Emirates Airline Festival of Literature: 5 writing tips from authors

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  Stuart MacBride, Scottish author of the acclaimed Logan McRae crime novels: “Don’t get distracted by the shiny. Writing a book is a lot like any other art form. You don’t expect to pick up a cello and play Brahms and Bach on your first lesson. That’s what your first books are for; allow them to be dreadful.” Courtesy of Emirates Literature Festival

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  Mourid Barghouti, Palestinian poet and writer: “When I write, I am like a surgeon. You should be accurate when you write. There is no point saying the night was very dark. It is dark, that is enough. There is no use for exaggeration when writing.” Courtesy of Emirates Literature Festival

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  Joanna Trollope, British author: “I always advise people to carry a scrapbook of your noticing, from passages of descriptions to remarks that you overheard while you are waiting in the supermarket to poems and photographs. Keep building up this rich compost of observations of fellow humans because that will be your source of material.” Courtesy of Emirates Literature Festival

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  Peter Robinson, Canadian crime writer: “Don’t give up; and that’s the hardest thing because you do get rejection and discouragement. Keep going at it. I remember the great crime author, the late Ed McBain, and he had this great saying about writing where it is all about putting your bum on the chair and fingers on the keyboard.” Satish Kumar / The National

Advice from some of the biggest names at this year’s literature festival.