National Book Festival

Advocate for Literacy and the Importance of Reading

David Baldacci, trial and corporate attorney-turned-writer, has written seven original screenplays, short stories, a novella and 10 best-selling novels. His first novel, "Absolute Power," won Britain's W.H. Smith's Thumping Good Read Award for fiction in 1997 and was nominated for a literary award in Italy.

Baldacci was online Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss his writing, his current publication and first book for children, "Freddy and the French Fries: Fries Alive!" (Little, Brown and Company, 2005) and his appearance at the National Book Festival.

A transcript follows.

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David Baldacci: Hi, I'm David Baldacci, and I'm looking forward to the chat and to the Book Festival on Saturday.

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Washington, D.C.: Is there a difference in the way you approach writing a screenplay vs. a novel? Obviously they are very different formats, but I'm wondering if the creative process behind them is similar. Thanks.

David Baldacci: With both formats you're telling a story, but the script requires a much greater concentration and focus. You have to keep in mind that the end product will be film and sound, not words on a page. Every scene needs to have at least two purposes and you need to know your entrance and exit strategies. By contrast, novel writing allows more leisure and abiltiy to explore subplots and tangents. Plus, you don't have a director looking over your shoulder all the time.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: What attracted you to write for children? Did you find difficulties making an adjustment to writing for children? Did you find you had to rewrite more or less, or about the same, when writing a children's novel?

David Baldacci: It was extraordinarily challenging. The idea for the books came from stories I told my children. I'm heavily involved in literacy and the earlier you get someone reading the better. Writing a children's book was an ideal way for me to approach that audience. All writing is labor intensive and writing for kids was no exception. There was a lot of rewriting.

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Washington, D.C.: Where were you raised and is it true that former Redskins executive, Steve Baldacci, is your younger brother?

David Baldacci: I grew up in Richmond. Steve Baldacci is my cousin.

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Arlington, Va.: Mr. Baldacci:

Thanks for taking my question. How difficult was the transition from trial lawyer to writer? Had you published anything before you decided to forgo your legal career? Is there anything you miss about being a lawyer?

David Baldacci: I've been writing from an early age. Practicing law was a wy to earn a living until I became good enough to make a living with my writing. I miss some of the people I practiced law with and a few of the clients. But being a lawyer was not how I wanted to spend my life. Selling your life in quarter hour increments is not idyllic.

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Bethesda, Md.: I'm curious. How do you get your plot ideas?

David Baldacci: Writers have to look at the world with a different eye and perspective. Ideas for books and characters can come from any source. You just have to be in the right mindset to see it. Whenever I look at anything, I always attempt to fictionalize a bit of it, to realize the potential of what could be if I play with the actual facts. Writers also have to be ever curious. Learn as much as you can about as many different subjects as you can.

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Annapolis, Md: Hi, David

I know you are busy with your new children's books, but are you also currently working on any thrillers or screenplays that you can tell us about?

David Baldacci: My new thriller, T"he Camel Club," comes out on Oct. 25. It is without a doubt my most ambitious story to date. I have two scripts out in Hollywood right now and we're working hard to get them set up. If we can just get Hollywood off the remake kick, we might be able to get somewhere, although masterpieces like "The Dukes of Hazzard" do have their place, I suppose :)

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Washington, D.C.: I've never been to the National Book Festival before. Have you participated in past years? What do you plan on doing at the festival?

David Baldacci: This is my third visit to the Festival. I'll be pulling double duty because one writer was unable to attend at the last minute. I'll be in the children's tent for "Freddy and the French Fries" from 1-1:30, and in the thriller tent from 12-12:30. Last year almost 80,000 people attended. It's a great event. You should come.

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Annapolis, Md.: Mr. Baldacci: I just want to thank you for your fine books. I have been reading everything of yours from your first book, "Absolute Power." Please keep up the good work.

David Baldacci: Thank you.

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Munich, Germany: Ten years ago, a colleague once told me, "Everyone should have the feeling at least once in their lives, that they are fighting against everyone else in the world."

I was reminded of that statement by your book, "Last Man Standing".

Have you ever had similar sentiments to my colleague? I, personally, believe that I could go happily through life without fighting for my survival against everyone that I've known.

David Baldacci: Maybe an alternative sentiment should be that at some point in everyone's life they feel they are fighting FOR everyone else. What a difference that might make.

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Baltimore, Md.: Hi David.

It's great to have you online. I had a question about your screenplays. What's the biggest difference in your approach to your screenplays versus your novel? Do you feel like you have to compromise on plot?

David Baldacci: It's certainly different than writing a novel. You have lots of people with their fingerprints on your work: directors, actors, producers and even other writers. Things can get a bit jumbled at times and changes are made to fit requirements that may have nothing to do with the actual story. It's challenging to write scripts and I will continue to do it, although sometimes it is quite frustrating.

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David Baldacci: Thanks so much for participating in the discussion. I enjoyed the questions and I hope you enjoyed the answers. Please come out to the Book Festival. You won't be disappointed.

David Baldacci

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Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.