'You'll have three wonderful children, and you'll have the pleasure of rereading the books you reread, with them.'

You'll have three wonderful children, and you'll have the pleasure of rereading the books you reread, with them. You'll decide to leave your publishing job to be a freelance editor, but also, to write.

'If something really gets to me, I want to figure out how and why. What is it the writer does that takes me to a particular place, or time? How do they expose a character?'

If something really gets to me, I want to figure out how and why. What is it the writer does that takes me to a particular place, or time? How do they expose a character and make them compelling? And what makes a voice special?

'Good nature poetry is about looking, but it's also about having the right vocabulary, which most of us townies are losing. '

Good nature poetry is about looking, but it's also about having the right vocabulary, which most of us townies are losing. It's worth reading a few poets who really know about trees and flowers.

'But what about the writer as insider? For every prophet in the wilderness, isn't there someone firmly embedded in the world? '

But what about the writer as insider? For every prophet in the wilderness, isn't there someone firmly embedded in the world? For every recluse, isn't there a social creature bouncing off others?

'The writers who inspire me are those for whom writing is routine. The ones who, while fond of singing and dancing, wouldn't dream of making a song and dance about writing. '

The writers who inspire me are those for whom writing is routine. The ones who, while fond of singing and dancing, wouldn't dream of making a song and dance about writing. They write whatever the season.

'Why do I go through this? I'm fifty-five years old. I've had twelve books published, and I've had thirty-six years of rejection. Thirty-six years? '

Why do I go through this? I'm fifty-five years old. I've had twelve books published, and I've had thirty-six years of rejection. Thirty-six years? There's been rejection for articles and features, short stories and poems, novels and non-fiction books.

'The main reason I struggle to be genre fluid is that to write good historical novels you need two sets of skills; those of the novelist as well as the historian. '

The main reason I struggle to be genre fluid is that to write good historical novels you need two sets of skills; those of the novelist as well as the historian. Both require research, patience, imagination and structure. But of slightly different kinds.

'Eventually, creeping industrialisation and the seizure and loss of his beloved countryside caused John Clare such anguish it sent him mad. '

Eventually, creeping industrialisation and the seizure and loss of his beloved countryside caused John Clare such anguish it sent him mad. How are twenty-first century humans affected by rapidly disappearing natural things?

'I returned to UEA to teach on the MA, and though I still valued Angela Carter's advice to me, it isn't advice I readily pass on to my students.'

I returned to UEA to teach on the MA, and though I still valued Angela Carter's advice to me, it isn't advice I readily pass on to my students. I do believe we should write about what we know, but I no longer interpret that maxim quite so literally.

'It seems I share the writing fetishes of several people. I conclude, that I'm unusually neurotic and pervy.'

It seems I share the writing fetishes of several people. I conclude, that I'm unusually neurotic and pervy, which may be why I'm vulnerable to writer's block. Perhaps, if you have lots of rituals you make yourself vulnerable?