Philip Pullman

Where and when were you born?

I was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before my family settled in North Wales.

Where do you get your ideas from?

I'm always interested why people ask this question. I can't believe that everyone isn't having ideas all the time. I think they are, actually, and they just don't recognise them as potential stories.

Where do you work?

I used to work in a shed. But it got too crowded, and I got fed up with being down at the end of the garden, especially on rainy days. So now I work in a big study in the house we live in.

What is a typical day like for you?

I write three pages a day. If I manage this by lunchtime, I can fool about with my power tools in the afternoon. If not, it's back to the desk until it's done.

What do you do about writer's block?

I don't believe in it. All writing is difficult. The most you can hope for is a day when it goes reasonably easily!

What do you like doing in your spare time?

I like to draw and to make things out of wood. I also like to play the piano. I'd like to play it well, but I can't, so the rest of the family has to put up with my playing it badly.

What books did you like when you were young?

I liked books I wasn't supposed to read - books for adults. I didn't always understand them, but I liked the feeling that I was sharing grown-up things. I also loved comics.

When did you start writing?

When I was very young. I used to tell stories to my friends and my younger brother, and then I began to write them down. They weren't very good.

Were you encouraged to be creative?

No, I was ignored. When anyone took any notice it was to point out what a twit I was, and laugh at me. This was the best possible preparation for the life of a novelist.

What advice would you give to anyone who wants to write?

Don't listen to any advice, that's what I'd say. Write only what you want to write. Please yourself. YOU are the genius, they're not.