The facts, however, are unimportant in fiction. It's not the events of my life that I mine, but the emotional experiences I've had.
John DufresneI write with a fountain pen. And then revise word by word and line by line so that the first draft of a scene is usually the tenth or so draft.
John DufresneIn revision, your imagination becomes deeply engaged with your material. It's when you come to know your characters and begin to perceive their motivations and values.
John DufresneThe regional tags are often pejorative and dismissive. Don't think of place-bound stories, in other words, but of stories with a strong sense of place.
John Dufresne