INTERVIEW DANIELLE WOODWARD
Thinking like a young person comes easily to me; the way kids’ minds work and how their thoughts go off on tangents is exactly like me! I used to make up stories for my young cousins about a character called Cookie who was science-mad, and I love drawing. I wanted to write my book as a train of conscious thought but realised it would be chaotic, so I decided to use my doodles to bring out the humour. There’s a lot for readers to look at; the main narrative, then funny drawings to hopefully hold their interest. I’ve also added an appendix, so they can get more information, such as science experiments and explanations.
Writing is a lonely existence, so it’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off. My husband [Charlie Brooker] and I talk to each other about what we’re working on and we value each other’s opinions. He is nocturnal when he’s writing, but because I’m doing the school run, I tend to use my phone to jot down thoughts as they come to me, wherever I am.