, but by continuing to write and keep in touch, I eventually succeeded.

If you can't find an editor, it helps to participate in writing competitions and publish in literary magazines. Publishers often follow these more closely than their slush pile. Furthermore, reading and writing a lot helps, as does a writing course. As for themes, start close to home. When I write about nature, I don't have to make anything up – I know how it smells and feels. You only realise afterwards that you always write about the same things. Pay attention to where the fire is in your text as that will tell you what drives you as a writer."

Mariken Heitman recorded this video for the Faculty of Science's New Year's reception:

Who is Mariken Heitman?
Writer and market gardener Mariken Heitman (1983) studied Biology at Utrecht University. After a brief internship on a farm, Heitman worked in organic vegetable production. She published her debut novel De Wateraap (The Water Monkey) in 2019, for which she was nominated for the Bronzen Uil and the Anton Wachter Prize. Her second novel, Wormmaan (Worm Moon) (2021) was awarded the Libris Literature Prize and the C.C.S. Crone Stipendium. Her latest novel, De Mierenkaravaan (The Ant Caravan), was published in 2024 and longlisted for this year's Libris Prize. In addition to writing, she teaches vegetable growing and publishes essays and articles for newspapers and magazines such as De Volkskrant, De Standaard and NRC.