From a writers’ point of view, I have been blessed insofar as I’ve never really been at a loss for ideas for my novels. That said, it has gotten me into trouble because, in truth, they are good but sometimes half-baked ideas. In my enthusiasm I pitch these ideas to publishers, who grab hold. Then
History, you’ve no doubt heard it said a million times, is written by the winners. But what if you could find out what happened to the losers? If one is going to write historical fiction, it seems fair to assume one needs to read history. And if one does reads history—as I do—you wonder about
It’s wonderful to receive a review (The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts) that reads: “Riveting…This first in a new series will capture the hearts and minds of readers and history buffs alike … Avi’s examination of the plight of the desperately poor is worthy of Dickens. Impossible to put down.” But then, please note, I
In the Thirteen American colonies, ten years prior to the Revolution, there was what was known as the Stamp Act crisis, which, in Boston in particular, brought forth that iconic cry. By representation it was meant there was no American seated in the British Parliament. “But,” according to historian Brian Deming, “the idea never gained traction
As you may know, there is no more frequently asked question of writers than, “Where do you get your ideas?” There are some of my books for which I can be specific. Thus, I can tell you place, time, circumstance, for the creation of The Fighting Ground. I can do as much for Poppy. For my
“Marley was dead, to begin with.” That’s the opening words of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, and they are, in my judgement, as remarkable as they are memorable. Indeed, the first words of any piece of writing are crucial, being as they are, the window, the door, the invitation, the inducement, call it what you will, to
Series books, sequels, are perhaps more complex to write than readers think. Yes, certain things are given. For example, if you’ve established that your continuing protagonist has blue eyes, they are going to remain blue in subsequent books. But the fact that there are things that must remain consistent demands that things also be different,
The great Nineteenth Century French novelist, Balzac (1799–1850), once wrote, “It is as easy to dream a book as it is hard to write one.” Breathes there a reader who has not thought, “that IDEA would make for a great novel”? Indeed, if there were as many books as ideas for books, there would not be
Writing a book is one thing. But what happens when people wish to take that book and turn it into another form? Film, audio, theatrical play? Over the years books of mine have been turned into plays, and audio books. There have also been efforts to turn the books into film, but none have ever materialized.
I recently evacuated a storage bin of books and papers and came across a few boxes of letters that pertained to my publishing; letters from editors, to editors (carbon paper, anyone?), marketing folks, publicity, from teachers and librarians, friends. For those not familiar with letters, I speak not of computer fonts, but exchanges, written on