'You made me a bed on the floor by the radiator, and let me sleep off my feverish homesickness. '

You made me a bed on the floor by the radiator, and let me sleep off my feverish homesickness. I wrote to you later and thanked you for making boarding school bearable. You replied telling me you had at last managed to escape your husband.

'It is now easier, more convenient, to refer to the fictional world I have created in that novel than my real life memories. '

Whenever I need to refresh my memory it is now easier, more convenient, to refer to the fictional world I have created in that novel than to summon up my real life memories. As you’ll have noticed, I’ve come full circle.

'I decided to throw myself into doing as much promotion of the book as I could. It was something I could exercise control over.'

I decided to throw myself into doing as much promotion of the book as I could. It was partially distraction, I suppose. But I also felt it was something I could exercise a degree of control over. I took it into my own hands.

'Having recently flirted with online dating, rejection is something I could write a book about. However, I will turn my attention to literary critical rejection.'

Having recently flirted with the online dating scene, rejection is something I could probably write a book about. It’s certainly got me thinking through potential plot lines. For the this article, however, I will turn my attention to literary critical rejection.

'You were a writer at nineteen and you’re a writer now. You write because you have something to say,'

You were a writer at nineteen and you’re a writer now. There are several books published with your name on the spine and there’s a feature film of one of your novels too. You write because you have something to say,

'I only have books that are useful or inspirational to the writing process, and my own published works are here. '

I have prints of white flowers by Georgia O’Keefe, and Hannah McVicar; a set of wooden angel wings from one of my closest friends. I only have books that are useful or inspirational to the writing process, and my own published works are here.

'Poets are said to do their best work in their early years. Young poets aren’t always the best judge of what’s good, though. '

Poets are said to do their best work in their early years (Thom Gunn wrote Fighting Terms as a student, and how old was Helen Mort when she began?) Young poets aren’t always the best judge of what’s good, though. Editorial skills come later.

'Writing requires commitment, concentration, conviction and occasional boredom. It’s best for me to be in a solitary environment,'

Writing requires commitment, concentration, conviction and occasional boredom. It’s a combination of those that propels the creative process. In order to have all of these when I settle down to write, it’s best for me to be in a solitary environment.

'Reading a novel for pleasure, in the daytime, has in the past felt as decadent as a solo trip to the cinema whilst my children are at school.'

Reading a novel for pleasure, in the daytime, has in the past felt as decadent as a solo trip to the cinema whilst my children are at school: something I have often longed to do, but never dared. How can I read, when there is work to be finished?

'For any writer of poetry, prose, essays for your course, reading aloud highlights stumbling blocks of all kinds. '

For any writer of poetry, prose, essays for your course, reading aloud highlights stumbling blocks of all kinds. My sense of the ebb and flow of a poem is always clarified because I distract myself in the physical act of standing and speaking.