While I’m back to blogging in plain view of everybody, I thought I’d write a few entries on the subject of writing itself. Not dictating to people how to write, as such - explaining to people what my methods are and how they’ve changed over the years. I have a pretty funny approach to writing, you see, so you can all read it and laugh about how strange my habits are.

So, step the first. And, contrary to popular belief, there is a step that comes before any planning; before any getting down of the words.

First you have your breakfast.

I kid, I kid. Though obviously food is important; you can't write of you've died of starvation. The actual very first step - the period of silence before the Big Bang, you might call it, is ridiculously, unbelievably vital to your novel.

( Getting excited about it?! Are you joking?! )