So, you’ve always planned to write a book and now your story is in your head.

You’ve switched on the computer and … well, you’re not entirely sure where to start.

Best plan? Rewind a little, and nip down to WH Smith for this compendium of “200 mistakes to avoid at all costs if you ever want to get published”.

Yes, it oozes sarcasm and, yes, it’s so brutally cutting that it could potentially batter your creativity into a trembling pulp.

But it also contains such perceptive, useful information that the 201st mistake a would-be novelist could make is not to buy it.

28 February 2009