How Many Drafts?

    Well hi Ms.Reynolds:) I needed to write to you because I wanted to ask you a few questions. First one, when you wrote Intensely Alice where did you get information on Chicago? Second, when Patrick asks Alice if she wants to go to the prom with him, does that mean the he likes her more than Penny? Do your books go through lots of changes when they’re still in draft? if so how many would you say? I’d really apreciate if you could answer my questions because I was wondering. Thank you for taking your time off from writing THE best-selling book (Always Alice) to read my email(:

 

Phyllis replied:

 

I used to live in Chicago.   And yes, I think you can assume that when Patrick asked Alice to the prom, he was liking her more than Penny at that point.  An Alice book goes through at least five drafts before it becomes final.  The very last book in the series, that comes out next fall, ALWAYS ALICE, is twice as long as all the other Alice books, and I can’t count the number of revisions it has gone through.  There are so many characters to keep track of over the years, so many sub-plots.  But I’m very happy with it as it goes to the copy-editor this week, and I’m sure I’ve not seen the last of it before it’s published.