Alice Oseman’s own story could easily come from the pages of her feel-good, coming-of-age novels that have taken the young adult fiction world by storm.

Her stories of marginalised teenagers coming to terms with their sexual identities have struck a chord with a worldwide audience. The 27-year-old has also become a household name in wider circles on the back of the Netflix adaptation of her Heartstopper series.

But Alice’s writing journey has taken a few twists and turns, including self-publishing, webcomics, and even setting up an online fundraiser. Her own writing story began through frustration while still in sixth form.

Representation Matters

She said: “I was a teenager during the first young adult fiction boom, which is when I discovered John Green. While I loved reading books like that, I couldn’t find any that really represented my world, which was a British all-girl school. So I started writing Solitaire just for fun, to make myself happy. It was only towards the end that I realised how much I wanted to be an author, and how much I believed in that book.”

Solitaire’s authentic portrayal of depression, eating disorders and LGBTQ+ relationships earned her a publishing deal. While studying literature at Durham University, her second novel, Radio Silence, was published. Two online novellas followed, all to further critical acclaim.

Change of Direction

But her desire to progress the relationship of Solitaire characters Charlie and Nick led to an incredible change in direction – webcomics and graphic novels.

“I tried to plan it as a prose novel, but I couldn’t make it work, because the story in my head didn’t have a novel structure. There wasn’t a beginning, middle and end. It was ongoing, so I realised it would perfectly suit the format of a webcomic.”

After producing around 30 pages of the story, she launched Heartstopper on free platforms like Tumblr and Tapas. Within a year, Nick and Charlie’s story had attracted tens of thousands of readers.

Crowdfunding Success

Alice’s crowdfunding target of £9,000 to self-publish Heartstopper was reached within two hours. The fundraiser eventually brought in close to £60,000. She said: “At this point, I wanted to see Nick and Charlie in print, but I didn’t think it could be a traditionally published book.” Her agent agreed.

The 2,000 freshly printed graphic novels not only brought Heartstopper into the material world, but they led to the rights being snapped up, awards arriving with each volume. Eventually Netflix commissioned the adaptations which have become two series and a finale film on the streaming service.

Although Alice’s books have become beacons of hope for young LGBTQ+ around the world, and she’s become one of the world’s best-selling young adult novelists, the success isn’t without its pressures.
Alice said: “I’m so grateful that this is my job and what my life is. But it has created a lot of pressure. I’m at a point where I’m struggling to work on things because I know there are so many people reading what I write.’

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Every fiction writer knows the thrill of a story bursting to life – and the dread when the well runs dry. Inspiration isn’t a mysterious lightning bolt that strikes only the lucky few; it’s a skill you can cultivate. Whether you’re drafting your first novel or your tenth, learning to actively seek and nurture inspiration turns sporadic ideas into a steady creative flow.

Start with Your Inner World
The richest source of inspiration often lies within your own life. Mine your memories, emotions and experiences. That childhood fear of the dark, the complicated friendship that ended badly or the quiet triumph of overcoming a personal failure can become the emotional core of your protagonist’s arc. Fiction doesn’t have to be autobiographical, but authentic feelings resonate. Ask yourself: What haunts me? What do I long for? What injustices make my blood boil?
Journaling helps. Spend ten minutes each morning free-writing without censorship. You’ll be surprised how often a stray memory or half-forgotten dream sparks a plot twist or character quirk. Dreams themselves are goldmines – keep a notebook by your bed and record them immediately upon waking. The surreal logic of dreams can fuel speculative fiction, horror and even magical realism.

Observe the World Around You
Great fiction is rooted in human truth. Become a professional people-watcher. Cafés, parks, airports and public transport are stages where strangers reveal fragments of stories. Notice how someone fidgets with their collar while arguing on the phone, or the way an elderly couple shares a quiet, knowing glance. Eavesdrop (discreetly) on conversations—the rhythm of real speech, slang, and conflicts can breathe life into dialogue.
Travel, even locally, expands your palette. A different neighbourhood, a hike in the woods, or a visit to a museum can shift your perspective. Historical sites, in particular, offer layers of conflict and drama. If travel isn’t possible, documentaries, podcasts, or virtual tours serve a similar purpose. The key is curiosity. Train yourself to ask, ‘What if …?’

