DIARY
OF
AN
ASPIRING
NOVELIST
Do
you
dream
of
being
the
next
JK
Rowling
?
The
large
print
in
the
advert
caught
my
eye
as
the
train
picked
up
speed
.
We've
all
____________________
____________________
,
haven't
we
?
I
couldn't
make
out
the
rest
of
the
advert
before
it
disappeared
from
sight
and
I
don't
pass
through
that
station
regularly
.
But
a
good
friend
____________________
!
So
I
asked
him
to
find
out
what
it
was
about
when
he
next
used
the
train
.
A
few
days
later
he
____________________
____________________
,
and
he
sent
me
the
website
address
of
a
distance
-
learning
creative
writing
course
.
I
thought
about
it
,
I
hesitated
,
but
eventually
I
sent
off
for
the
details
and
then
read
them
voraciously
when
they
arrived
.
Did
I
really
want
to
commit
my
time
to
doing
this
course
?
I
____________________
____________________
,
but
I
wondered
if
I
was
being
silly
.
I
mean
,
why
should
a
65
-
year
-
old
retired
accountant
study
creative
writing
?
Who
starts
a
new
career
at
that
age
?
"
Mary
Wesley
____________________
"
,
said
my
friend
,
"
and
she
published
several
novels
before
she
died
.
Apply
for
it
-
you
have
to
____________________
____________________
,
I
think
.
____________________
____________________
you'll
regret
it
for
the
rest
of
your
life
.
"
That
was
all
the
encouragement
I
needed
.
The
next
day
I
phoned
the
college
and
enrolled
for
the
next
course
,
starting
after
the
summer
in
late
September
,
just
two
weeks
from
now
.
The
course
materials
arrived
in
August
.
I
think
they
look
really
good
,
and
____________________
____________________
my
children
,
both
of
whom
have
been
to
university
.
I
can't
wait
to
start
working
on
the
assignments
,
and
getting
my
tutor's
comments
,
and
when
I
____________________
,
I'll
know
whether
I'm
likely
to
be
the
next
JK
Rowling
or
not
!
