Michael Morpurgo answered some questions asked by Kids' Book Zone.
What was your favuorite book when you were a child?
Tresure Island - still is!
Which of your books was the most difficult to write? Why?
Everyone of them is difficult - probably wouldn't be worth writing if they weren't. The most intense was Private Peaceful.
Which of your characters is most like you?
The boy in Singing for Mrs Pettigrew - because it is me!
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I spend weeks, months, years weaving events, memories and notions inside my head. When I'm ready to write, when the egg is ready to hatch, I feel it. Then I write fast, the ideas developing as I write.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
I write about children, not for them. I write for me, because I love telling stories, always have.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Look, listen, learn, read - fill your head with the world about you, then you'll always have plenty to dream about and plenty to write about.
Where do you write your books?
On my bed, where I'm writing this.
Showing posts with label Author Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author Interviews. Show all posts
G.P. Taylor Interview
G.P. Taylor, author of Shadowmancer, Tersias and Mariah Mundi, answered my questions in 2006.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
The Lord of the Flies by William Golding.
Which of your books was most difficult to write? Why?
Wormwood - because I didn't want to write it.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Jacob Crane (from Shadowmancer) - he has a bad temper.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
They just appear and sort of happen!
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
Because they dont spend time writing stupid reviews.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Read! Read! Read!
Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!
Philip Pullman Interview
Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials trilogy, answered my questions in 2005.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay
Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
The next one because I haven't written it yet.
Which of your characters is most like you?
The Scarecrow (from The Scarecrow and his Servant), I hope.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I make a plan - then throw it away and write something completely different.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
Because it's fun.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Don't worry about plans. Just write.
Jacqueline Wilson Interview
Jacqueline Wilson answered these questions in 2005.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield
Which of your books was the most difficult to write? Why?
Lola Rose - I wanted to write about worrying subjects like domestic violence and serious illness truthfully - but I didn't want the book to be too upsetting.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Maybe I'm like Ruby and Garnet in Double Act all rolled into one.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I have a vague idea in my head but I like to find out what's going to happen as I write.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
I find it easy to write from a child's point of view.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
I would suggest they read lots of books and simply have fun writing their stories.
Check out these great Jacqueline Wilson facts.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield
Which of your books was the most difficult to write? Why?
Lola Rose - I wanted to write about worrying subjects like domestic violence and serious illness truthfully - but I didn't want the book to be too upsetting.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Maybe I'm like Ruby and Garnet in Double Act all rolled into one.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I have a vague idea in my head but I like to find out what's going to happen as I write.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
I find it easy to write from a child's point of view.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
I would suggest they read lots of books and simply have fun writing their stories.
Check out these great Jacqueline Wilson facts.
Eoin Colfer Interview
Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl books, responded to my questions in 2006.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
As a child my favourite book was Stig of the Dump by Clive King. Reading this book for the first time was like escaping to another world, where anyone could be the hero, even me.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
I think my first book Benny & Omar was the hardest one for me. I had loads of ideas but no experience in knit them together into one story. It took me two years to get it right.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I write a skeleton outline, about three pages, and I use this as a safety net, then I let myself go mad. Very often the finished book bears little relation to the initial plan.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
I enjoy writing for children because I established a good rapport with them over 15 years teaching. I learned what makes them laugh, what interests them, and what bores them out of their skulls. I have been able to use this information to write books.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them to improve their stories?
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
As a child my favourite book was Stig of the Dump by Clive King. Reading this book for the first time was like escaping to another world, where anyone could be the hero, even me.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
I think my first book Benny & Omar was the hardest one for me. I had loads of ideas but no experience in knit them together into one story. It took me two years to get it right.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I write a skeleton outline, about three pages, and I use this as a safety net, then I let myself go mad. Very often the finished book bears little relation to the initial plan.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
I enjoy writing for children because I established a good rapport with them over 15 years teaching. I learned what makes them laugh, what interests them, and what bores them out of their skulls. I have been able to use this information to write books.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them to improve their stories?
