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Advice for young writers

     Are you nosy? This is the key to writing a biography. Pick a person you’d love to know better -- someone you really like. The more passion you have for your subject, the more energy you’ll spend, and the better your biography will be. Make a list of nosy questions. If the person you pick is someone you know personally, conduct an interview. Take notes and listen carefully -- you’ll learn more than you could have imagined. If you choose someone you don’t know -- your favorite genius in the creative arts (that includes musicians), an athlete or a history-maker -- gather facts from encyclopedias, newspapers and magazines, biographies, and Internet searches. Your librarian can really help. After you’ve soaked up the information, don’t use it all.  Be very selective.  Use only the most interesting stuff, plus the facts that get you from beginning to middle to end.