Erling Kagge is a Norwegian Philosopher, Lawyer and Explorer who has trekked to the North and South Poles, also climbing Everest to complete the ‘Three Poles’ challenge. His book Silence is being read on BBC4 at 09.45 in the mornings this week. The book expounds the concept that Silence is fundamental to our existence.

In the book he is quoted as saying getting to the South Pole is a matter of putting one foot in front of the other until you get there.

That seems to me to be akin to writing a novel – the technique of putting one word in front of another until you get ‘there’.