In a novel, the relationship between writer and reader is such a pure one.

I have a ways to go as a novelist. But what's great is, well, I frankly enjoyed the solitude. And I enjoyed being able to tell characters what to say and do without negotiating with an actor.

TV and film are very different media with different requirements. In a TV show, you have actors and fellow writers and directors, who are interpreting your work. With a novel, you only have ink, words and your reader.

Listening takes practice, and it takes patience. But I promise, if you listen, your story will be better for it.

In some ways, a novel isn't as structurally rigorous as a screenplay or a TV show, which have finite real estate. In a novel, you can more deeply illuminate a character's interior and get away with digressions.

Doing good stuff or stuff that you are proud of takes time and takes effort.

I'm one of three brothers.