There are so many things to learn from this brilliant interview, but I shall pick the two that struck a chord with me.

1. We are in constant search for the "right kind of writing".

“I liked writing. I just liked writing in primary school and secondary school - short stories, poetry, compositions.

I knew I was going to work in a job where writing is going to be involved. I thought maybe magazines, broadcast, PR, or something that involved that. But when I wrote my first play in 1989, it felt like it was the right kind of writing.”

It's comforting to know an established writer had the same thoughts I did while I was (still am) discovering myself. "I liked writing." It's as simple as that. And yes, truly, I look for an opportunity to write in any job I work in. Finding that writing "specialisation" though, is a challenge. I'm not sure if I've found the "right kind of writing" for myself yet, but it's just really encouraging to know that other people go through the same stages of self-discovery too.

2. Passion requires practice.

“I don’t believe in writers’ block, because you must be able to write even if you are writing something ridiculous, or if you are writing something that is not going to be used eventually.

Writing is a process and if you are going to only write if you think what you are writing is of value, then you would get writers’ block, because you refuse to type anything that you think is not of value. Just write, even if it’s a ridiculous conversation between two monkeys. Let that conversation take place and then in the middle of that, you may get inspired by something that leads you somewhere else.”

I'm guilty of this excuse. The notion that you need to be in the right state of mind, or have enough time, to be able to write is a sorry excuse for laziness. It's a bad habit I'm trying to kick, so that I'll practise what I claim to love doing and get better over time. Great reminder.