"I don't know, I don't analyse it too much," Mr King said with a laugh. "I'm just a guy who draws pictures."

The Taree author spoke with Moss Vale Public School students in Kinder to Year 3 on August 25 for Book Week.

He drew pictures, told how books could take "six weeks to four years" to make, and described letters from readers.

Mr King's books have been published in several languages and quoted by people at weddings and at funerals, he said.

"I don't hope or wish for anything more than making a beautiful book, but I get excited when I hear that my books have gone beyond what they're intended," he said. "I get letters back, I see the ripples become a bigger wave."

Mr King has said his own experience of school was not great, as he'd suffered hearing loss from the age of eight.

"My world was a silent and introverted one," he said, but "I had a few good teachers who helped me cope."

Eventually, he received a hearing aid at age 13, "but by this time I was a shadow of my former childish self".

"When I left school, I soon realised I needed to find the kid in me again. I wrote and drew all the time.

"Writing [and] drawing had become a trusted and non- judgemental form of communication.

"I hadn't talked to anyone much while I was deaf. Pictures and written words had become my voice."

He hoped his talk would help children "to be free and not judge themselves too much on how they write or draw.

"The biggest killer of creativity is self-judgement. Very young kids don't judge, they just go for it."

See more of Mr King's published books and pictures at stephenmichaelking.com