An Evening with Jacquelyn Mitchard

Two members of the club were able to have dinner with Wisconsin writer Jacquelyn Mitchard before she spoke to about 75 people at the Oshkosh Public Library. She is a lovely woman, funny and warm, and did not seem to mind when asked if she really does 200 sit-ups everyday as she says on her website. (She does.) Some other tidbits:

She starts each novel with a full outline. She then writes from beginning to end, revising as she goes. A novel usually takes her about 10 months, although the first few months are spent on research. She is also fond of writing camps, where she can write for four or five days without interruption.

A good story, she said, has a beginning, middle and end. "Something needs to happen," she said. "There are a lot of books today about nothing. They might have a good beginning or middle but no real ending."

Language is also important. "How the story is told, the language and dialogue, it all needs to sound authentic."

Writers, she said, "Watch life closely." Eavesdropping and people watching are good habits for writers to develop. She told of overhearing a man on a cell phone say, presumably to his ex-wife, "I'm so done with you, I even hate your ancestors." Lines like this, she said, add realism to one's writing.

She also read from her latest novel and invited our club to enter her "Cage of the Stars" contest (the prize is a personal visit from her). For details, click here.