He shrugged. ‘I’m just not sure you can teach people to write.’

‘I know what you mean, but there must be some tips you can pass on. I mean, what’s the hardest part of learning to write?’

He shrugged again. ‘I didn’t ever learn to write. That’s my problem. I just did it.’

Before Laura could react, the door opened and the first students arrived.

‘Hi!’ Dermot and Laura said brightly and simultaneously at the first couple. They exchanged glances and then Dermot went on.

‘I’m Dermot Flynn and this is Laura Horsley. Laura’s going to open proceedings officially when everyone is here. In the meantime, if you’d like to come up and collect your name badges.’ He smiled. ‘We want to start putting the faces to the work as soon as possible in case you don’t look like your photos!’

Laura was pleased that any sign of nervousness from Dermot had gone and turned her attention to the group, which now numbered four, as they clustered round the table, looking for their names. They seemed so eager and pleased to be there. Would they still be so keen when she and Dermot started tearing their work to shreds? She felt personally that although she could criticise writing perfectly well when it was just her and the manuscript, she might feel different when the writer was actually present.

‘Sit anywhere, but not too spread out,’ she said as another clutch of potential writers arrived. ‘There are going to be exercises and some of them might involve getting into groups. It’s really important that we all feel comfortable with each other, so shyness is not acceptable.’

How she would have cringed if anyone had said this to her a few months ago. How her life had changed! This time last year she would never have dreamt she could pitch a short-story competition to schoolchildren, do interviews to local newspapers and all the other front-of-house-type things that had previously terrified her. She had discovered that when you were involved in a project, particularly one you felt passionately about, you just got on and did what was needed.

The ten writers carefully selected by Laura and approved by Dermot had arranged themselves among the chairs and were chatting to each other in low, excited voices. Getting on the course had obviously meant a lot to all of them. Laura couldn’t decide if this keenness was a good thing or a bad thing.

She did a rough head-count and everyone seemed to be there. She and Dermot exchanged glances and he nodded, indicating she should get things under way.