Having that 'special kind of urgency'

 

“The books I like to read the most feel like they've been written by somebody who had to write them or go crazy. They had to get them out of their heads. I like that kind of urgency.” – Patrick Ness

Born in Virginia on this date in 1971, Ness is a British-American (dual citizenship) author, journalist, lecturer, and screenwriter.  He is best known for his Young Adult books, particularly the Chaos Walking trilogy, also made into a 2021 movie that he co-wrote. 

 

A one-time creative fiction teacher, corporate writer and magazine feature writer, he started writing YA fiction in 2008.  His first YA novel The Knife of Never Letting Go earned a Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and numerous other awards.  

 

He’s continued his YA writing successes – his most recent book is Burn – while also become a leading book reviewer for many of England’s top magazines and newspapers. “It's fun being paid to read stuff and air your opinion about it,” he said.  “Pretty much a dream job for a writer.”

 

As for his own writing philosophy, Ness said, “If you sing beautifully about nothing, no one will listen. If you sing badly about great stuff, no one will listen. Ideas are everywhere, but my theory is that a writer doesn't just think of an idea: they perform them.”