If I'm serious, yes, I'd like to have done what Shakespeare did... to act and write. You learn so much from acting. One of our great writers, Alan Bennett, does both supremely well. When I write a story, I tend to speak it aloud as I'm writing it. Michael Morpurgo actalanaloud share on social
Only the best books are special. Why? Because they open our eyes, touch us, excite us, extend us. Michael Morpurgo bookexciteextend Change image and share on social
It gives me confidence to know that what I'm writing has a veracity of its own without me having to invent it. When I'm writing fiction, I must believe it to be true, or I can see no point in it. Michael Morpurgo confidencefictioninvent Change image and share on social
Children have to be motivated to want to learn to read. Reading must not be taught simply as a school exercise. Michael Morpurgo childexerciselearn Change image and share on social
I really can't write fantasy. I cannot invent a world which does not exist. And I can't read fantasy either. As soon as I realise I'm reading a book that hasn't got its roots in a reality I can comprehend, I switch off. Michael Morpurgo bookcomprehendexist share on social
Marry someone who flatters you. Because I've written 80 books since 'War Horse' but when my wife reads one, all she says is, 'It's quite good, but it's not as good as 'War Horse,' is it?' Michael Morpurgo bookflattergood Change image and share on social
Much that is great in literature is an acquired taste, and you have to acquire it in the first place. Our job as parents is essentially to pass on the enthusiasm we had for the things we loved. That's how we'll get them to fall in love with reading in the first place and, hopefully, to stay in love with it. Michael Morpurgo acquireenthusiasmessentially share on social
Write because you love it and not because it is something that you think you should do. Always write about something or somebody you know about - something that you feel deeply and passionately about. Never try and force it. Michael Morpurgo deeplyfeelforce share on social
It's good to focus on the universal suffering that goes on in any war. Whatever the right and wrongs of the war, there is always universal suffering. Michael Morpurgo focusgoodsuffer Change image and share on social
I was brought up, as a lot of kids are, on 'Aesop's Fables,' 'Brothers Grimm,' 'La Fontaine,' all those sorts of things. Hans Christian Andersen is a hero of mine. Michael Morpurgo aesopandersenbring Change image and share on social