Michael Morpurgo Quotes

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Michael Morpurgo

Profession : Author

Birth : October 5, 1943

Don't worry about writing a book or getting famous or making money. Just lead an interesting life.

Michael Morpurgo

It's the teacher that makes the difference, not the classroom.

Michael Morpurgo

Wherever my story takes me, however dark and difficult the theme, there is always some hope and redemption, not because readers like happy endings, but because I am an optimist at heart. I know the sun will rise in the morning, that there is a light at the end of every tunnel.

Michael Morpurgo

Admitting failure is quite cleansing, but never - pleasurable.

Michael Morpurgo

Always write your ideas down however silly or trivial they might seem. Keep a notebook with you at all times.

Michael Morpurgo

Animals are sentient, intelligent, perceptive, funny and entertaining. We owe them a duty of care as we do to children.

Michael Morpurgo

War continues to divide people, to change them forever, and I write about it both because I want people to understand the absolute futility of war, the 'pity of war' as Wilfred Owen called it.

Michael Morpurgo

Live an interesting life. Meet people. Read a lot and widely, learn from the great writers.

Michael Morpurgo

I'm still not sure I want to be a writer. I think of myself as a storyteller more.

Michael Morpurgo

The most important thing is to live an interesting life. Keep your eyes, ears and heart open. Talk to people and visit interesting places, and don't forget to ask questions. To be a writer you need to drink in the world around you so it's always there in your head.

Michael Morpurgo

Strange questions are the more interesting ones. Children by and large don't try to trip you up... they want to find out how you do this funny thing that you do... if they've loved a story they love to know how it started.

Michael Morpurgo

Children have to be motivated to want to learn to read. Reading must not be taught simply as a school exercise.

Michael Morpurgo

Encouraging young people to believe in themselves and find their own voice whether it's through writing, drama or art is so important in giving young people a sense of self-worth.

Michael Morpurgo

A lot of children, like I did, move away from words because of the fear - which is something you have to take out of education: the fear of worrying about what marks you'll get, detention, worrying about letting people down, your parents, teachers.

Michael Morpurgo

Books that kids read should be about what is going on in the world.

Michael Morpurgo

Anything that gets children reading is fine.

Michael Morpurgo

There is the myth that writing books for children is easier than writing books for grownups, whereas we know that truly great books for children are works of genius, whether it's 'Alice in Wonderland' or the 'Gruffalo' or 'Northern Lights.' When it's a great book, it's a great book, whether it's for children or not.

Michael Morpurgo

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

When I write I try as far as possible to forget I'm writing it at all. I tell it down onto the page, as if I'm telling it to one person only, my best friend.

Michael Morpurgo

Remember to write for yourself, not for a market and give yourself time to develop your own style, your own voice. It takes a lifetime. Enjoy it!

Michael Morpurgo