Writer who needed two shots at one letter (5)

I believe the answer is:

gogol

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'writer' is the definition.
(author Nikolai Gogol)

'needed two shots at one letter' is the wordplay.
'needed two shots at' becomes 'gogo' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'one letter' becomes 'l'.
'gogo'+'l'='GOGOL'

'who' is the link.

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(Other definitions for gogol that I've seen before include "Nikolai -, Russian author (Dead Souls)" , "The Government Inspector author" , "Russian author/playwright" , "Dead Souls Russ. author" , "Russian novelist" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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