Demanding English novelist (6)
I believe the answer is:
sterne
'novelist' is the definition.
(laurence sterne)
'demanding english' is the wordplay.
'demanding' becomes 'stern' (similar in meaning).
'english' becomes 'e' (abbreviation).
'stern'+'e'='STERNE'
(Other definitions for sterne that I've seen before include "Laurence ...... wrote ` `Tristram Shandy' '" , "Writer" , "Author of Tristram Shandy, d. 1768" , "Tristram Shandy creator" , "Laurence ..., author of 'Tristram Shandy'" .)