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Submitted by visitors to this website

Posted by Nicolette

February 15th 2010

I wonder if your readers on this website might care to know about your upcoming event at the Sunday Times Oxford Literary Festival in Christ Church College on Tuesday 28 March at 6pm, discussing Rich and Mad with psychiatrist Gerry Byrne? They can see full details, and book, on www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com. Looking forward to it myself!

William Nicholson responded:

We're going to be talking about whether teen fiction should reflect the actual sex lives of teens, and just how explicit authors should be. If any of you reading this have ideas on the subject, come along and tell us.

Posted by Veronika

February 11th 2010

Hi, Mr. Nicholson, I'm a huge fan of your work, especially the trilogy of the wind on fire, and I want to be a writer, but I sometimes feel that everithing that I try to write it's already done :s Do you think thats normal? or it's just that I'm not writter material? And besides I really want to now how do you get inspired with the idea of the wind on fire and your other novels...Forgive my english :p I don't practice it too much, greetings from Venezuela!

William Nicholson responded:

You'll know if you're 'writer material' or not because if you are, you'll keep on trying to write. Don't worry that everything's been done. You're right, everything has been done. But each time a new writer does it, it comes out differently. Your way of telling a familiar story will be special to you. So start with whatever really matters to you, whatever really excites you, and see if you can build a story out of it. Ideas comes by making a net and then seeing what flies into it. But there has to be a net. That net is the broad outline of something, anything - an event, a character, a theme, a joke - that interests you. Hold it up in the air and all sorts of strange little bugs will get caught in it. Also some big monsters.

Posted by Anthony

February 8th 2010

Hi William, I emailed you before and was happily surprised to receive an answer, thank you ! I am in the process of preparing to audition your play "Katherine Howard" and wondered if there was anything you may suggest I do. Also, why is it that Katherine is sometimes spelt Catherine in history ?

William Nicholson responded:

There are endless variants of the spelling of Katherine, as you know; and historically spelling has been fast and loose. I follow the most commonly used spelling of her name. I hope you have fun with the play. I've no suggestions - each production of a play is a new creation, which is the glory of theatre.

Posted by Gabrielle Fergusson

February 6th 2010

What kind of person would you feel could make the wind on fire triollys into books? I love those books i read them 3 years ago and am quite obessed. I live in new zealand and can see these being made here. I'm not saying that i would be at all the right choice but my whole life is about films. and I would love to see them made into films.

William Nicholson responded:

I think the books could be set in an NZ background, if a director so decided. All depends on the director, as you know. For my part I'd be happy with anyone who really understood the books, because I'd be sure then they'd do a good job. The problem, however, is getting the finance to make any films. They'd be expensive. At present that offer is not happening.

Posted by Joseph Conrad

January 31st 2010

Having read all your children's books, possibly more times then i can count, they all seem to share a deep faith in humanity and the actions that humans do both good and evil, particularly the sacrifice of the singer people. Is this representative of a personal faith as well as aspects of your catholic upbringing?

William Nicholson responded:

Yes, it is all very much part of my personal faith, and does stem from my Catholic upbringing, but to confuse matters, I no longer believe in God or in the religious doctrines with which I was raised. Much respect, no assent. I don't believe in original sin, or the essential badness of people; quite the reverse. I grow more compassionate the older I get.

Posted by Lisa Smith

January 28th 2010

As a descendant of William the Conqueror, I'm so excited to hear about the movie 1066 coming out. Even more exciting, you will be writing it. Just hope they have some great actors to go along with the great screenplay. If so, it should be a fantastic movie. Thanks for all the great films. Your work stands out from the crowd. Best regards, Lisa

William Nicholson responded:

A descendant! Wonderful. It will be a terrific movie, But I must warn you, I'm writing the screenplay, but there's never any certainty an actual movie will get made until shooting begins, and we're a long way off that. It will be very expensive, as you can imagine.