Read Voraciously
Writers are readers first. Read widely across genres – your fantasy novel might gain unexpected depth from a literary classic or a gritty true-crime account. Pay attention to what moves you: a clever plot structure, an unforgettable villain or a beautiful sentence. Study it, then swivel it into something new. Don’t stop at books. Movies, TV series, video games, theater and visual art all offer inspiration. A painting’s mood, a song’s lyrics or a film’s cinematography can spark entire scenes.

Use Prompts and Constraints
When inspiration feels absent, create it artificially. Writing prompts are excellent starters. Websites, writing guides or even random word generators can kickstart your brain. Try constraints: write a scene using only one setting, limit yourself to 500 words or retell a fairy tale from the villain’s perspective. Limitations often force creativity.
Collaborate or engage with communities. Join writing groups, workshops and online forums. Feedback and shared enthusiasm are invigorating. Beta readers or critique partners can highlight strengths you overlook and suggest new directions.

Embrace Nature, Solitude, and Play
Sometimes the best inspiration comes from stepping away. A walk in nature clears mental clutter and invites subconscious ideas to surface. Many authors swear by running, gardening or showering – the “shower effect” where the mind wanders productively.
Play is equally important. Experiment with your story. Write silly alternate endings, draw character maps or create playlists for different scenes. Allow yourself to be ridiculous; the best ideas often hide behind the guard of perfectionism.

Overcoming the Dry Spells
Writer’s block is normal. When it hits, lower the stakes. Write badly on purpose. Set a timer for fifteen minutes and commit to putting words down, no matter how uninspired. Inspiration often follows action, not the other way around. Maintain a “spark file”—a document or notebook where you collect interesting articles, quotes, images, and observations. When stuck, browse it.

Finally …
Finding inspiration is less about waiting and more about showing up with open eyes and an open mind. Build habits that feed your creativity daily: read, observe, reflect and experiment. Over time, these practices transform writing from a struggle into a joyful dialogue with the world and your imagination. Your next great story is already hiding in the details of everyday life – you just have to notice it, swivel it and give it wings.
The blank page isn’t empty. It’s full of potential. Start looking and the words will follow.

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Writing a book is an ambitious and deeply rewarding endeavour, but at its core lies one essential truth: great storytelling doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on craft – deliberate, learnable techniques that transform ideas into compelling narratives. Whether you’re drafting your first chapter or refining your tenth manuscript, mastering the fundamentals of writing craft can dramatically elevate your work.

At PublishNation, we believe that one of the most critical elements of storytelling is character development. Readers don’t just follow plots, they follow people. A well-developed character feels real, with desires, flaws, and internal conflicts that drive their decisions. Instead of simply describing your character, reveal who they are through their actions and choices. Ask yourself: what does my character want more than anything, and what stands in their way? The tension between those two forces is where compelling stories are born.

Equally important is dialogue, which serves as both a tool for communication and a window into character. Strong dialogue should feel natural but purposeful. It’s not about replicating everyday conversation; it’s about distilling it. Every line should either reveal something about the character, advance the plot, or ideally, both. Pay attention to rhythm, subtext, and voice – each character should sound distinct. Often, what’s left unsaid is just as powerful as what’s spoken.

Then there’s pacing, the invisible engine that keeps readers turning pages. Pacing is about control; knowing when to slow down and when to speed up. Action scenes often benefit from shorter sentences and rapid progression, while emotional or reflective moments may require more space to breathe. If a scene feels dull, it may be dragging; if it feels confusing, it may be rushed. Learning to adjust pacing ensures your story maintains momentum without sacrificing depth.

Of course, none of these elements exist in isolation – they all operate within your plot structure. A strong structure provides a roadmap for your story, guiding readers through a satisfying arc. While there are many models (three-act structure, the hero’s journey, etc.), they all share common principles: a clear beginning, rising tension, a climax, and a resolution. Structure doesn’t restrict creativity, it supports it. Think of it as the framework that allows your story to stand strong.

It’s also worth remembering that writing craft improves with intentional practice. Reading widely, analysing stories you admire, and revising your own work are all essential habits. Don’t be discouraged if your first draft falls short. That’s part of the process. Craft is refined in revision, where you sharpen dialogue, deepen characters, and tighten pacing.

Ultimately, mastering writing craft is about understanding how stories work and applying those principles in your own unique way. There’s no single ‘correct’ method, but there are proven techniques that can help you tell your story more effectively. By focusing on character, dialogue, pacing, and structure, you give your writing the foundation it needs to truly resonate with readers.

