'I think about books all the time. Books I’ve read and books I want to read. I compile lists in my head of books I want to buy. '

I think about books all the time. In bed at night, in the shower, when I’m cooking a meal, during country walks, on long car journeys. I think about books I’ve read and books I want to read. I compile lists in my head of books to buy and in what order.

'Some young adults are turning away from apps that find ever more devious ways to devour their attention, and towards the immersion of a good book. '

Some young adults are turning away from apps that find ever more devious ways to devour their attention, and towards the immersion of a good book. Poetry has been unexpectedly catapulted into bestseller lists by Instagram poets.

'Being bullied taught me a valuable lesson: I became self-reliant, learned to look inside for sustenance. It made me, I hope, more compassionate.'

Being bullied taught me a valuable lesson: I became self-reliant, learned to look inside for sustenance. It made me, I hope, more compassionate, more sensitive to other people, other creatures, other worlds; made me an outsider by choice.

'For the entirety of my twenties, I was rejected. I took it seriously. I treated rejection like a job. I worked at it, and I worked hard. '

For the entirety of my twenties, I was rejected. I took it seriously. I treated rejection like a job. I worked at it, and I worked hard. The wages were brown envelopes with my own handwriting on them, thumping onto my welcome mat after I’d sent them.

'Every morning is a feline re-enactment of an Ancient Greek drama, with me, the inadequate director, stage manager and Chorus.'

Every morning is a feline re-enactment of an Ancient Greek drama, with me, the inadequate director, stage manager and Chorus, attempting to re-write the inevitable scenes of bursting tension, churning violence and epic wailing.

'After ten years as a novelist, I find the ‘perfect’ surroundings are not necessarily as conducive to writing as I thought...'

After ten years as a novelist, I find the ‘perfect’ surroundings are not necessarily as conducive to writing as I thought. My three-screen computer set-up, while it’s incredibly useful also makes it ridiculously easy to check Facebook and Twitter.

'George Saunders develops the acronym TICHN — things I couldn’t help noticing. In other words, referring back to his advice ‘Don’t say something for no reason'.'

George Saunders develops the acronym TICHN — things I couldn’t help noticing. In other words, referring back to his advice ‘Don’t say something for no reason’; if you include a detail, make sure it means something, and repeat it, with subtle variations.

'I felt swept away by Ondaatje’s prose, as if by water — often I would need to climb ashore or set the book down to spend time with these words.'

I felt swept away by Ondaatje’s prose, as if by water — and yet so often I would need to climb ashore or set the book down in order to spend time with an expression or a character’s reply because these words were too beautiful to be hurried through.

'Many writers whose work is described as ‘literary fiction’ are uncomfortable with the label, largely because they’re unsure it actually means anything. '

Many writers whose work is described as ‘literary fiction’ are uncomfortable with the label, largely because they’re unsure it actually means anything. If I say my work is ‘literary fiction,’ I’m cheating whoever’s listening. I’m also cheating myself.

'I’d like to suggest that inspiration, when it occurs, is more often a reward of close focus and intense working than of visitation: a bonus rather than a living wage. '

I’d like to suggest that inspiration, when it occurs, is more often a reward of close focus and intense working than of visitation: a bonus rather than a living wage. It

can be the work of memory and association as well as of the imagination.