"There are certainly times when my own everyday life seems to retreat so the life of the story can take me over. That is why a writer often needs space and time, so that he or she can abandon ordinary life and "live" with the characters"

This quote by Margaret Mahy speaks with the power of storytelling and the requirement for writers to be able to immerse themselves in their work. It suggests that when an author is producing a story, their own life can take a backseat as they become soaked up in the lives of their characters. This requirement for area and time is necessary for an author to be able to fully check out the world they are creating and to be able to live with their characters. It is a pointer that composing is a process that requires dedication and focus, which it can be a powerful and transformative experience. It is a reminder that composing can be a way to escape from the mundane and to explore the depths of the imagination.