WT Melon FAQ/Q&A/OIC:
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I receive many wonderful e-mails and letters from students, who ask questions for reports
about my books and writing. Here are some of the most common questions and the answers!
Q: Have you
always wanted to be a children's author? ... Jamie
A: No, in college I decided to become a teacher and still feel that the greatest job in the world. It was only after teaching for many years and I was filled with ideas for classroom stories did I decide to start writing for children.
Q: How many
books have you written? ... ElizabethA: So far seven of my books have been published, but I've written many more. Which book a publisher chooses to publish is sometimes a mystery. My two favorite unpublished books are ANTA CLASS OF THE SOUTH POLE and NOE School, a book written without an E in it. You can read the first part of these in the Thinking Cap section of this Web site.
Q: Where do
you write?... Jonathan
A: This is an interesting question, since in the last few years with a laptop and wi-fi Hotspots easier to find, I can write almost anywhere. Most book editing is done through e-mail, so I often sit in parks or cafes and do much of the writing business and research.
Q: Have you
written any plays, poems, or magazines stories? ... Beth
A: Yes, I've written many short stories that have appeared in magazines. This is a fun thing to do between writing books. I'll also enjoy writing light verse and plays. You can download the stage play scripts to THE ELEVATOR FAMILY, PRINCESS STEW, and MATH RASHES from this Web site.
Q: What are
some of your interests and activities?... Tia
A: I love to travel and seeing new places. When I was a teacher I took off every summer to some spot around the world. I put many of my travel experiences in the book MVP*:MAGELLAN VOYAGE PROJECT. I also enjoy riting music and songs and have hundreds of them recorded on my computer.
Q: When did
you start writing for children?... Alex
A: I was living in London, England and I had the opportuneity to visit Roald Dahl at his house. As a teacher, I had read Roald Dahl's books to my classes and I was a big fan. I was so inspired after that visit that I bought a typewriter the next day and started writing the book ANTA CLAUS OF THE SOUTH POLE. Ironically, years later, Roald Dahl's editor Stephen Roxburgh published my first book CLASSROOM AT THE END OF THE HALL.
Q: What are
you working on now?... Leslie
A: Many projects! I want to write a long sequeal to MVP*:MAGELLAN VOYAGE PROJECT along with more plays and poems. I also enjoy tinkering with this Web site, adding to the WT Melon Blog, and making fancy Powerpoint shows that I show at school author presentations. You can read about many of my new project in the Thinking Cap section of this Web site.
Q: Do you have
any suggestions on how to become an author?... Micheal
A: My advise to all kids who ask this question is the same advise I gave when I was
a teacher. Read! Read! Read! Write! Write! Write! And don't worry about being different!
Q: How do you
write? For how long each day?... Tina
A: When I'm home at my house in Berkeley, California, my writing day is very much like a school day. I make sure I'm at my desk at 8:00. At 10:00 I write a few hours and take a recess break to read the newspaper I write a few more hours until 12:00, when I have lunch. During the afternoon I mostly edit what I wrote in the morning. Sometimes I sit in a cafe. But I always make sure I don't do any goofing off until the writing time is over at 2:00. Most nights, like homework, I spend answering e-mail and tinkering with this Web site.
Send more questions! ...Click
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