I had an idea to write something set back around the Civil War era, but I was just way too ignorant to think I could start it any time soon.

- John Brandon

I was playing sports all the time, growing up. And then, somewhere around 10th or 11th grade, I kind of lost interest in that and just started readin…

- John Brandon

Sometimes I would take Nietzsche or something. And I wouldn't read it, but more just scan the words. Sometimes I would get whatever the popular thing…

- John Brandon

It didn't occur to me that I could be a writer until college. I saw all these people around me training to be doctors, or historians, or C.E.O.'s or …

- John Brandon

I know people who are really talented at writing, and they just don't ever make it happen because they're also good at other things.

- John Brandon

None of my English teachers in college were praising me or telling me I was anything special. But then in creative writing classes they were. And I e…

- John Brandon

I don't think about the reader in any conscious way that impacts the writing, as far as, Hey, most readers would like this! But at the same time, if …

- John Brandon

The first time I took a fiction writing class was sophomore year. And I just found myself taking that extremely seriously, in a way that I didn't tak…

- John Brandon

It's nice not to have to worry about applying for things. It's really a different existence.

- John Brandon