I have now written more than 50 articles for TES online (and two in the magazine) since December 2015. I've learnt so much along the way, not least that to be a successful writer, you have to be able to take the praise as well as the punches! I've always aimed to not hold anything back in my writing, in the words of music critic Lester Bangs in one of my favourite movies "Almost Famous", to be "honest and unmerciful". I have to say a word of thanks for the fantastic TES team