- Read every day - reading is research for writing.
- Try to make your characters interesting and original.
- Don't try to write like someone else.
- Pay attention to the interesting people around you.
- Try not to end every story with And then I woke up, it was all a dream.
Paul Stewart Interview
Paul Stewart, co-creator of the Edge Chroncles, answered some of my questions in 2005.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
Midnight Over Sanctaphrax. I wanted the storm to revealed through the book little by little, and it didn't work. So I re-wrote it all.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Cowlquape - brave, loyal, intelligent...
How do you write your book? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
Both - plus, because the Edge Chronicles books are written with Chris Riddell we spend hours talking about the plots and characters.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
Because children are such demanding readers - they won't tolerate boring bits!
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Read them out loud to a friend. If the friend is gripped and doesn't yawn, you're doing something right!
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
Midnight Over Sanctaphrax. I wanted the storm to revealed through the book little by little, and it didn't work. So I re-wrote it all.
Which of your characters is most like you?
Cowlquape - brave, loyal, intelligent...
How do you write your book? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
Both - plus, because the Edge Chronicles books are written with Chris Riddell we spend hours talking about the plots and characters.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
Because children are such demanding readers - they won't tolerate boring bits!
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Read them out loud to a friend. If the friend is gripped and doesn't yawn, you're doing something right!
Justin Somper Interview
Justin Somper, author of the Vampirates series, answered some of my questions in 2005. He also sent the drawing you can see above.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
- The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Riddle of the Boy Next Door by Enid Blyton
- Absolute Zero by Helen Cresswell
Which of your books was the most difficult to write? Why?
Demons of the Ocean because I'd never written anything as long / complex before. You have to build up your 'writing stamina' as if you're training for a marathon!
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I have a fairly detailed plan for the over-arching plot of the book and the sequence as a whole, but I definitely surprise myself along the way.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
I think that kids make very attentive and challenging readers. They expect a strong story and convincing characters. I enjoy facing this challenge.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve thier stories?
- Write more.
- Read more (and more widely)
- Try to get inside the head of your characters.
- A bit of research goes a long way.
- Invest in a good dictionary and thesaurus.
Robert Swindells Interview
Robert Swindells, author of Room 13, Timesnatch and Stone Cold, answered these questions for me in 2005.
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
They Found a Cave by Nan Chauncy - published in the 1940s, still in print. Set in Tasmania.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write? Why?
Brother in the Land because of the harrowing nature of the subject: nuclear war and its aftermath.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I plot in advance, though ideas do pop up and cause me to change things as I go along.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
Children have open, repetive minds. They like a pacy, exciting storyline. Getting youngsters hooked on reading is one of the most worthwhile things anybody can do.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Read, read, read. That's the first thing. Try not to copy other writers' ideas. Set your stories in places you know. Let your characters be the sort of people you know.
Remember: Exciting stuff can happen anywhere, to anyone. Ordinary people in ordinary places, having extraordinary experiences. Stephen King calls this 'making skyhooks out of old coathangers'. He seems to be doing all right!
What was your favourite book when you were a child?
They Found a Cave by Nan Chauncy - published in the 1940s, still in print. Set in Tasmania.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write? Why?
Brother in the Land because of the harrowing nature of the subject: nuclear war and its aftermath.
How do you write your books? Do you plot and plan in detail, or do you develop an idea as you are writing?
I plot in advance, though ideas do pop up and cause me to change things as I go along.
Why do you enjoy writing for children?
Children have open, repetive minds. They like a pacy, exciting storyline. Getting youngsters hooked on reading is one of the most worthwhile things anybody can do.
What advice would you give to young writers to help them improve their stories?
Read, read, read. That's the first thing. Try not to copy other writers' ideas. Set your stories in places you know. Let your characters be the sort of people you know.
Remember: Exciting stuff can happen anywhere, to anyone. Ordinary people in ordinary places, having extraordinary experiences. Stephen King calls this 'making skyhooks out of old coathangers'. He seems to be doing all right!
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