ABERDEEN -- The author of "Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life" made Friday a pretty good day for sixth-graders at Southern Middle School.
The 275 students cheered when James Patterson walked in. The best-selling author answered their questions about his writing and his books before speaking at Sandhills Community College later in the evening.
The college event was a fundraiser for the Given Memorial Library and Tufts Archives in Pinehurst, which is planning an expansion to be called the Given Center.
Before Patterson arrived at Southern Middle School, language arts teacher Gina Gellert asked the students how many had read one of his books. Nearly every hand went up.
When Gellert asked about several specific books, more than half the students raised their hands for each.
Patterson, the first author to have titles simultaneously on the New York Times adult and children's best-sellers lists, offered advice in his answers to students' questions.
He had a practical writing suggestion - use outlines. He told the students to list their thoughts as bullet points, cross out the dumb stuff and put the rest in order.
"It makes everything easier," he said. "Your grades will be better."
Patterson encouraged the students to start looking for something they like to do. He told them it might become a job or a hobby.
"It's hard to find something you really like to do," he said. "It's a miracle if somebody will pay you to do that."
A student asked Patterson how long he works.
"I don't work. I play," he said. "I love telling stories."
He said he couldn't remember how many books he's written, but he plans to keep writing.
"I'm addicted to it," he said. "I can't help it. I'm a junkie."
Patterson said he doesn't get writer's block because he works on several books at the same time. When one isn't going well, he moves to another.
Patterson said he started writing after falling in love with reading when he was 19 years old. Working the night shift at a mental hospital allowed him to read multiple books. He learned about people in France, Africa and elsewhere.
Reading will help the students see how other people view the world, Patterson said.
"Suddenly, you start growing," he said. "You're learning things."
When asked for one piece of advice to students, Patterson emphasized learning to read.
"You've got to become good readers or you're going to end up working at McDonald's your whole life, and that's not fun," he said.
Source: http://fayobserver.com/articles/2013/04/05/1248577
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