Keep writing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep refining your craft.

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Turning a novel into a film script can be an exciting opportunity for writers to see their story come alive on the screen. However, at PublishNation we believe that adapting a book into a screenplay requires more than simply copying dialogue and trimming descriptions. Novels and films are fundamentally different storytelling mediums, and understanding those differences is the first step toward a successful adaptation.

The most important shift is learning to think visually. Novels allow writers to explore inner thoughts, detailed backstories, and rich descriptions. In contrast, screenplays rely on action, dialogue, and imagery. Film is a visual medium, so internal monologues and lengthy explanations must be translated into scenes that show rather than tell. For example, instead of describing a character’s anxiety over several pages, a screenplay might show nervous gestures, fragmented dialogue, or symbolic imagery to communicate the same emotion.

Next, writers must identify the core of their story. Most novels are too long and complex to fit into a standard feature film structure, which typically runs between 90 and 120 minutes. This means subplots may need to be trimmed or removed, and secondary characters may be combined. The focus should be on the central conflict and the protagonist’s journey. Ask: What is the heart of the story? What must remain for the narrative to work?

Understanding screenplay structure is also essential. While novels have flexible structures, films often follow a three-act format: setup, confrontation, and resolution. The first act introduces the characters and central conflict, the second act escalates the stakes, and the third act delivers the climax and resolution. Writers adapting their own novels should outline their story according to this structure before drafting the script.

Dialogue also needs special attention. In novels, dialogue can be supported by internal narration and exposition. In screenplays, dialogue must stand on its own and sound natural when spoken aloud. It should reveal character, advance the plot, or heighten tension—preferably all three at once.

Finally, writers should learn proper screenplay formatting. Industry-standard scripts follow specific guidelines for scene headings, action lines, character names, and dialogue layout. Using screenwriting software can help ensure the script meets professional standards.

Adapting a novel into a film script is both a creative and technical challenge. By focusing on visual storytelling, refining the core narrative, mastering structure, and embracing the discipline of screenwriting, authors can successfully transform their written world into a compelling cinematic experience.

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Nobody knows their own story better, but laying it out on the page can be far from straightforward.

Memoirs come in all shapes and forms—from the harrowing, such as The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank or Chanel Miller’s Know My Name, to the light-hearted and humorous The Moon’s a Balloon by David Niven.

Most autobiographies entail some degree of overcoming adversity, such as Hilary Mantel’s Giving up the Ghost or Becoming by Michelle Obama.

And the best of them even gets turned into film or television adaptations, such as Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt.

Creating the voice and the tone for memoir writing takes practice, as does establishing the pace and deciding what goes in and what stays out.

Few know the genre better than Helen Macdonald, author of the award-winning and blockbuster movie H is for Hawk.

The non-binary writer’s story of how a goshawk called Mabel helped them grieve for the loss of their father is both a poignant memoir and engaging study of our relationships with the natural world.

Helen believes one of the most important approaches to any form of writing is to treat readers with respect.

They said: “They may know as much as you do—and if they don’t, they don’t want to be told how lucky they are to have you tell them all about it.

“Military techno-thrillers are often packed with acronyms like SOSUS and AIM-9s and Pratt & Whitney J-57s, and even if you don’t know what the hell those things are, you feel you’re being talked to as an equal when you encounter them on the page.

“Same goes for nature.”

While memoir writing, like almost all other genres, should never be prescriptive, following some basic rules does bode well for the finished manuscript.

Not looking through rose-tinted glasses while at the keyboard is a good start, according to Helen.

“If there are burned-out cars and shotgun-addled road signs, or a creek full of trash and a high-security perimeter fence alongside the singing nightingale, don’t leave them out.

“That’s how this world is—honour it.”

As well as the memoir H is for Hawk, Helen has also released a poetry anthology, Shaler’s Fish, a study of humans’ relationships with the world’s fastest birds, Falcon, and a collection of nature-inspired essays, Vesper Flights.

They believe a warts-and-all approach to explaining reactions and relationships with what you encounter is vital.

Helen added: “Jokes, sex, brand names, illness, food, insomnia, laziness, movie references, lovesickness, yeast cookery, even the history of armoured vehicles – the list is pretty much endless.

“David Gessner’s wonderful essay collection Sick of Nature is glorious on this—he complains productively of how tired and sick he is, not of nature, but the ‘hushed voice’ and ‘saintliness’ of a certain kind of writing about it.”

