Life being so short, and the possible books to write so many, it's good to function by night as well as by day; but would anybody become a writer if they realised at the outset what the working hours were? Hilary Mantel bookdayfunction share on social
I'm a very organised and rational and linear thinker, and you have to stop all that to write a novel. Hilary Mantel linearorganiserational Change image and share on social
'Show up at the desk' is one of the first rules of writing, but for 'Wolf Hall' I was about 30 years late. Hilary Mantel deskhalllate Change image and share on social
There are plenty of books that tell you how to become a writer, but not one that suggests how, if you want a normal life, you might reverse the process. Hilary Mantel booklifenormal Change image and share on social
My first career ambitions involved turning into a boy; I intended to be either a railway guard or a knight errant. Hilary Mantel ambitionboycareer Change image and share on social
When I was thin, I had no notion of what being fat is like. When I worked in a department store, I had sold clothes to women of most sizes, so I should have known; but perhaps you have to experience the state from the inside, to understand what fat is like. Hilary Mantel clothedepartmentexperience share on social
