You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying in the road.

You can't take a character anywhere they don't expect the character to go. But within those confines is where creativity lies

I write because I can't imagine not writing.

If I can tell you the story from beginning to end in five minutes, I'm ready to start writing.

The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying on the road. You pick the smallest manageable part of the big thing, and you work off the resonance.

The bigger the issue, the smaller you write.

If you're writing a book that takes place in New York in the moment, you can't not write about 9-11; you can't not integrate it. My main character's view is the Statue of Liberty and the Trade Center. It doesn't have to take over, but it has to be acknowledged.