When I began as writer, I wished to be a playwright. Growing up in New York City meant I could and did go to a lot of plays. (It was vastly cheaper to go to the theatre in those days.) In any case, one of the plays I saw was a theatrical adaptation of the
There is no argument that we live in a world of digital communication. Commerce, day to day activities, professional communication, personal communication, even-for many –the stories we read, the cinema we watch, and instruction and learning we receive—all by way of technology. You can think of more, I am sure. I am writing this on
I have to admit that I have had a successful run as a writer. It is not unusual then for people to assume I have never had a book rejected. Of course, over the years I have. Moreover, it is not unusual for writers (like me) to recall the words of a turn down with
Consider these two items: I have been asked to do (and accepted) some lecturing at UCLA on the subject of historical fiction. Last week, when talking to a fifth grade class, a boy asked me, “What was it like in the Twentieth Century? Did it have any influence on your writing?” Let us consider the first
The English word title, as in title of a book, is very old, a part of Old English vocabulary. They are very hard to write. [You can read what I have written here about some of my titles in a March 19, 2012 posting]. Sometimes a title emerges early in the book writing process. However,
Many years ago, I had written a novel, about which I was pleased, but felt something was not right. I couldn’t think it out. It was a rather serious tale about a rural boy who had his revenge on his tormentors. I sent it to my agent (Dorothy Markinko), who read it and suggested I
Sometimes I think a first draft is called a draft because so much wind blows through it. That is to say, there are so many gaps, lacks, and holes; you might as well call it a hunk of Swiss Cheese. But with that first draft, you can (and should) return and return again and fill
David, from San Francisco, CA, writes: “You always talk about rewriting. Can you give me an example of what you do?” I’ll try. Years ago, when I wrote The True Confession of Charlotte Doyle, for some reason (I don’t know what that reason was,) I kept track of some of the book’s line changes. Here then
As a kid, and an adult, I have always enjoyed my birthday. When much younger it was a day I always shared with my twin sister. Still is—as least by phone. Our birthday was near Christmas, which added to the excitement. And, more often than not, I did not have school, the day being tied