What are the biggest differences between picture book and novel writing for you?
That’s easy – the number of words! Actually, for me, writing is always about the audience; the difference is how I manipulate the words (and how many I can use). When I’m writing a novel my words alone bring my story to life for my reader, and that determines the way I build scenes and characters and how I convey emotion. By contrast, picture books require me to imagine, anticipate and actively pre-empt an illustrator’s contribution. As a writer, my audience’s reaction is still my responsibility, so every word I use must both pull its weight narratively and provide direction or scope for an illustrator.