Frequently Asked Questions
Who are your favorite writers?
My favorite writers are Robert Stone, Jorge Luis Borges, Anton Chekhov, Albert Camus, Martin Amis, Philip Roth, William Trevor and Pat Barker.
Do you read unsolicited manuscripts?
I prefer to spend my time working on my own writing, and in fact I don't even think of myself as a good editor. For editorial input you're probably better off seeking the advice of a professional literary agent.
When do you write?
I write 3 hours a day, seven days a week, virtually every day of the year, though having a new daughter has imposed some changes on my usual schedule.
Do you use a word processor or do you write longhand?
I write on an Apple laptop. I prefer to write with a computer because it allows me to easily reword and reengineer sentences in a way that would be messy or impossible while writing longhand.
Did you always plan to write novels?
No, for many years I wrote only short stories and believed that I would someday have a writing career based entirely around publishing short fiction. Eventually the urge to try something longer presented itself.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I've always known I loved books, but it wasn't until I read Richard Bausch's short story 'The Man Who Knew Belle Starr' that I knew I wanted to create stories myself. Something about that story -- its pathos, its vividness, the realness of its characters -- made me realize that I didn't just love stories. I wanted to write them.
Where do you get your ideas?
Good question. I don't really know. I only know that I can only write about things that intensely interest me-money, ethics, family, addiction: these are all things that I spend a great deal of time thinking about. Novels are just vehicles that allow me to spend more time thinking about them.
Have you ever abandoned a novel?
Many of them, actually. It happens; the important thing is to keep working.
Do you have any advice for young writers?
Visit my 'Writing Tips' page. But in general my advice is to finish a novel and then move forward from there. If you can finish a novel you've already set yourself apart from the pack.