The writing process really became natural when it was real and from my heart, and I was exposed.
I like the story writing process. I usually use someone who has been trained for structure to take the story that I actually want, place those elements in the right places.
Writing anything as an expert is really poisonous to the writing process, because you lose the quality of discovery.
Some of my favorite poets had a tremendous sense of whimsy, so it's a writing style I guess I admire.
I discovered Christopher Isherwood in college. His writing style is so direct, warm, and inclusive.
After working as a journalist I went to a writing program at Johns Hopkins. It was interesting because it was neither journalistic nor historical, but it emphasized writing style, and afterwards I was asked to write my first book.
Weirdly, the past starts to be about something else. It becomes about style in a way that it wasn't about, and I don't mean writing style, but cultural style.
I don't write as much erotic romance as I used to, but I think that's just because my writing style has changed.
There's always gonna be guys who are just wonderful singers and probably shouldn't be writing songs. Then there's always gonna be guys who move up the ranks writing. I don't know what's healthier or what's the best thing - probably whatever yields the best songs.
With the 'Hazelwood High' trilogy, I wasn't sure I was writing a trilogy. I would just write one book, then another, and then another, because the young adults who wrote me told me that they wanted to read more.
I've been in the songwriting circuit as well. I've been in a couple writing camps where there are seven top writers or whatever, and they're writing songs for a young girl or a young guy that are coming up, and they're kind of nuts.
If I had to give young writers advice, I would say don't listen to writers talking about writing or themselves.
The Pleasure Seekers eventually turned into Cradle, when we started writing our own material. My younger sister Nancy was brought in as singer and I kind of stepped aside as main lead singer and concentrated on my instrument.
As a youngster, I never dreamed there could be a career actually earning a living writing music.
"Maybe it's human nature to be drawn to things that have hurt us the most."
"Who'd deny a poor cripple his cane?" "If the cripple is you, then any man with sense."
