The best books come from someplace deep inside.... Become emotionally involved. If you don't care about your characters, your readers won't either.

What I remember when I started to write was how I couldn't wait to get up in the morning to get to my characters.

The best books come from someplace inside. You don't write because you want to, but because you have to.

I kept a diary as a teenager but I never would have shared it with anyone. Still, I think it's very good practice to write things down.

When I started to write, it was the '70s, and throughout that decade, we didn't have any problems with book challenges or censorship.

I think people who write for kids, we have that ability to go back into our own lives.

I use a computer, but before I begin each new book I keep a notebook. I write down everything that comes to mind during that period before I actually begin. It might take months or weeks. That notebook is my security blanket so that I never have to face a blank screen (or blank page). But I print out often and my best ideas usually come with a pencil in my hand.

Nothing teaches you as much about writing dialogue as listening to it.

I love to talk with children. I try to visit schools but it's hard for me to travel when I'm trying to write. Some authors are able to do both.