Writer’s Toolbox

Author Q&A

Here we present our exclusive collection of Q&As with a long list of illustrious authors.

Richard Marek

Richard MarekRichard Marek is a book editor, a book publisher, and the author of the novel Works of Genuis.

What is your method for overcoming writer’s block?

Write one page upon arising. Only coffee permitted. Stop writing when page is completed, even if it's in the middle of a hyphenated word.

What are your favorite or most helpful writing prompts?

An outline! Carefully prepared, so things planted early pay off later. And write character sketches if you're embarked on a novel.

What is the most valuable advice you received as a young writer?

Read. Read, read, read. READ. The best guide to writing I know is John Gardner's The Art of Fiction. It sure helped me!