Episode Summary

In this episode, John discusses the importance of knowing character well enough to allow them to help write the story. He talks about how poetry helped him refine his writing and why it is critical to be in critique groups.

Highlights

• John writes at a cluttered desk in his study and always has coffee nearby.
• He feels more productive in a quiet space where nothing but writing can take his focus.
• John’s wife is a writer as well and sit’s across from John. They often write together in the mornings.
• John loves to spend time at the beach swimming.
• Pat Conroy is John’s favorite author.
• When John was young, he read The Comancheros and that caused him to start thinking about becoming a writer.
• His profession as a doctor and raising a family had him put writing on the backburner for quite some time.
• During one of his courses John fell in love with poetry and published Heart Murmurs.
• Writing poetry helped him learn to write succinctly and in ways that weren’t standard.
• John uses his knowledge of his characters to allow the story to unfold as he writes.
• John believes that being part of a critique group of like-minded writers is critical.
• John does not set deadlines for himself.