If one book's done this well, you want to write another one that does just as well. There's that horror of the second novel that doesn't match up. Mark Haddon bookhorrormatch Change image and share on social
I started writing books for children because I could illustrate them myself and because, in my innocence, I thought they'd be easier. Mark Haddon bookchildeasy Change image and share on social
No one is ever really a stranger. We cling to the belief that we share nothing with certain people. It's rubbish. We have almost everything in common with everyone. Mark Haddon beliefclingcommon Change image and share on social
From a good book, I want to be taken to the very edge. I want a glimpse into that outer darkness. Mark Haddon bookdarknessedge Change image and share on social
My best days do seem like a distillation of all that was best about school. Write a story! Paint a picture! Write a poem! Make a print! Mark Haddon daydistillationmake Change image and share on social
I like poetry when I don't quite understand why I like it. Poetry isn't just a question of wrapping something up and giving it to someone else to unwrap. It just doesn't work like that. Mark Haddon givepoetryquestion Change image and share on social
I think the U.K. is too small to write about from within it and still make it seem foreign and exotic and interesting. Mark Haddon exoticforeigninterest Change image and share on social
Humour and high seriousness... Perfect bedfellows, I think. Though I usually phrase it in terms of comedy and darkness. Comedy without darkness rapidly becomes trivial. And darkness without comedy rapidly becomes unbearable. Mark Haddon bedfellowcomedydarkness share on social
I really like the idea of being a bit unpredictable. I'm known for being a nice, easy-going person with a straightforward exterior. So I think a bit of me wants to be sort of sly and devious. Mark Haddon bitedeviouseasy Change image and share on social
I better make the plot good. I wanted to make it grip people on the first page and have a big turning point in the middle, as there is, and construct the whole thing like a roller coaster ride. Mark Haddon bigcoasterconstruct Change image and share on social