Macdonald writes about the deeply human concerns of how our ways of being in nature will shape the planet—and us—in the years to come.

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In an age of shortening attention spans, could the short story be ready for a dramatic comeback?

Through the annals of literature, some of the greatest ever writers have shocked, enthralled and delighted readers with their short stories.

Anton Chekhov, Ernest Hemingway, Daphne Du Maurier, James Joyce and Edgar Allen Poe mastered the shortened form of storytelling on their way to becoming celebrated novelists.

But one author in particular, who did write six best-selling novels and two memoirs, will always be known for her short stories.

Up until her death in 1965 Shirley Jackson had published close to 200 short stories in either collections, literary journals or magazines.

But one in particular – The Lottery – is still regarded as arguably the greatest ever written.

When it was first published in The New Yorker on June 26, 1948, it prompted more than 300 letters from, mostly outraged, readers.

Jackson’s short story about small town superstitions would go on to influence generations of writers and is still used as a template for characterisation and plot structure.

And, in a Tik-Tok and Facebook age of shortening attention, who better to look to for advice in keeping the word count down.

Although it is now 60 years since Shirley Jackson’s death, the posthumously published, Let Me Tell You, provides an insight into her approach to conjuring up subjects, structure and characters.

She said: “I cannot find any patience for those people who believe that you start writing when you sit down at your desk and pick up your pen and finish writing when you put down your pen again; a writer is always writing, seeing everything through a thin mist of words, fitting swift little descriptions to everything he sees, always noticing.”

In other words, there’s no time off from being a writer – and she recommends embracing your weirdness by unleashing your deluded imagination at every opportunity.

“The very nicest thing about being a writer is that you can afford to indulge yourself endlessly with oddness, and nobody can really do anything about it, as long as you keep writing and kind of using it up, as it were.

“I am, this morning, endeavouring to persuade you to join me in my deluded world; it is a happy, irrational, rich world, full of fairies and ghosts and free electricity and dragons, and a world beyond all others fun to walk around in.

“All you have to do – and watch this carefully please – is keep writing.

“As long as you write it away regularly, nothing can really hurt you.”

With almost all her work still in print, and collections regularly re-released, it’s difficult to argue with the godmother of the short story.

Narrative arcs, with their expositions, climaxes and resolutions, are all very well, but it’s Shirley Jackson’s mantra that should, perhaps, hold precedence for any budding short story writer – “…if it’s dull no-one should have to read it, and if it’s interesting you should be using it for a story.”

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More than 50 years after the death of one Britain’s most treasured big screen stars, his autobiography is being reissued.

Jack Hawkins shot to international fame in the post-war years for his roles in blockbusters such as The Cruel Sea, The Bridge over the River Kwai, and Lawrence of Arabia.

His remarkable story, Anything for a Quiet Life, became an instant best-seller on its release in the months following his death in 1973.

Jack’s son Andrew – himself a successful actor and writer – has now re-released the autobiography with fresh photographs and a new foreword.

Andrew said: “Though very popular on both sides of the Atlantic when it was first published in 1973, Anything for a Quiet Life has been out of print for 40 years.

“It continues to be a favoured read and changes hands on the internet as a second-hand book, where it gets multiple five-star reviews.

“Although it’s more than 50 years since my father died, there are no signs that his popularity is fading – there is a new generation who are discovering his films and want to know more about him.

“I feel my father’s story should be available, not only at an affordable price, but also as an e-book for a modern audience.”

Anything for a Quiet Life charts the early years of Jack Hawkins from his West End stage debut at the age of 13, first Broadway appearance at 18, and through his national service in India during World War II, before he became one of the most recognisable faces – and voices – of worldwide cinema in the 1950s.

While Anything for a Quiet Life reads like a who’s who of the silver screen, it is also a fascinating insight into the working life of what today would be described as an A-list celebrity.

From the late 1940s to the end of the 60s, Jack Hawkins appeared in some of the greatest films from the Golden Age of Cinema including Ben-Hur, Zulu, The Seekers, and The League of Gentlemen.

The deeply personal biography was written on and off in the years after Jack was diagnosed with throat cancer and had his entire larynx removed at the age of 55.

And it reveals his fears at losing his distinctive voice and place as one of the industry’s most in-demand actors.

