To send a question, write to MaxMooth@aol.com (Please include your name and location. Then check back in for responses).

MAILBAG (6/12/06)

From: Heather Kim

How come at your author events you let others read your book instead of you reading it?

Heather: Since the book was written for young adults, I thought it'd be more fun to have it read by young adults. The events I've done so far have been great, and to see kids volunteer to read and to be excited by doing it has made it especially worthwhile.

MAILBAG (3/12/06)

From: James Parker, Greenville, Texas

I'd like to do a character biography for a  main character in a story I'm working on. Do you have a suggestion for how I should go about it?

James: One goal of a character biography is that after you finish it, you should know your character as well as you know yourself. So, I suggest start out by writing a character biography about yourself. Make it at least two pages. When you're done with that, you'll then have an idea about how to go about a biography for one of your characters.

MAILBAG (12/10/05)

From: Kevin Thomason, Silver Spring, Maryland

I'd like to write a comic book. Do you have any advice for that?

Kevin: To write any kind of story, including comic books, all you need to get started is a story idea and characters. Once you have that, you'll want your main character to have some kind of goal. In comic books, that goal is often to lead as normal a life as possible while saving the world at the same time. Once you have a goal, you'll want to think up as many obstacles as you can to prevent the character from achieving his/her goal. Often times in comic books, the obstacles come from the crazy villains that populate the world -- and also from the burden on the character's life that comes with being a superhero... You should also read as many comic books as possible to learn how they're done. I hope that helps. Good luck!

MAILBAG (9/14/05)

From: Jimmy Brown, Eugene, Oregon

I saw in one of your reviews that the book would make a good TV series. Is this a possibility?

Jimmy: The book was recently optioned by a producer and he's currently trying to make that happen. Stay tuned!

MAILBAG (8/02/05)

From: Dina Chandler, Pasadena, California

In the next Max Mooth book, will the character of Abby still be a part of the story?

Dina: Yes. Along with Mr. Z, Abby will also help Max solve any computer crimes. She and Mr. Z will also continue to vie for Max's attention.

MAILBAG (7/02/05)

From: Mark Matthews, Shelby, South Carolina

Before writing a story, should I make an outline first or just go ahead and write and see where it takes me?

Mark: When I first started out, I just wrote and let the story go where it wanted. There was a certain excitement and freedom to writing that way. However, I found that sometimes my stories would meander and I would get lost and not finish them. So, I now make outlines. I look at it as a road map to where I want to go and how to get there.

The best thing for you to do is see which way works best for you, and then do it.

MAILBAG (5/14/05)

From: Jeffrey Yost, Dayton, Ohio

I have an idea for a story but am not sure if it should be a movie, book, or play. Do you have any suggestions?

Jeffrey: Perhaps the best way to go is to figure out which type of writing style -- between screenplays, books and plays -- that you like and feel the most comfortable with, then proceed with that. This can be done by studying existing screenplays, books and plays and getting a sense of how each format varies. Then, determine which of them you feel would best serve your story and your style of writing.

MAILBAG (4/04/05)

From: Peter Jones, Greensboro, North Carolina

Do you have any advice on how to write interesting characters?

Peter: One thing I try to do is think of characters as real people. If you think about people you know well, you'll find they all have several traits. They're not one-dimensional. And these traits come out in the way they speak and/or their action.

Here's an example of a possible character, a man in his 30s.  He's: 1) Outwardly cocky but inwardly insecure, 2) Affectionate towards animals, 3) Has lots of street smarts, 4) Driven by a fear of failure which keeps people from getting close.

Then, as you write, keep bringing out as many of these traits in his dialogue and action throughout. When you're done, you'll hopefully have a well-rounded character.

Other things you can try are detailed character bios and mapping out character arcs.

Once you find a method or way that works for you, keep doing it. I hope that helped. Happy writing!

From: Hal Blair, (Parts Unknown)

Are any of the characters from Studio Reader Stan real?

Hal: That would be a "yes." But names have been changed. In some instances, I haven't even had to embellish their actual dialogue.

MAILBAG (3/6/05)

From: Gary Feldman, Florida

I see you write screenplays, too. For someone interested in writing, which one would you recommend?

Gary: You can write both, if you like. With screenplays, you have to adhere more strictly to structure and page counts, which isn't a problem if you learn how. With novels, since you can write more, you can develop your characters and situations further. However, you actually have less freedom with point of view. For example, the Max Mooth script has several extra scenes with Mr. Z, but because he's not a viewpoint character (or main character), they had to be eliminated for the book. Either way, I enjoy writing in both formats. Once you get used to the different rhythms of each, you can just focus on telling your story. And that's when it's a lot of fun.

MAILBAG (2/7/05)

From: Daniel Minter, Chicago, Illinois

How did you come up with the idea for the Max Mooth book?

Daniel: This particular idea came from a brainstorming session. However, the original concept that was hatched wasn't very good and wouldn't have worked beyond anything but a skit. From that, though, I came up with the story that I have now. So, if you're interested in getting your creative juices flowing, brainstorm ideas by yourself or with others, and see what comes of it.

From: Billy Goodman, (Parts Unknown)

I'd like to write more, but I never seem to get around to it. I even tried making myself write a certain number of pages a day, but it didn't work. Do you have any advice?

Billy: I'd recommend not aiming for a certain number of pages a day. You may end up forcing things just to reach a page count. This can lead to bad pages, which might frustrate you further, and cause you to quit. Instead, aim to write for an hour a day (or start with a half-hour and work up to an hour), and if you're not feeling good about the story you're working on, write something else for that hour. It could be anything -- your diary, a letter, a new story. Just get in the habit of writing for that hour a day. After a while, you'll be so used to it, writing every day will come a lot easier.