My mum used to tell me to never boil my cabbages twice, and I think it's artistically valid. While I do find myself on similar themes in my books, I try not to repeat myself, and that's something which is all too easy to do in series books. Geraldine McCaughrean artisticallyboilbook share on social
Never apologise for not being someone else. You're bound to find something you're good at, even if it's only writing stories. Geraldine McCaughrean apologisebindfind Change image and share on social
You sort of suspect if a book's fun to write, it will be fun to read. Geraldine McCaughrean bookfunread Change image and share on social
I never dreamt I could be an author when I grew up. It just didn't occur to me, because I thought you had to be a) academic, so go to university, things like that, and I didn't think I was clever, or b) dead because I just assumed all the authors in the library were dead. Geraldine McCaughrean academicassumeauthor share on social
The one thing that makes writing a better pastime than reading is that you can make things turn out the way you want in the end! Geraldine McCaughrean endmakepastime Change image and share on social
I like working in children's books because it gives rise to such a variety of jobs. One month it may be a picture book, the next a retelling, the next a play, a short story or the start of the next novel. Geraldine McCaughrean bookchildjob share on social
I had a very happy childhood, but I still used my imagination as a leisure resort. Geraldine McCaughrean childhoodhappyimagination Change image and share on social
I wept my way through teaching practice. Geraldine McCaughrean practiceteachweep Change image and share on social
You need to be able to climb into a narrative and zip it up under your chin. You need to be able to see through the eyes of the hero, smell what he's smelling, hear what he's hearing. Geraldine McCaughrean chinclimbeye Change image and share on social
Well, unfortunately, my father passed away before my first book was published, so he never lived to see me as an author. But I think my mum was suitably pleased because she was mad about words. If she ever came across a word that she didn't know, she would always look it up in the dictionary. Geraldine McCaughrean authorbookdictionary share on social