Phamie MacDonald

Published January 2, 2010 | By Laura

Phamie Macdonald is the author of the children’s series ‘The Planets.’ The first in the series; ‘Sam Sun,’ is already growing in popularity amongst children. Novel Kicks caught up with Phamie to talk about her inspiration behind the series and what tips she had for authors wanting to write for children.

What was the inspiration behind your planets series?

I was inspired to create the series when I was making a documentary about solar eclipses. My business partner at the time was doing some research and was shouting out really interesting facts and figures about the solar system across the office (like for example – why do the moon and sun appear to be the same size in the sky when the sun is 400 times bigger than the moon? Because the sun is 400 times further away from us!) That day I went back to my office with my head full of beautiful images of space and the planets and just thinking how stunning and exciting space really is and I wondered how I could get children excited about space. I decided the best way would be to make the Planets themselves tell their own story and allow the readers to connect with the Planet characters in a really exciting way. The idea was born very quickly after that.

Have you always wanted to write for children?

No! It was a very unexpected twist in my career. I always thought I wanted to make TV programmes for adults. But as soon as I had the idea for The Planets, I realised that every job I’d ever had and so many seemingly unconnected experiences throughout my life all culminated in giving me the tools I needed to make The Planets a reality. It was a wonderful shock to realise the path I was meant to be on.

Describe a typical writing day.

Well, in truth I have been developing The Planets as both a book series and an animated TV series, so there really hasn’t been a typical day in the life of The Planets. Right now I have a wonderful agent who has freed me from the endless round of sending out proposals, making contacts, trying to get publicity and trying to get the project off the ground. Right now, all I need to focus on is creating and designing a proposal so she can go out and sell the idea. My dream this year, when all the contracts are in place, is to hire a small studio with a computer and a drawing board where all I have to do is create the storylines and illustrate the books and allow my agent and her team to look after the day to day running. When you first start a project of this size, you do the job of about ten people and need to learn how an entire industry works in a very short space of time!

What’s your editing process?

When I first sit down to write, I often make the mistake of trying to make every sentence perfect and get frustrated when it isn’t which in turn blocks the creative process. What I have learned to do these days is just start writing – knowing that it will take a while to get into the flow and then I go back and edit all the rubbish bits out!

Everyone thinks they can write a children’s book. Is it as simple as people think?

I made that mistake when I first had the idea for The Planets – thinking ‘How hard can it be?!’ The answer is: very! Children’s books can be deceptive in their simplicity but what they are trying to do is actually quite complex. To introduce and flesh out characters, create and introduce a new world, tell a complete story and keep the pace up in a very short book takes a huge amount of editing and creativity. This is only my first book so I am a novice but I am learning the subtelties of storytelling for children as I go along!

The Planets by Phamie Macdonald

Are you planning on adding to the planet series anytime soon?

Absolutely! There will be 12 books in the final series – one for each character. I have written the storylines and now need to write and illustrate the other 11 books. As I mentioned – I have devoted a lot of energy to getting the project noticed and now I have an agent, I can now concentrate on the creative part of the project. I hope the books can start hitting the shops in 2010 or early 2011.

Who are your ideal dinner guests?

Oooo good question! Nick Park to learn about his brilliant animation techniques and characterisation, JK Rowling as I’d love to know what her struggle was really like to make Harry Potter a reality, Stephen Spielberg as I bet he’s absolutely fascinating to talk to and Keifer Sutherland, purely so I can flirt with him over the After Eights.

Is there a book by another author, children’s fiction or otherwise, that you wished you’d written?

I wish I had written Where The Wild Things Are and could draw like Maurice Sendak. His illustrations make my eyes smile. I’d also loved to have created Meg and Mog. And of course, the Mr Men series. Genius in their simplicity and such fantastic illustrations.

What’s your top five tips for authors wanting to write for children?

1. Give your characters a back story (even if the details never make it into the books) as you then have a complete and rounded character which takes on a life of it’s own.

2. Test your books out on as many children as possible. When I gave my first reading, there’s a line in the book which says about The Planets: “Have you ever wondered what they get up to when you’re not looking?” and a child in the audience shouted out, “No!” Fair point! Once I stopped laughing, I changed that line!

3. Remember what you loved reading as a kid and how it made you feel. I bought some Mr Men books when I started writing to remind me why I spent all my pocket money on them. I loved the way Roger Hargreaves bought me into this bizarre world of Mr Men and I loved the way he spoke to me – as if he was telling me a secret.

4. Try to always write as yourself and make your voice your own. Your greatest strength as a writer is your own character and way with words – don’t stifle that.

5. As a very successful author once said; 99% of writing a book is keeping your arse in the chair!

Phamie’s book is now available to buy online via Waterstones. To buy, click here.