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  Advice to young authors and illustrators

 Claire Rosemary Jane |  Joan Aiken |  Philip Ardagh |  Val Biro |
 Malorie Blackman | Quentin Blake | Mark Burgess | David Clayton |
 Helen Cresswell | Peter Dickinson | Berlie Doherty | Anne Fine | Kes Gray |
 Pat Hutchins | Robert Leeson | Jonathon Long | Jan Mark | Alan Macdonald |
 Roger McGough | Barbara Mitchelhill | Tony Mitton | Miriam Moss | Hiawyn Oram  Philip Pullman | Hilary Robinson | Ragnhild Scamell | Nick Sharratt |
 Jeremy Strong | Rhian Tracey |  Chris White |  Gwyneth Williamson | Jacqueline Wilson

(Please note that the authors have contributed their comments but are not able to answer questions from readers unless they specifically say so below.)

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Jacqueline Wilson (Children's Laureate 2005-2007)

I think the only advice I'd really like to give to young writers is to enjoy writing! When you grow up and write for a living you have to think about so many things and worry whther your story will appeal to lots of readers. When you're a child you can just write to please yourself. I love writing now and wouldn't ever want to do anything else, but I truly don't think I enjoy it anywhere near as much as when I was eight or nine and scribbling endlessly in Woolworth's exercise books.

I didn't always finish my stories but that didn't matter in the slightest. I didn't keep to a strict writing routine. Sometimes I wrote for hours each day, and other times I didn't pick up a pen for weeks. Nowadays I'm much sterner and force myself to my desk whtether I feel like writing or not! Mind you, I don't always write when I'm at my desk. I play all sorts of silly games with my lucky mascot Radish (I wrote about her in "The Suitcase Kid"). Her favourite trick is Bunny Bungee Jumping on a rubber band tied to the end of a big pencil.

The only thing I suggest to children is that they try keeping a diary, as this is good writing practice (but hide it away in a safe place if you've got a very nosy family). And of course anyone who wants to write should read. I'd sooner read than eat. When I go away on holiday I pack a couple of changes of clothes and at least 20 books. There's never any danger of my running out of things to read, because at the last count I had over 10,000 books crammed into my tiny terraced house!

Jacqueline Wilson FAQ

What is Jacqueline Wilson's email address?

Jacqueline Wilson does not have a computer. If you want to write to her, write a letter care of her publisher, Random House.

If I email you at Kids on the Net can you pass my email on to Jacqueline Wilson?

No, she doesn't have a computer, let alone an email address! Write to her as above.

Has Jacqueline Wilson got a fan club I can join?
How can I get more information?

Here is Jacqueline Wilson's page at her publisher's website, with details of her fan club.

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