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You become a writer because you need to become a writer - nothing else.

I'm not a born writer, and I don't enjoy writing.

I don't remember deciding to become a writer. You decide to become a dentist or a postman. For me, writing is like being gay. You finally admit that this is who you are, you come out and hope that no one runs away.

I always just wanted to be a writer, not necessarily a particular kind of writer.

You don't say, I'm going to be a writer when I grow up - at least I didn't.

I never wanted to be a writer. I still don't.

You're meant to have an unhappy childhood to be a writer, but there's a lot to be said for a very happy one that just lets you get on with it.

You don't make a decision about being a writer. There was a point, aged 21, when it became clear that this is who I am. The choice is how good you are going to be at it and how hard you are going to work.

Being a writer is not the point. Writing is.

I can't say that I ever actually decided to become a writer. It kind of snuck up on me.