Having written fiction for over twenty years, I have been on a journey whereby you discover that you will always learn something new with each project. The wonder of writing is that there is always a new perspective, a fresh story or a compelling angle that hooks one in. Inspiration waits around every corner and once encountered, it is about being able to compose and shape that into something of value and worth to a reader.

Yet trusting the reader is crucial.

It would be not only restrictive on oneself but also towards the reader if one shackled the expectations for both parties. While one is no doubt, as the writer, a guide for the reader, leading them through the literary landscape, that relationship must not be overbearing. Nothing must be absolute.

The writer and reader are complicit in weaving the tapestry that is the text. This is why it is important that the writer never underestimates their audience and their capacity for taking minor clues and character details to construct the bigger detail. Not everything must be signposted and ‘X’ need not always mark the spot.

The reader who is strapped into their seat like a funfair amusement ride remains on the preordained tracks. They can see the start, the middle and the end. A funfair ride might suffice for a few minutes but not when one has invested several hours in this journey.