I am particularly excited this Christmas because my latest book—of conversations with myself (and my brother)—may come out just in time for Christmas. I joked with my daughters over Thanksgiving that I was planning to give signed copies as Christmas presents. This is especially curious because of the subject embodied … Read More
Michael Straczynski, the creator of the successful television sci-fi series Babylon 5, said he would hear his characters in his head as he worked on a script. While driving around Los Angeles, he heard arguments, complaints, discussions among his characters. The words, he claimed, were not his. He wasn’t creating … Read More
In my fifty years of editing and writing, I’ve discovered that certain conditions put me in a more productive frame of mind than others. When the conditions aren’t ideal for me, I get distracted easily. Disarray puts me in a jumpy mood, and I don’t stay on task. A review … Read More
When my daughter was about twelve, she made a profound observation. I was struggling to write a report—couldn’t seem to get the words right, had filled several notebook pages with scratched-out words. “Writing is easy,” my daughter said. “You just put one word after another.” “Not that simple. It has … Read More
