What would be your advice to anyone who wants to become a writer?

I think one of the most important things is practice, as it is in any business. In the entertainment business, whether you want to direct or act or write, you need hands-on experience, and you need to keep at it.

I think taking scriptwriting courses at whatever place is available, whether local university or colleges or workshops, and joining writing competitions are good. [Also] trying get on some internship [work experience] programmes that would enable you to become part of a writing staff for a week or two. You get some great feedback and feeling and it's a wonderful learning experience.

Then, in the long run, if somebody's very serious about doing it, they have to have a couple of great scripts and get an agent. Without an agent you're really not going to get anywhere.