Writing is a bit like swimming. You learn writing by doing it and you learn swimming by doing it. Nobody learns how to swim by reading a book about swimming and nobody learns how to write by reading a book about writing. If you want to learn how to write, write a lot and you will get better at it.

I tell the stories in front of audiences and wait for something to happen. It's similar to a standup comic doing his schtick for an audience.

Writers' communities are very helpful to writers because it gives them a way to try out their stuff short of publication.

The title is one of the most important things. It is the first thing that people read.

I get my ideas for books from my own kids and sometimes from other children. Often when I am telling stories I will say: I am going to make up a new story.

Success is a wonderful addition to my life.

I almost flunked first grade and also the second, third, forth, and fifth; but my younger brother was in the grade behind me and he was a brain and nobody wanted to have me be in the same grade as him, so they kept passing me. I never learned how to spell, graduated from eighth grade counting on my fingers to do simple addition, and in general was not a resounding academic success.