One of the most interesting things about my journey as a writer is the way it has helped – or forced – me to reflect on my beliefs. In striving to have an authentic voice, you are forced to examine your beliefs in a way most of us avoid doing. In order to create believable characters, you need to examine human behaviour more closely and that inevitably leads you to examine your own. You also spend a lot more time alone, and without distraction from media noise, which helps.
Anyone who follows me on twitter will know I spend a fair amount of time ranting about the dire state of the world, and our democracy. I find it obscene that some people can spend five grand on a cocktail or build a multi-story dwelling for their dogs while other people die for the sake of a 80p malaria net or lack of sanitation. My politics derive from my beliefs about the world: I’ve captured my most fundamental beliefs in a short essay.
