Braine wrote this book in 1975, well before computer programmes designed to guide the would be novelist through the process, even so I enjoyed this book, which was an impulse swap, on ReaditSwapit.

I have only ever heard of one novel by John Braine, Room at the Top, which was his first and most successful novel. I've never read anything by him, so I'm not sure if I would want take his advice on novel writing. The book is a practical handbook, with some bizarre tips for success, like: don't get married, be over 35, don't do any research. And some very specific instructions, such as: it must have 60,000 words and twenty chapters. It seems you should write the first draft right through, never correcting, then summarise it in 2000 words and rewrite it a few times until it hangs together. Sounds as good a way as any, now I just need to get divorced and find the time ( )