We asked our authors from around the world to share their thoughts on why they write, why they read, and the books that have influenced them.
Here’s what they had to say.
Tell us why you read and share your favorite books! Join the discussion @HarperCollins on Twitter using #hc200.
Photograph by Motoko Inoue
I read to understand. I read to be quiet. I read to find out more. I read to be entertained. I am first a visual person—a designer—but I do enjoy the process of writing. As with my pictures, my aim with my writing is similar—to simplify and refine, be logical and harmonious. I try to express in a straightforward but pleasing way the story I am trying to tell. Each book is different, of course. Every book presents its own set of challenges. Sometimes the words and the pictures come together very quickly. And other times the writing can take longer. I like the process of whittling it down to the essential words, the poem or the lines in the story that seem just right. It is a satisfying process. I like having to concentrate and find the story. Most of the time this happens while I am working on the pictures as well. It is simultaneous. Words need pictures and pictures need words. I actually did not have very many books as a child. But I had a large extended family who were always talking and telling stories. I now realize that this is where my ability as a storyteller came from.
