Vox: Short audio from the RLF Royal Literary Fund

'When the online customer support person told me – brightly – to ‘have a nice day’ it took all the willpower I possessed not to scream expletives. '
When informed that this cloud hadn’t magically saved all my lost books, I burst into tears and, when the online customer support person told me – brightly – to ‘have a nice day’ it took all the willpower I possessed not to scream expletives in response.

'After commuting for twelve years, I told GWR I had written three books on their train, and that I should be made their writer in residence.'
After commuting for twelve years, I went freelance. I told GWR I had written three books on their train, and that I should be made their writer in residence. To my surprise they agreed, giving me a staff pass that allowed free travel on their network.

'My bottom drawer is more of a recycling bin than a bottom drawer. My intention is for nothing to stay in it forever. '
My bottom drawer is more of a recycling bin than a bottom drawer. With the knowledge that no writing is ever wasted, my intention is for nothing to stay in it forever. Instead, it serves as a temporary storage space for stories I plan to revise.

'I score out phrases, draw connecting arrows between ideas, and play around with words on the page. A mouse and keyboard would slow me down.'
I score out phrases, draw connecting arrows between ideas, and play around with the position of words on the page. Using a mouse and keyboard would slow me down. I rewrite obsessively. Every few lines I'll start redrafting what I’ve written so far.

'Writing is dreams caught in butterfly nets. It’s falling in love for the first time. It’s adventures my knees are too old to have. '
Writing is dreams caught in butterfly nets. It’s falling in love for the first time. It’s adventures my knees are too old to have. And mysteries my brain is too dull to solve. Writing is my escape. My means of coming back to myself. I write because I love it.

'Gather a few authors together in a room and does the conversation veer towards culture, philosophy, art…literature? No, it does not. It focuses on complaints.'
Gather a few authors together in a room and does the conversation veer towards culture, philosophy, art…literature? No, it does not. It focuses on complaints — publicists, publishers, party invitations (lack of), editors and of course…earnings.