One Writer's Process: Randy Powell

Randy Powell gets guys.

He gets them in the deepest way possible, revealing their emotional vulnerabilities while probing their foibles, fears, and frustrations as they journey into manhood.

It's not always an easy journey, but in Powell's hands the journey is often lightened with a sense of humor and softened by the welcome presence of well-crafted female characters.

The author of a number of fine YA novels (My Underrated Year ; Dean Duffy; Is Kissing A Girl Who Smokes Like Licking An Ashtray; Whistling Toilets; Tribute to Another Dead Rock Star; and Three Clams and an Oyster), Powell was in the midst of a writing project when we asked for his comments on writing.

Here are some of the thoughts that he shared with Wordswimmer:

Right now I’m deep into finishing a novel, so of course I’m not thinking too much about process at the moment. I’m just doing it and getting it done.

When I get up in the morning, I make coffee and go in and get to work. I have a sense of direction and purpose, so it’s a good time right now.

Usually, the time I think deeply about process is the time between books. And then I do devote a lot of time to questions (Why am I doing this? Is there a better way to do this, or, at least, a more effective way?) and to finding the balance between writing one sentence at a time versus figuring out the premise and the whole big picture.

What I’ve found is that every time I finish a book (or at least put it aside for a while) and start up a new one, I go through the same paradoxical battles

Each book seems to have to find its own way to get written.

However, one thing I have learned--trust my early drafts more.

Don’t be so quick to assume they’re shit.

It’s always been my method to Just Get Something Down--Anything.

But now I’m really trying to learn to pay attention to what’s there and to shut up and listen to it.

By shut up, I mean mostly all the self talk and criticism that goes on when you are writing an exploratory draft.

This is all I have time to say right now.

Good luck to you.

For more info about Powell and his work, check his website: http://www.randypowell.com/index.html as well as this brief bio: http://www.fsgkidsbooks.com/authordetails.asp?ID=Powell