‘We need to be open to feedback and willing to make changes while also staying true to the story we want to tell. It can be a fine line but one worth walking to create a novel or non-fiction work readers will not be able to put down.’

‘I sometimes think we forget the ‘social’ part of social media. Even when operating what essentially is a business account, it still needs to be engaging, represent you as an author, and connect with your book community.’

‘The very process of considering and selecting the type of feedback you want is truly magical. It gives you a slight editorial detachment, as you will be forced to consider your writing on a craft level. It also psychologically prepares you for receiving the feedback. You’ll no longer be afraid that the person will simply say it’s “good” or “bad”. Instead, you’ll receive marvellously focused feedback.’

‘“Voice” is not just about style and word choice, it’s about the kind of books you write, the aspects of character you explore, the issues and themes you return to and, in the end, the experience you deliver to your readers. It’s the “you” in the book.’

‘Take care not to send the manuscript off to agents or publishers too early. Writers are so often guilty of this (me included!). We’ve worked so damn hard on our book, we’ve done so many drafts, surely it must be finished?! But it’s worth taking another break, giving yourself a cooling-off period, and then reassessing.’

‘With few exceptions, writers don’t figure out their plots on the first attempt, whether they’re sitting down and plotting it out in advance or figuring it out as they draft. Plotting is a skill that requires an understanding of the mechanics of story, and that will develop as you apply yourself to the task of writing and rewriting.’

‘Most readers are after compelling stories and interesting characters. The exploration of human experience is a never-ending source of fascination, and story is the great laboratory for articulating this experience.’

‘Editing can be playful and intuitive but it’s also a time to hold up ideas, descriptions, sometimes specific words. When you edit, you step back to assess how well the text succeeds and to come up with ideas to improve what’s on the page.’

‘We are all used to sitting down at our own desks and fighting the urge to do other things, but in a classroom with ten other people writing beside you there is another energy that can deliver the seeds of new ideas.’