Peter S. Beagle: On Ideas Changing Over Time
Peter S. Beagle was born in 1939 and raised in the Bronx, just a few blocks from Woodlawn Cemetery, the inspiration for his first novel, A Fine and Private Place. He is the author of classic works such as The Last Unicorn, Tamsin, and The Innkeeper’s Song, and his novels have earned him many millions of fans around the world.
In addition to stories and novels, Beagle has written numerous teleplays and screenplays, including the animated versions of The Lord of the Rings and The Last Unicorn. His nonfiction book I See By My Outfit is considered a classic of American travel writing; and he is also a gifted poet, lyricist, and singer/songwriter. Find him on Facebook and Instagram.
Peter S. Beagle
Photo by Kathleen Hunt
In this post, Peter discusses the process of writing his new fantasy novel, The Way Home, his advice for writers, and more!
Name: Peter S. Beagle
Literary agent: Howard Morhaim
Book Title: The Way Home
Publisher: Penguin Random House (in the US)
Release date: April 4, 2023
Genre/category: Fantasy
Previous titles: The Last Unicorn, A Fine and Private Place, Innkeeper's Song, Tamsin, and many more
Elevator pitch: Years after the events of her last adventure, Sooz finds a perilous journey lies ahead of her, in a story that is at once a tender meditation on love and loss, and a lesson in finding your true self.
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What prompted you to write this book?
There is always more to tell, and Sooz's story wasn't fully over.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication?
About 15 years.
Did the idea change during the process?
Always. This always happens. The ideas that I had at the beginning were not the same as the ones five years or 10 years into the process. I found I had to go back and redo large parts of the story, because the characters were not right the first go round.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Always. Why else would I bother writing? Writing is always a process of discovery.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
An escape from the world of the newspaper headlines and the scrolling newsreel which keeps beating them down every moment.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
I very rarely know what the hell I'm doing artistically—I've just gotten a lot better than I used to be at pretending I always knew.
When speaking to an audience, I often fall back on my favorite "Charlie Brown" cartoon strip, the one that has Snoopy sitting on his doghouse roof writing a novel. "It was a dark and stormy night! Suddenly a shot rang out! A maid-servant screamed! A pirate ship appeared on the horizon! Meanwhile...in far-off Kansas, a boy was growing up!" Then he turns directly to the viewer and explains his method: "In the second half, I pull all this together!"
That's pretty much the way I write. People very rarely believe me.
Do you remember the difference between the 8 parts of speech and how to use them? Are you comfortable with punctuation and mechanics? No matter what type of writing you do, mastering the fundamentals of grammar and mechanics is an important first step to having a successful writing career.
