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Michael Coleman
How many books have you had published?
Fifty
plus
Did you write for fun when you were at school?
No. Football was fun, writing was torture.
Have you always earned your living as a writer? If not, what else
have you done/do you still do?
No. Portsmouth University Lecturer (maths and
computer science)
IBM Quality Assurance Consultant (software)
When was your first book published and what was it called?
1992
Triv in Pursuit
Was it difficult to get your first book published?
Embarrassingly
not. The publisher saw two chapters, asked to see the rest and it went
from there.
Which is your favourite of your own books and why?
The
one I'm currently writing - whatever it is ...because if it's not, I'll
never finish it.
Which is your
favourite children's book written by someone else?
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain. The Sheep Pig by Dick King Smith
How long does
it take you to write a book?
Average of 1 month (picture books) to 9 months
(teen novel)
Minimum 20 minutes (picture book), maximum 6 years on and off (teen novel)
Do you use a computer or
write first drafts long hand?
Drafts in doodle-cum-shorthand, then onto the
word processor.
Do you have a
writing routine or just write when you feel like it?
Routine: 9-5 (with regular excursions into the garden, park, kitchen,
etc)
Rewriting - do
you love it or hate it?
I
hate it, but love it when it's done as I then realise it needed doing.
Have you ever
belonged to a writers' group?
No
Have you got an
agent?
Yes
Why do you like
writing for children?
I
can be as silly or as serious as I like and the result is accepted for
what it is.
How do you get
your ideas?
I take something normal (eg school with teachers)
and juggle with it (eg school with teachers disappearing)
Do you draw the pictures
for your books?
No
What advice would you offer
anyone who wants to write for children?
Don't worry about target audiences, write for the child that's in
you. (If he or she isn't there then you'd better write for adults.)
Have you won any awards or prizes?
Not yet but I've been shortlisted for 7 awards - the Carnegie Medal, the
Norfolk, the Lancashire Children's Book Award, the Sheffield Children's
Book Award (3 times) and the Writers Guild.
Are you willing to do author visits to schools?
Yes. All areas, usually age range 7-13. Contact me at michael.coleman@wordjuggling.freeserve.co.uk
For a list of Michael Coleman's books click here