Writers in Schools

I go into a lot of schools and libraries to talk about football and reading. I do a game called the Football Reading Game, which is part quiz, part penalty shoot out. I end up getting lots of balls hammered past me by ten and eleven year olds. But so what? I can take it.

This month I'm working at Ghyllgrove and Lee Chapel primary schools in Basildon, 250 miles of train lines from my home in Yorkshire.

I admit I was a bit depressed by the thought of going to Basildon four times in February. I'm supposed to be writing 8 books. But...

... it has been one of the best things I could have done. Talking to the boys and girls about stories, what they like and dislike, has been brilliant. I read them short bits from my manuscripts and could see immediatley where the problems were - and where I'd done a good job with the writing. Then reading what they wrote too. Really inspiring.

It made me think I must keep doing events - as much to meet the people I'm supposed to be writing for as to tell people about my books.