'Writing a novel, one has to feel strongly about the theme that is its driving force, so discovering my underlying concerns has been helpful.'

In a dream diary recurring themes become apparent. When committing the time and effort required to write a novel, one has to feel strongly about the theme that is its driving force, so discovering my underlying concerns in this way has been helpful.

'It occurred to me to wonder, each time I signed one of these letters, how many disappointed writers would remember my name with hostility.'

It occurred to me to wonder, each time I signed one of these letters, how many disappointed writers would remember my name with hostility, and how many invisible enemies I had made during my tenure as queen of the slush pile.

'I tried to get my novel published, naïvely posting it off to publishers without realising that, whatever they claim, they never look at unsolicited submissions. '

I came back to Britain and tried to get my novel published, naïvely posting it off to publishers without realising that, whatever they claim, they never look at unsolicited submissions. It was turned down by all of them, but I kept on writing.

'In documentaries, the limits of your storytelling are largely set by where you point the camera. I learned to parcel up what I saw and heard into units of story.'

In documentaries, the limits of your storytelling are largely set by where you point the camera. I had a tough boss who told me, bluntly, ‘If you haven’t shot it, Polly, you haven’t got it.’ I learned how to parcel up what I saw and heard into units of story.

'Nick Hornby gave up writing novels, claiming that he was sick of his own company. He became a screenwriter instead.'

Writing, with all its knockbacks and critical judgements, can be a lonely road. Nick Hornby gave up writing novels for a while, claiming that he was sick of his own company, but he couldn’t walk away completely. He became a screenwriter instead.

'Just when you started to look at that page, someone needed a diaper change. Another one cried ‘I want snacks, dad!’. '

Just when you started to look at that page, someone needed a diaper change. As soon as you got into a rhythm later in the day, another one cried ‘I want snacks, dad!’ Words such as ‘concentration’ and ‘focus’ acquired new meanings.

'The vibe was all so positive — until three weeks later, when the agent emailed that she didn’t feel the same. I was crushed. '

I sent letters and had meetings, and spent a couple of hours with one who I realised, then and there, was definitely the agent for me. The vibe was all so positive — until three weeks later, when she emailed me that she didn’t feel the same. I was crushed.

'What you’ll discover is that one of your (our) greatest failings is destined to become the catalyst for great personal change.'

What you’ll discover is that one of your (our) greatest failings is actually destined to become the catalyst for great personal change. I’m speaking about your seething, confrontational angst towards, and quiet disregard for, formal education.

'Most human perception is probably lucky guesswork. To be truly an outsider, therefore, brings this disadvantage to the fore. '

Most human perception is probably lucky guesswork. To be truly an outsider, therefore, brings this disadvantage to the fore. I found, when researching books in India and Pakistan, that because I knew nothing, I was always in a questioning state.

'When working as an invigilator of public exams, I would gaze around the hall of silent candidates, imagining scenes from my novel-in-progress.'

When working as an invigilator of public exams, I would gaze around the hall of silent candidates in a kind of reverie, imagining scenes from my novel-in-progress and composing lines of dialogue in my head. Ideas seemed to flow more freely.