Anything for a Quiet Life also features a deeply moving afterword by his widow – and Andrew’s mother – Doreen Hawkins, who describes Jack’s final weeks of treatment in New York and eventual death after returning to London.

Andrew continued: “Anything for a Quiet Life is my father’s work and clearly told in his own characteristic voice.

“The reprinting of it has enabled me to write a foreword, which I wanted to do to relate his career and life story to a contemporary context, taking some account of what has happened over the last 50 years.

“The book, as in the original, contains an afterword, written by my mother Doreen shortly after my father’s death, and this completes the book.

“Her moving and harrowing account of his rapid decline and death, following ill-advised surgery carried out in a New York hospital, ends the book that my father never had the opportune entirely to complete.”

Following this summer’s re-release of Anything for a Quiet Life, Andrew will embark on the reissue of his mother’s autobiography, Drury Lane to Dimapur.

Doreen’s fascinating story follows her own rise from amateur theatre to becoming a leading light on the stages across India and Burma to entertain the troops, where she was to meet her future husband, Jack Hawkins.

Andrew added: “My mother may not have been the household name that my father was, but her own story is a remarkable one.

“As with Anything for a Quiet Life, I am going to bring out my mother’s excellent memoir Drury Lane to Dimapur as an e-book, which is a kind of companion piece.”

Andrew has been working with PublishNation over the past few months on reissuing Anything for a Quiet Life to make his father’s autobiography available as both a paperback and e-book.

For more information, visit Amazon and search for Andrew Hawkins where the paperback and Kindle versions of Anything for a Quiet Life are available.

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Writing a book requires thorough research to create a compelling and accurate narrative. Whether you’re working on fiction or nonfiction, the quality of your research will shape the credibility and richness of your story. Here are the best ways to conduct effective research for writing a book.

Define Your Research Goals

Before diving into research, outline what information you need. Identify key topics, themes, or historical contexts relevant to your book. Having a clear research plan will prevent unnecessary detours and save time.

Use Credible Sources

For nonfiction books, rely on primary sources such as government records, scholarly articles, and interviews with experts. Secondary sources like books, documentaries, and reputable websites can supplement your understanding. For fiction, historical documents, personal accounts, and firsthand experiences add authenticity to your storytelling.

Conduct Interviews

Speaking with experts, professionals, or people who have lived through certain experiences can provide unique insights. If you’re writing a crime novel, interviewing a detective or forensic expert can help you craft realistic scenarios. Record your interviews (with permission) to reference later.

Visit Locations

If your book is set in a real location, visit it if possible. Taking notes on the atmosphere, culture, and environment will help you bring settings to life. If travel isn’t an option, use virtual tours, maps, and online images.

Read Widely

Expand your knowledge by reading books, newspapers, and academic papers related to your topic. Analyse different perspectives to ensure a well-rounded understanding. For fiction, reading books within your genre can also provide inspiration and insights into successful storytelling techniques.

Keep Organised Notes

Maintain a research journal or digital database where you store notes, links, and references. Use tools like Evernote, Scrivener, or Notion to keep track of your findings systematically.

Fact-Check Information

Ensure that the details you include in your book are accurate. Cross-check facts using multiple sources to avoid misinformation. This is particularly crucial for historical fiction, memoirs, and academic writing.

Know When to Stop

Research can be endless, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of over-researching. Set a deadline for your research phase to finish and for you to transition to writing. You can always refine details later.

By following these research strategies, you’ll build a strong foundation for your book, creating a well-informed and engaging narrative that resonates with readers.

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When teenager Sarah J Maas was allowing her imagination to run wild with her first attempts at writing, she could never have dreamed of the impact her heroine Feyre Archeron would have on the world.

By spicing up her magical worlds, Sarah’s early self-published stories quickly attracted breathtaking numbers of readers.

And close to two decades on, her magical mix of sex and spells continues to lead the way in the TikTok generation’s favourite genre – Romantasy.

Not only has Sarah sold close to 40-million books, had her work translated into 38 different languages, and is having her ACOTAR (A Court of Thorns and Roses) series adapted for the screen – many of her novels are now banned in several American states.

The controversy has only added to the appeal, with the ACOTAR hashtag on TikTok being viewed over 14-billion times.

And dozens of other Romantasy authors are now following Sarah’s lead with their own chart-topping worlds of foxy fairies and passionate princes.

