There’s some quick-and-snappy advice below, in case you’re in a hurry, but don’t forget to read the important list of 20 do’s and 20 don’ts, which you’ll find at the end of the first section. And there’s even more advice after that. Before I continue, however, you will discover, if you’re lucky, that the two most important people in anyone’s writing life are agents and editors. First you will need an agent to help you find a publisher; then the publishing house will assign you an editor. A book that’s accepted doesn’t mean it won’t change radically after an editor has cast an eye over it. Years of work may follow.