I'll be talking about writing a lot for the next few weeks as I see what happens with the ebook that my friend Ian Fox just released and as I write a show choc full of songs that is itself about the process of writing songs. Not only that, but the fact that I will be trying to master the use of my new toy, a tablet PC... Well, tablet androidey thing... means I will not be taking the written word for granted as I become conscious again of what it takes to commit letters to the page.

It is strange how you can be competent at something and not realise it. Perhaps you don't notice this competence until you have to learn the skill afresh or realise that you don't even have it any more. I wasn't surprised last night to discover that nearly all the BBC Micro computer skills I had as a teenager had deserted me, but I still noticed it. How strange my fifteen year old self would have found me, and strange I found his (well my) code as I peered through the listing last night.

I have made things on computers for most of my life. 30+ years a computer keyboard operator. I started on the flat rubber keys of the ZX81 and now I am again fighting with flat unresponsive keys on my tablet. It all comes round and round. I have written millions of words in code, emails, blogs and the occasional attempts at books.

So I am excited to have something I have been involved in writing come out as a legitimate book. It is as much fun as having my CD out (see here for details) and a bit better than seeing my words in print in the computer magazines I have contributed to. Perhaps my article in the Mail on Sunday was a bigger hitter, but this still feels great.

Buy books and Google my output... If you like.