‘You need to have a process. You need to know what it is and be ready to change or refine it in the light of experience. That’s one of the big differences between being a professional and a dilettante.’

‘Our job as creative writers isn’t necessarily to capture 50 years of research in a ‘teaching moment’, but to evoke the senses of place and perspective and to ask questions.’

‘Speculative fiction, like all literature, doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and writers in 2026 are going to incorporate the music we listen to, the technology we use, the films we watch, the global affairs that concern us, into the stories we write, just as writers in 1926 did—which, along with stylistic experimentation, keeps the genre alive.’

‘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.’

‘Better to have a poem you love knocked back than have one you sort of like accepted in a journal. This may sound obvious but sometimes, especially early on in your writing career, you might take any publishing opportunity as a win. I think it’s important to write for yourself, sit on your work for a while, edit and edit again and then send out in the world.’

‘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.’

‘I think because the streamers are able to take risks and screen material that might not fit the charter of the networks, there’s more opportunity for writers to create stories that are fresh and original.’