Monthly Archives: February 2013

What happens when a character’s skirt gets hitched in her knickers?

Character is arguably the single most important component of the novel…nothing can equal the great tradition of the European novel in the richness, variety and psychological depth of its portrayal of human nature. David Lodge    When I was ten, … Continue reading

Posted in Essay, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 56 Comments

Try to get ahead too fast and you might end up with your trousers round your ankles

When I left drama school, I expected to become a successful actress immediately. I sent my headshot to directors and agents. Every time the phone rang, my heart convulsed, but usually it was my mother, wanting to know about my … Continue reading

Posted in Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 72 Comments

First drafts: allowing the worm to navigate the soils of your mind

I decided to go on a retreat a few years ago. When people asked me why, I tried to explain, but always got a sense I’d left something out; I circled back to the beginning, tried again. Words followed words, … Continue reading

Posted in Essay, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 63 Comments