I saw David Nicholls speak this week about his latest novel, You Are Here. He was as funny, engaging and generous as I had expected.

Some quick, fun facts about Nicholls and You Are Here:

• He has worked extensively as a script-writer, originally finding his groove on the brilliant TV series, Cold Feet (I loved that show and I think I need to rewatch).
• In discussing script-writing versus writing novels – “It’s see and do versus think and feel.”
• Apparently people are reading You Are Here as they do the Coast to Coast walk. That would be fun!
• You Are Here is a story about ‘urban loneliness’ and Nicholls said that he wanted to test the distinction between solitude and loneliness, and to also consider the taboo around solitude.
• He reckons A Room with a View is the best rom-com of the twentieth century. I agree!
• He talked about his writing process (he fills scrapbooks with ideas and scenes and plots out the whole novel before sitting down to begin chapter one) – “Time is a great editor.”
• And lastly, although this was said in relation to writer’s block, I’m going to test the idea more broadly – “You might find the reason you’re stuck is because you don’t need it.”

There was no word on a TV series of You Are Here but I think anyone who has read it would agree that it’s a must.