See how these successful authors write

I’m always intrigued by how other writers write. I like to see their routines and quirks. Not only is it entertaining and informative, just maybe, I think, I’ll find something in their process I can adopt to improve my own.

Here are a few tidbits from The Daily Beast’s feature, How I Write.

Michelle Gagnon, mystery writer and author of the young adult thriller, Don’t Turn Around, is a big believer in writing a complete draft before starting any editing.

“That way, at the end, even though the manuscript still needs a ton of work, I’ve got the bones of the story in place. I think, statistically, a lot of people stall out at page 50. Embrace the fact that a rough draft is meant to be just that—rough—and keep going.”

Read the full interview: Michelle Gagnon’s How I Write Interview: When I Was a Russian Supper-Club Dancer

Javier Sierra, novelist and art historian, is the author of The Lost Angel and The Secret Supper. Sierra puts his family first. He takes his children to and from school and works around their schedules.

When he begins a new novel, Sierra starts a new notebook taking particular attention to select just the right hardcover notebook. Then he selects the CDs he’ll listen to when he writes.

Read the full interview: A Room of One’s Own

Jodi Picoult, the bestselling author of Lone Wolf, plus many others, has a unique method of beginning a new book. She starts by asking “what if?” Eventually characters become real to her and begin talking. She then does massive research, and then when she thinks of the perfect first line, she begins to write.

Read the full interview: Jodi Picoult on Writing, Publishing, and What She’s Reading