MONTH 5:
How to write a novel
When I wrote my debut novel, I spent at least nine months finessing the first three chapters. I obsessed over every word and description until they were as brilliant as I could possibly make them. When I finished the book, I sent it to a literary agent. She replied quickly, saying she wanted to take me on, but the novel needed a bit of work. Her main suggestion? ‘Lose the opening three chapters; you don’t need them.’