Sarah spent close to a decade developing her initial Throne of Glass series of novels before embarking on the A Court of Thorns and Roses books.

She admits spearheading the Romantasy movement has been a gradual process – and came from an unlikely source.

Sarah said: “I first got the inspiration for Throne of Glass by listening to a piece of music from Disney’s Cinderella score.

“I thought the music that plays when she flees the ball was really, really dark and intense – my imagination, not surprisingly, made the jump to ‘Well, what if she had done something really bad?’

“And then I went one step further and asked ‘What if she was an assassin who tried to kill the Prince?’

“And so Throne of Glass was born.

“As I wrote over those ten years and explored more of that assassin’s world, it became its own story, not a straight-up retelling, though Cinderella was the original spark!

“I worked on what became Throne of Glass for a long time before I ever sent it to a publisher, and A Court of Thorns and Roses started as a passion project I was working on in my spare time.

“They’ve been quite different from each other.”

While Sarah’s best-seller success has continued for more than a decade, the popularity of Romantasy is showing no signs of slowing down with sales in the UK alone rising from £15million in 2022 to £27million the following year.

While other authors such as Ali Hazelwood and Elena Armas are pushing the genre forward with their own adult-themed fantasy novels, Sarah believes her assassin Feyre, the High Lord faerie Tamlin, or the tall dark Rhysand have not yet lost their sex appeal.

She added: “I love building a long arc over a series and taking the time to get to know characters and worlds inside and out.

“I find it really satisfying to take bits and pieces of a larger story and figure out how it all fits together.

“So, when it’s time to sit down to start drafting the next book in a series, I’m always psyched to get back to it and reveal more of the world to readers.”

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Turning a hobby into a serious career may be the dream of many budding writers, but bridging the gap is something few ever achieve.

Computer programmer Andy Weir became an accidental best seller after The Martian, his first full-length story, turned out to be a hit on his science fiction website.

At the request of readers, he self-published the novel for Kindle, which led to thousands of Amazon sales and caught the eye of Crown Publishing Group.

But prior to The Martian reaching the 2014 New York Times Best Seller List, and being adapted into a hit movie the following year, Andy had spent more than a decade writing web comics and science-based short stories.

It had been a slow, dedicated countdown to his writing career finally taking off.

He urges anyone hoping to follow in his footsteps to do the same – write yourself ready for when that first novel may come along.

The 52-year-old explained: “What I tell people who want to try to break into the business is… imagine you’re a sculptor instead of a writer, and you’re driving along and see this big chunk of marble out in the field and you’re like, ‘You know what? The shape of it and the texture of it, that would be perfect for a statue of Zeus’.

“You buy it from a farmer, then you get your truck – this thing weighs like four tons.

“You’ve got to get it up into your truck; then you drive it to your workshop.

“You’ve got to do all this back-breaking labor to get that chunk of marble into your workshop.

“And there you go, now you’re ready – you start carving the statue of Zeus.

“So all of that work you did right there, that’s like the first draft for a writer. You have completed the entire book before you’ve really started the book.”

For The Martian, Andy used all of the writing ability, problem-solving skills, and scientific knowledge he’d developed over the years and through publishing on his website to gradually piece together a gripping narrative that had readers hooked.

Even after the success of his debut, Andy continued practising through writing and publishing web comics and short stories before launching into his second and third novels, Artemis and Project Hail Mary.

Both have enjoyed major international success, won awards, and been adapted for the screen.

But he admits, writing a successful novel is still hard work.

Andy continued: “I think of writing as being kind of like gardening – you do it because you like the result.

“I like having the end result of having this beautiful garden, lots of flowers, trees, shrubs, everywhere I wanted. Everything worked out exactly the way I wanted.

“But actually, when you’re digging the ditches and pulling the weeds, it’s not pleasant.

“You do it because you want the result – that’s the kind of writer I am.

“Project Hail Mary, for instance, I think it was the 18th draft that went to print.

“It’s not just like I sit down at my keyboard, type magic, and then walk away. It’s hard work.”

While many authors believe being adaptable is the key to success, Andy has no intention of straying from the hobby that led him to become one of America’s bestselling writers.

He added: “I’m a hard sci-fi author.

“I like to stick to real science as much as possible, and that’s just because I’m a science dork.

“It’s my hobby, my passion – this is what’s interesting to me.

“Everybody’s good at their hobby, right? I’m all about the science.”

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