So where do you start when trying to come up your main character, the protagonist who is so vital to a compelling story? That blank piece of paper (or screen) can be intimidating, or just downright annoying. I've started with scribbling down notes, which at this stage are random ideas for this so-called hero. How old are they? Where are they from? Who are their friends, family, colleagues, neighbours? The main thing, of course, is to try and decide what makes them tick. What are the things they care about, their hopes, fears and dreams?  What is their story really about?

For my own novel, my protagonist is a middle-aged woman who reaches a crisis point in her life and must decide which option to follow. A friend asked if this was a thinly disguised version of me, and while there are some similarities (I did work and live in London, for example, and I did move to the country), everything else is different. The great freedom of being a writer is that my character can say and do things which I wouldn't have the nerve to do. I am gradually getting to know her, and a big step in that direction will be deciding on her name. No doubt the right one will pop into my head when I'm busy thinking about something else!

So, after six months of house renovation, everything has been retrieved from storage and I have a clear desk. Moving from a Hampshire village to a Surrey town brings mixed feelings. The convenience of shops, station and friends around the corner, versus the joy of swifts swooping over thatched  rooftops and waves of poppies in a neighbour's field. If nothing else, this dilemma has inspired a novel. I already have a folder full of notes, scraps of newspaper cuttings and photos. Now I just need to work out where the story is going.