Nelson DeMille returned to the podcast to discuss his recently released novel Blood Lines, the second book in a three-part series he’s co-authoring with his son Alex. We covered many interesting topics:
The challenges of working with a co-author, even if he’s a trained screenwriter and your son
How market demand helps shape the stories you write and sell
Why some books are easier to write than others
Why some books sell better than others
The importance of choosing your battles in terms of selling the stories you really want to write
How evolving cultural norms and values can impact the work
How to keep readers engaged
Growing old as a writer while staying in touch with younger readers and working to write believable younger characters
I’ve always wanted to talk about the craft of writing with someone whose entire livelihood depends on getting readers to buy his books and then actually read them, so I’m glad Nelson returned to the show to answer more of my questions.1
Suggested Reading
Nelson DeMille, “The Agony and Ecstasy of Co-authoring a Novel,” https://www.us.mensa.org/read/bulletin/features/the-agony-and-the-ecstasy-of-co-authoring-a-novel/
He’ll be back on when the third book in this series drops, too!
The Work of Nelson DeMille