How many people can say that they A) Got to interview a NY Times Best Selling Author and B) Got to interview one of their favorite authors period?

Luckily, I can say both. DJ MacHale, author of the NY Times Best Selling series, Pendragon and co-creator of that show we all watched on Nickelodeon every week, Are You Afraid of the Dark? was pleased to take the time out of his day to answer a few questions that I had.

Who would have known that after meeting him at San Diego Comic Con in 2007, I would be interviewing him not too long after?

How much of writing was a focus in your career at that time that you attended NYU to receive a BFA in film production?
Very little. Or so I thought. I made films and videos all through junior high and high school thinking I was getting out of writing for school projects. What I didn’t realize was that I was doing nothing but writing! It wasn’t until college that I realized writing was just as much a part as making films, as any other aspect. So I was a writer and didn’t know it.

“Are You Afraid of the Dark?” was the best show to watch at night on Nickelodeon.so any chance of re-creating that whether on TV, online, comics, etc?
Thank you. I loved making that show. I’m afraid there’s zero chance of it ever coming back though. Too many legal complications.

What was your most challenging territory to create in the Pendragon series?
Quillan. Creating those games and having Bobby play them was very difficult.

What are your favorite characteristics and least favorite characteristics of Bobby, Mark, and Courtney?
I love Bobby’s sense of humor, though I sometimes feel he over thinks things.
I love Courtney’s independence and honesty. But unlike Bobby, she needs to think things through a bit more.
I love Mark’s heart and his intelligence. He should trust his instincts more.

As a writer, every time I re-read any of the Pendragon books, I am always amazed at your dialogue. How do you write your dialogue so perfectly? What is your advice for people like me who struggle with writing dialogue?
I’ve had lots of practice. With the various shows I’ve made and scripts I’ve written, I’ve written hundreds of thousands of lines of dialog…many of which I’ve had performed by actors. So over the years I’ve learned about what works and sounds real…and what doesn’t. The advice I can give is to listen to people. And when you write a line of dialog, say it back out loud. If it doesn’t sound right, chances are it isn’t.

When transforming the Pendragon series into graphic novels, how did your vision both agree with and differ with the vision of Carla Speed McNeil?

It was remarkably close. Of course, a character never looks exactly the same as you had in mind, but that goes with the territory. (So to speak) The only big difference was in how the story needed to be shortened in order to meet the needs of a graphic novel. That also goes with the territory.

Have you started writing your upcoming trilogy, Morpheus Road or are you outlining.what stage are you at?
I’ve outlined the first book and will begin to write the words that people will eventually read in January.

Speaking of outlining, how in depth are your outlines?
They are not necessarily laden with details, but they contain all the major plot and character elements of a story.

Is it hard to switch from a novelist thinking state of mind to a screenwriting state of mind?
It takes about a day. Storytelling is storytelling so I can switch back and forth pretty easily. The tricky part comes with the form. I takes about a day of writing to get back in the rhythm of whatever I’m changing to. I don’t think I could work on both in the same day. I need a bit of distance.

Do you get writers block and if so, what do you do about it?
Yes and I run on the beach to clear my head. Works every time!