'Ophelia's story is so unjust and so slight, that I would give her more of a backbone and her story more heft, and Gertrude's seems full of undeveloped potential.'

Ophelia's story is so unjust and so slight, that I would give her more of a backbone and her story more heft, and Gertrude's seems full of undeveloped potential. I wouldn't presume to change the outcome of this tragedy.

'One reader will give your book a one-star rating because Amazon didn't deliver it on time.'

There will be reviews. Some will be excoriating, some will be wonderful, some will be mind-blowingly annoying. One reader will give your book a one-star rating because Amazon didn't deliver it on time.

'Most of the students I worked with as a RLF Writing Fellow were struggling with too many assignments. We spent our fifty minutes making a to-do list.'

Most of the students I worked with as a Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow were struggling with too many assignments. When we sat down together, and spent our fifty minutes making a to-do list, they would leave with a new spring in their step.

'I'm a gothic writer, so I regularly post photographs of ruined churches and ancient castles, or bizarre and macabre news stories. Tell your readers what your work is like.'

I'm a gothic writer, so I regularly post photographs of ruined churches and ancient castles, or bizarre and macabre news stories. Tell your readers what your work is like without making them feel as though they're being force-fed with sales messages.

'That's the thing about stories; they tend to work to their own schedules. '

That's the thing about stories; they tend to work to their own schedules. You can do everything possible to provide a sympathetic setting for one to make its appearance, and it still might not come when it's called.

'A grounding in contextual fact transformed my own book, and Beryl Bainbridge went on to be shortlisted for the Booker in 1998 for Master Georgie.'

A grounding in contextual fact transformed my own book, and Beryl Bainbridge went on to be shortlisted for the Booker in 1998 for Master Georgie, the novel she was writing at the time of our conversation.

'My mother taught at the school, French usually, but also Social Health. In front of my form group, she unrolled a condom onto a cucumber. '

My mother taught at the school; French usually, but also Social Health. In front of my form group, she unrolled a condom onto a cucumber to demonstrate the precise use of a prophylactic.

'James Baldwin's books weren't just about being black or gay. They were about being human.'

James Baldwin's books weren't just about being black or gay. They were about being human, and what has to be understood, reconciled, challenged, acquired and achieved in order for a person to retain their humanity.

'Writing, too, needs a balance. Both in its structure to convey the content, as well as the life of the writer. Dorothea Brande gave me stability.'

Writing, too, needs a balance. Both in its structure to convey the content, as well as the life of the writer. Dorothea Brande gave me the stability of a prescriptive daily rhythm to open up the sources of my writing.

'I have seven older brothers. In the seventies, when I was still very young, I can remember waking up at night to the house full of soldiers and policemen.'

I have seven older brothers. In the seventies, when I was still very young, I can remember waking up at night to the house full of soldiers and policemen. To cupboards being emptied. The boys being led away. This was during Internment.