I'm of the Samuel Goldwyn school of writing: If you need to send a message, call Western Union. Any messages people take away from my books are the ones they see in them.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
So many of my books, I don't want to say they have messages, but they have important things to say.
If you want to send a message, try Western Union.
If you want to send a manuscript, send it to an agent. And send a letter first, asking permission. Launch it into the real world of cold-blooded commercial response, not into the fantasyland of wishful thinking, cowardice and surrender to Resistance.
In my books I try to tell a good story, not give messages.
I get wonderful letters from kids and teachers. I must have the best readers in the world.
The only other thing which I think is important is: Don't write a book or start a book with the expectation of communicating a message in a very important way.
Pictures are for entertainment, messages should be delivered by Western Union.
Readers would email me and say, 'Please write a novel about so-and-so,' but it has to come from yourself and not so much from your readership.
I think my books talk about kids learning to like and respect themselves and each other. You can't write a message book; you just tell the best story you know how to tell.
I definitely don't write with any kind of 'message' or 'lesson,' probably because when I was a child, I used to run a mile from books like that.