Often we don't notice the stringent rules to which our culture subjects us.

One of Scotland's most important cultural exports - stories.

Scotland consistently produces world-class writers.

I'm proud of the culture I come from - we're a small country and a close-knit community.

Change occurs slowly. Very often a legal change might take place but the cultural shift required to really accept its spirit lingers in the wings for decades.

If we don't value the people who inspire us (and money is one mark of that) then what kind of culture are we building?

An important part of deciding where we want to go, as a society and culture, is knowing where we have come from, and indeed, how far we have come.

Writers are a product of where we come from but by looking at alternatives to the culture in which we live, we can find ways to change and hopefully improve it.