'If my shoulder goes into spasm and I want to tense up, I try not to; I go into it. I wonder if we should treat writer's block the same way?'

If my shoulder goes into spasm, and I want to tense up in excruciating pain, I try not to; I feel my way through it, I go into it. I wonder if we should treat writer's block the same way?

The post Rhiannon Tise appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'When I was a teenager, I devoured the New Musical Express every week. Their greatest writer was a reprobate called Nick Kent.'

When I was a teenager, I devoured the New Musical Express every week. Their greatest writer was a reprobate called Nick Kent, and he taught me the value of a great headline and an arresting opening.

The post Paul Dowswell appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'I have a new book, and it will be a proper book, with covers, written on paper; people our vintage, we like paper, don't we? '

I have a new book, and it will be a proper book, with covers, written on paper; people our vintage, we like paper, don't we? Let's admit it, we bloody love the stuff.

The post Paul Sayer appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'A devout Catholic, mother of seven, kindly confidante and prodigious drinker and smoker of fags, Alice Thomas Ellis was both my literary midwife and fairy godmother.'

A devout Catholic, mother of seven, kindly confidante and prodigious drinker and smoker of fags, Alice Thomas Ellis was both my literary midwife and fairy godmother, and I adored her.

The post Deborah Bosley appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'My first novel was rejected by over twenty imprints before finding a home. That novel won prizes in the end, but I still remember those adjectives used by agents.'

I know my first novel was rejected by over twenty imprints before finding a home. That novel won prizes in the end, but I still remember those adjectives used by agents more easily than I can remember the praise of the judges.

The post Susan Fletcher appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'I've been playing around with a text for theatre that seems to be a mash-up of dialogue, poetry, and prose; of autobiography, science and ventriloquism. '

Right now, I've been playing around with making a text for theatre that seems to be coming out as a mash-up of dialogue, poetry, and prose; of autobiography, science and ventriloquism (don't ask).

The post Amanda Dalton appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'There is no shortcut. Just write the damn book. So I did. I wrote the book, and then I wrote it again, and again.'

There is no shortcut. Just write the damn book. So I did. I wrote the book, and then I wrote it again, and again, and eventually that story became my first published novel.

The post Katherine Clements appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'A writer's job is to observe the things that people ignore every day, and bring them to their attention. Writers shine a light into obscure, forgotten places.'

A writer's job is to observe the things that people ignore every day, and bring them to their attention. Writers shine a light into obscure, forgotten places... The unfortunate by-product is that we are always switched on.

The post Courttia Newland appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'Books, like phones in many a modern household, were not allowed at our family table; Weetabix really did fill my hunger gap.'

Books, like phones in many a modern household, were not allowed at our family table; Weetabix really did fill my hunger gap.

The post Fraser Grace appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.

'I walk, and I watch. I make small purchases to hear voices; this way, I learn that sperm have a sense of smell.'

I walk, and I watch. I make small purchases to hear voices; this way, I learn that sperm have a sense of smell, a Barista's tattoo is a mid-arm mash-up of coffee plants in honour of her job.

The post Mary Colson appeared first on The Royal Literary Fund.