“Any setting can
be a good setting for a novel.” – Chris Pavone
Best-selling author
Pavone says there are plenty of paths to becoming a writer . . . “but
I think the most reliable ones involve total commitment: writing for magazines
and newspapers, teaching writing, editing books, representing authors.”
Born on this date in 1968, Pavone
grew up in New York City, where he still makes his home. He graduated from Cornell University and was
a book-publishing editor for nearly two decades before deciding to leave his
“editor” pen for a “writer” version. “I
had 12 different job titles in publishing before I typed ‘The End’ at the
bottom of a manuscript page,” he said.
“I thought the manuscript was in great shape; I was pretty proud of
myself. Then I sent it to some
publishing friends and they tore it apart.”
A humbling experience most first-time authors face and from
which many don’t recover. Not Pavone, he
took the suggestions to heart, went back to work and produced the
multiple-award winning The Expats, a
best-selling thriller that has now led to 4 additional books including his
newest (published just two months ago), The
Paris Diversion, a sequel to Expats. 
Pavone said working at publishing houses was a great
incubator for his writing because he came into contact with so many great
books, ideas and authors. At the same
time he saw the opposite side and was faced with putting a damper on writers’
dreams. “I spent nearly two decades . .
. mostly as an acquisitions editor,” he said.
“But a more accurate title might be rejection editor: while I acquired maybe a dozen projects a
year, I’d reject hundreds upon hundreds.”
“I always wanted to write. But
honestly I'm glad I didn't do it back when I was twenty-five or so, when it's
now clear to me that I was a very poor writer and could've ruined my career
before it even started.”
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