In the October issue of Writing, we invited you to submit questions for Jack Gantos, author of the young-adult memoir Hole in My Life and the recently published Love Curse of the Rumbaughs. Congratulations to the students at Sacred Heart School in Dearborn, Michigan. We selected three of their questions to pass on to Jack Gantos. Here are his answers!

Katrina Greathouse, grade 7: What are some things you do while getting ready for writing a book?

Jack Gantos: When I get ready to write a book I try to find about 10 books to read that I think will be helpful—perhaps they are full of characters I find inspiring, or a setting I find engaging, or themes or problems that I find fascinating and will help me think through my story.
    Then I make sure to get a new notebook.
    I usually find a new ink color I like for my favorite fountain pen.
    I set writing goals--so I can feel some progress on the project.
    I make sure I do a lot of physical exercise so I feel prepared to sit all day long.
    And then I allow nothing to stop me--especially my own excuses to do something other than write.

Danielle Barum, grade 7: I'm trying to write a story. But every time I make a character, it's one that is already made. How do you make a character? 

Jack Gantos: How do I make a character? Generally I just start writing without any goal in mind and allow the character to generate from the accumulated words that gather on the page. Or, I draw loosely and conjure up a character from the drawing. Or, I pay close attention to people I find interesting as I walk down the city streets, or in libraries, or at the mall, or in grocery stores. I find restaurants are a very good place to find characters because people are very honestly themselves when they are hungry.

Kayla Roszkowski, grade 8: How do you come up with ideas for your books? Do you base them off your everyday life experiences?
Jack Gantos: A lot of my books are based on personal experiences. Since I keep a journal and write in it every day--even a sentence or two will do per day--I manage to discover something interesting that takes place each day. I'm sure it will for you, too. But the secret is to keep a daily journal and always ask yourself, "What is the most interesting thing I saw or did today?" Then write the answer down.