How do you write a book? If you've , you know the "how" begins with looking for the story in a character, an idea, a situation, or a setting. And then it involves picking up your frindle and starting to ... Wait a minute! A frindle? What's that? If you've read Mr. Clements's book by the same name—Frindle—you know it's the word that Nicholas Allen, the main character, came up with when he wanted to try an experiment with the dictionary. If you haven't read the book, you can get to know the author of Frindle—and then go find the book at your local library or bookstore. Mr. Clements talked with the Journal's
Frindle, like all your books, started out as an idea. But where did that idea come from?
It actually came out of a conversation I had with some students at a school where I was a visiting author. (you can read more about this at www.Frindle.com.) But as for where my ideas come from in general, I'd have to say they come from all over. Being a writer partly means observing the world around you and asking questions about what you see.
