15 FEBRUARY 1992, Page 27

Too slow

Sir: Susan Hill's story is a writer's night- mare (Books, 18 January), but having writ- ten four novels in four years, I can't help feeling that she was inviting trouble.

By her own account, it took eight years to `pluck up the courage' to write Strange Meeting; she had the complete outline for Air and Angels in 1981 but didn't start work until 1989; and the novel about Scott in the Antarctic had been in her head for 20 years although she did not plan to write it until 1993.

A writer who works this slowly is sig- nalling frantically to be overtaken.

Guy Bellamy

13 Meadow Way, Rowledge, Farnham, Surrey