- Read as much as you can.
- Write as much as you can.
- Read DEAR ALLY, HOW DO YOU WRITE A BOOK?
Do you ever read fan fiction based on your books?
No. Absolutely never. That is a legal and creative nightmare, so I don’t go near it.
Why haven’t you made your books into a movie?
Because I don’t make movies. I have, however, optioned the books to a number of very talented people. Hopefully someday one of them will be able to get the project(s) off the ground.
Will you ever go on tour to [insert country/state/city here]?
Possibly. I actually don’t get to set my own tour schedules. My publishers do that. But I do love to travel, so I’d love to go to all the places! Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to write while on tour and the writing always has to take precedence.
What is your favorite part about being a writer?
I get to do what I wanted to do when I was twelve years old. There aren’t a lot of people who can say that. Plus, I get to work in my pajamas.
Where do you get your ideas?
Everywhere. All the time. Really, lack of ideas is never a problem for a writer. We see them in our morning cereal. Finding time to execute those ideas…that is a different story.
How long does it take you to write a book?
I tend to write very fast (very bad) first drafts over the course of four to six weeks. I will then spend six to nine months revising.
When did you decide to become a writer?
I first got bit by the writing bug when I was probably twelve or thirteen. At that time, all my friends and I were super into The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. When I found out that it was written by someone who lived near where I lived and who was about my same age (at the time it was written) I decided that that was something I could do.