The writing process is a little strange because I usually start out writing a book with a draft and usually the draft is not very complete. And so I’m doing a lot of thinking as I’m writing, and I start on page one and I finish on page two hundred and forty something, but a lot of times I don’t really know what’s going to happen next. And so I’m thinking and working it out as I do it.
I usually write and draw at the same time and so as I’m designing a page, the words — I know where the story needs to go so I try to write in the most efficient style as possible so I can move the story along and the words kind of come to me as I’m doing the drawings.
The process of making books if very laborious. It takes a lot of time and a lot of thought. But, you know, in a way I think kids feel like there’s some sort of magic to it, and I feel like that might be true as well. I feel like sometimes you sort of have to trust the characters and you have to — you don’t always know where things are going to come from. And you just have to plow forward and do your best and sometimes the stories come out of thin air sometimes.
I have a bit of a routine. Usually I get up very early in the morning. That’s when I feel that I’m most creative. And so I’ll do a lot of writing and illustrating from about 5 a.m. to about 8 and then usually have breakfast and keep working throughout the day, but it’s a very, very fun job.
There are times when it is very difficult. It can be very, very challenging, but it’s never not fun. In the times when it’s very challenging, it’s almost like a puzzle that really captures you and you have to figure it out and that’s what I like about it.