Eventually I will begin writing, usually because there is nothing else I can do with my thoughts, and the process of writing will expand the thematic content of the material. From there I am concerned almost entirely with language.

In what way does language become a concern?

When one is dealing with a novel, or, I suppose, any work of art, one is dealing not with the real world, but with an event in consciousness. This is what I mean by language.

I am dealing with constraints, as any artist must deal with constraints, because these constraints are an essential part of the structure of my novel. Out of these constraints arise the narrative sequence. And, in addition, I am concerned with rhythm. I read what I have written aloud to ensure that the correct rhythms are there and to show up the lies and falsehoods that have crept into the narrative.

On a larger scale the temporal rhythm contained within the novel as a whole is held together by language and the use of language and as a writer this is the realm in which I live.

What other challenges do you face when you are writing?

Talent is only a small part of the writing process, especially in the realm of the novel. Writing a novel is a huge commitment in time, it means that you have to be capable of concentrating on your given theme for many months, perhaps years, to the exclusion of almost everything else. This means keeping fit, physically, and keeping strong, mentally. There is an awful lot of space for self-doubt in the time it takes to conceive, write, edit, and complete a novel. This is why there are so many would-be writers out there who never actually manage to complete a manuscript.

But beyond that there is the question of the quality or originality of the novel that I am working on. I'm always looking for a miracle. I want my present project to succeed where the previous ones failed. I'm not talking about other people's perceptions here, not how the book was received by the critics or the public, but what I think about it. I don't want to rewrite something I've already written. I want it to be something that the world has never seen before. I want it to be so good that it can walk and talk and have babies.

How do you deal with these problems?

By keeping the faith. By enormous and continual efforts of the will. By coming at each obstacle from every possible direction. By listening. Perseverance. Writing, like most things, gets better through practice.

In the writing that you are doing, who would you say has influenced you the most?

I had a great English teacher when I was around ten years old and I believe it was him who lit the flame. He was passionate about the language and particularly about English writers. He encouraged my own writing and the books that I chose to read. He made my judgments feel valid, whereas most of my teachers made me feel as though I were invisible.