Novelist Vincent Sachar on the art of creative writing

Novelist Vincent Sachar, author of The Nowhere Man and Nowhere Out, visited the school this week to speak to an assembly of English and Journalism students about the art of creative writing and the use of imagination. He also stressed that in this new age of technology that there are different options now available to young, aspiring writers.

His presentation began quite simply; asking students why they would believe we are only born once. In answer to his own question, he drew on Mark Twain’s quote, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.”

He went on to discuss his previous employment as a corporate attorney, but that his “why” moment occurred when he actively began to write his first novel. Sachar encouraged students to “just write,” and the importance of finding a passion and to continuously water the seed of that passion.

Sachar also spoke to students about the importance of learning both in and out of the classroom, as what one takes from their early education, however small, are the building blocks to creativity.

Sachar was joined by his wife, Gwen, and his daughter, Special Education teacher at the school, Victoria Sachar Milosevich.

After obtaining his undergraduate at Loyola University, author and native New Yorker Vincent Sachar earned his Juris Doctor from New York’s St. John’s Law School and became corporate secretary and managing director of a global consulting company.

Sachar’s passion for writing traces back to his elementary school days, when he would pass stories back and forth with a girl, eventually circulating them throughout the class.

“The Nowhere Man” and the sequel “Nowhere Out” can either be read as a series or as stand-alone novels. He is currently in the process of writing the third book in the series, as well as an entirely new series of fantasy novels.

Q: What kind of research did you have to do for “The Nowhere Man” and its sequel?

A: “I had to do quite a bit of research for “The Nowhere Man” and “Nowhere Out.” I would listen to Navy SEALS speak. It’s well known that there are many things they can’t say, but I got a good fell for their calls, signals and what not.”

Q: Can you describe the publishing process?

A: “To begin with, I submitted my work about two times. I then worked and communicated with a team of editors. We also looked at the front cover and I envisioned what I’d like it to look like. The back cover was one of the most challenging parts, because I had to think about how to summarize the book all in one little bit.”

Q: Why did you decide to write and publish your books?

A: “Artists have little mementos where they can say, ‘Hey, check out my painting.’ Singers can let you listen to their newest song. I wanted a memento to be able to show people. I wanted to be able to put the book in the reader’s hands.”

Q: What other authors or works inspire your writing?

A: “Believe it or not, I actually really love “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. The way it starts out really draws in the reader and makes them feel like it’s a real story. The descriptions just really popped out to me. I’ve also read just about every mystery or suspense writer out there.”

Q: What does your writing process consist of?

A: “I’m the kind of person that writes “at the seat of their pants,” so they say. I just sit down and write. Making an outline before writing isn’t something I normally do. Sometimes I’ll just down notes like “so and so does this” or something like that.

Q: What is your advice for aspiring writers?

A: “Don’t be afraid to Google things that you’re not sure about. Punctuation is tricky, especially for young readers and writers, so you want to be able to get that down. To help me, I keep a hard copy of a dictionary with me when I write. Don’t rely solely on spell check, either. You have to go back and personally proof your own work. I do it around twelve times.”