The second series of In Writing is here in the midst of a pandemic, and while going into writers’ workspaces may not be practical for a while, that doesn’t mean we can’t pretend. This week, from my duvet fort in London, I speak to Curtis Sittenfeld in her small, distraction-free study (which she likens to Harry Potter’s under-stair bedroom) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Curtis is the author of five bestselling novels, including Prep, American Wife and Eligible, and a book of short stories, You Think It, I’ll Say It; she’s now promoting her sixth novel, Rodham, which tantalisingly imagines what might have happened if Hillary Clinton had decided not to marry Bill. In our interview, she shares her insight into structuring a book (and why that process is so crucial); the value of a well-placed sex scene; and how to “set yourself up for writing success” with some serious time management.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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