The Guardian asked Philip Pullman why he began writing, and why he still does.
What made you want to write when you were starting out?
The desire to have a story in which I liked everything and not just parts of it.
What makes you write now?
Habit.
Philip Pullman - Why I Write
What was your favourite book as a child?
I used to like the Moomin books of Tove Jansson, and another favourite was 'The Magic Pudding', by the Australian author Norman Lindsay.
When you were growing up did you have books in your home?
Yes. My mother used to read a lot, and so did my grandparents. I found a lot of books that interested me on their shelves; not just children's books (the ones they used to have when they were children) but adult novels, too. I remember reading the Don Camillo stories by Giovanni Guareschi, which were popular in the 50s when I was young. I don't suppose anyone reads them any more, but they were tales of a genial and amusing sort, in which the decent country priest Don Camillo confronts and defeats the communist mayor Peppone, who is himself fundamentally decent anyway, when cornered. It was right-wing cold war propaganda (to put it very crudely) showing the goodness and honesty of ordinary simple Christian villagers, the generous wisdom of Don Camillo's Christ, the wiliness and untrustworthiness of the communists. Well, a lot of people liked that sort of thing, and so did I, when I was about 10.
Was there someone, a relative or teacher who got you interested in reading and writing?
Not especially. They had the best attitude, which was to take no interest whatever: neither encourage nor forbid. Consequently I thought I'd discovered the world of books for myself, and it was my own big secret.
What made you want to write when you were starting out?
The desire to have a story in which I liked everything and not just parts of it.
Do you find writing easy?
It gets harder and harder. Every day is a turning point. Every day I have to force myself to go and write, and every day (more or less) I still do.
What makes you write now?
Habit.
How do you write?
I go to my table and sit down and pick up my pen, and write three sides of narrow-lined A4 paper - and then I stop.
How do you survive being alone in your work so much of the time?
It's not a question of survival. I welcome it. I like being on my own for that time. As a matter of fact I think I'd go mad if I didn't have that time of solitude.
What good advice was given to you when you were starting out?
"Don't. You'll never make it. You'll never earn a living. Get a decent job and forget all about it. It's a silly idea. There's no future in it."
What advice would you give to new writers?
"Don't. You'll never make it. You'll never earn a living. Get a decent job and forget all about it. It's a silly idea. There's no future in it."
What are you working on at the moment?
A sequel to His Dark Materials. But I can't say more than that. It's going to be a long book, and I'm only part way through it.
5 comments - Add yours
#1
"It's going to be a long book, and I'm only part way through it."
Excellent! I'm assuming he's referring to The Book of Dust. Oh man...:D
# February 17, 2007 03:10 by AryaAurora
#2
"What makes you write now?
Habit."
- Hmm… kinda sad, but as long as it works for him! ;D
"Do you find writing easy?
It gets harder and harder. Every day is a turning point. Every day I have to force myself to go and write, and every day (more or less) I still do."
- I know the feeling…
# February 18, 2007 19:17 by AnneMaria
#3
"A sequel to His Dark Materials"...Yes,yes,yes!
# February 19, 2007 15:24 by Lyrael
#4
I love his advice.
"Don't. It's a silly idea. There's no future in it."
However, I'm going to do the same thing he did- ignore the advice altogether.
# February 21, 2007 22:01 by Optik
#5 hUM
i PRESUME pp KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SEQUEL AND A PREQUEL. VERY INTERERESTING!
# February 25, 2007 05:52 by schlal