Best-Seller and Award-Winning Author, Neil Gaiman
A best-selling and award-winning author, Neil Gaiman writes short stories, novels, and graphic novels. His most popular books include American Gods, Coraline, and the Sandman series.
His fiction combines elements of fantasy, mythology, and pop culture. He draws from sources as diverse as English folklore, glam rock, and the Midrash.
Born in Portchester
He reads a wide range of books, including fantasy, comics, horror and science fiction. Some of his favourite authors include C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and Lewis Carroll, and he is also a lifelong fan of Monty Python.
He started writing professionally in the early 1980s, and had a number of short stories published in various British magazines. He also wrote a non-fiction book about rock band Duran Duran and the comic book Good Omens, in collaboration with Terry Pratchett, about an impending apocalypse.
Gaiman is known for his path-breaking work in the field of graphic novels, with a series called The Sandman that earned him a devout following. He also writes children’s books, novels, poems and short stories. His stew contains tropes from many different genres and sources, from English folk tales to glam rock and Norse mythology.
Educated at Whitgift School
As a writer Gaiman has a wide-ranging portfolio of books, comics, short stories, poems and screenplays. He has written two novels, the bestselling Neverwhere and American Gods; children’s literature including Blueberry Girl and Instructions, illustrated by Dave McKean and shortlisted for the Greenaway Award; and graphic novel works such as Mirrormask and Black Orchid. His work is a kind of genre stew, drawing on sources as diverse as English folklore and glam rock.
The school is known for its excellent results and students regularly get places at leading universities. Its curriculum combines international-mindedness and academic rigour with an emphasis on independent research and learning outside the classroom. The school also has a strong commitment to community involvement. Students are encouraged to develop into articulate young men and empathetic listeners.
Worked as a journalist
Throughout the 1980s, Gaiman wrote for a variety of magazines and newspapers. He published his first book, a biography of Duran Duran, in 1984. In the same year he discovered comics by reading Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing while waiting for a train.
After co-creating the acclaimed horror-weird series Sandman, Gaiman started writing novels for adults. His most popular works explore a world in which dark otherworlds lie just beneath the surface of mundane reality. An office worker steps through a doorway into a steampunk world of gangsters and ancient legends. A young girl is taken to a land of mirror-homes and mirror-parents.
The books are genre pieces that refuse to remain true to the genres. They draw inspiration from a wide range of sources, from English folklore to glam rock and the Midrash.
Started writing comics
There are many people who say that in order to be successful you need to work hard. While this is true, what comes before hard work is ability. If you do not have the ability, then your hard and smart work will not amount to anything.
Gaiman is a prolific author who has written in multiple genres and for a variety of audiences. He has received numerous awards for his comic books, novels, and audio theatre. His works include the comic book series The Sandman, the novels Good Omens and Stardust, and the young adult books Coraline and The Graveyard Book. He also wrote the screenplay for Jim Henson’s visually stunning film Mirrormask and cowrote Robert Zemeckis’ Beowulf.
His writing style is a bit like a chameleon, changing to suit the story at hand. He often references classic literature in his novels, including The Graveyard Book, which reimagines Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.
Moved to the United States
Gaiman has become an international celebrity. His works have won countless awards and have been translated into many languages. He is considered one of the most influential creators of modern comics, and his writing crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages. His books include the Sandman series, The Graveyard Book, and Coraline.
He is also a screenwriter, having written the script for the BBC TV series Neverwhere and the film Mirrormask. He also cowrote Robert Zemeckis’s 2005 animated movie Beowulf. He and artist Dave McKean collaborated on the graphic novel Violent Cases, which established them as rising stars in the comics world.
He has written short stories and novels, and his work draws on a wide range of historical styles and literary eras.