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Bestselling author James Patterson helps Aussie bookshops boost child literacy

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Bestselling author James Patterson has sold over 300 million books to date.()
Bestselling author James Patterson has sold over 300 million books to date.()
He's a bestselling author who doesn't write all of his own books, and a fierce advocate of child literacy and community bookshops. Books & Arts meets thriller writing colossus James Patterson.
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How do you become the world's bestselling author? Try a little help from your friends.

Since his 1976 debut The Thomas Berryman Number, James Patterson has sold more than 300 million copies.

He's incredibly prolific—his body of work spans well in excess of 100 books, though he's now greatly assisted by the contributions of co-authors.

When Mum and Dad put books on the table, that's not tough love. That's love.

Patterson typically writes a 60 to 90 page 'outline' of a book, then hands it over to a secondary writer to fully realise the final piece.

'In the beginning, there was a lot of rewriting. One time I did seven drafts,' he says.

'With the writers I work with now, we're used to each other and I don't have to do as much rewriting as I used to.'

While this way of working might suggest something of a disconnect from the writing process, Patterson says he employs a strategy of clear direction, close oversight and collaboration.

'Whoever I'm working with, I encourage them to contribute, because I want their contributions, but also because I want them invested emotionally,' he says.

'I want to see stuff every couple of weeks, and I'll give suggestions on how to put it back on the tracks.'

Best known for his Alex Cross thriller series, Patterson holds the Guinness World Record for being the first author to sell one million e-books.

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He still values the role of community bookshops, though.

'We need stores out in the community. We just do,' he says.

That's part of the reason he's putting up his own money to fund $100,000 worth of grants to book stores in Australia and New Zealand.

Successful applicants will receive between $500 and $5,000, but they must have a dedicated children's section. That fact provides a hint at Patterson's even bigger passion: improving child literacy.

'We really need to get kids reading. For kids that are bright and pretty good readers, we need them to read more broadly,' he says.

'Our society needs them, our culture needs them. I think they become better spouses, friends, and do more for society.

'When you read about a lot of the great scientists, what turned them on initially? Science-fiction—that's when they started going, "Oh there's a lot of cool stuff I could be inventing or thinking about."'

Patterson himself is currently kept busy raising three children of his own.

He and his wife gave their son Jack an ultimatum at age eight; read every day of your summer holiday, or sleep in the garage.

'That's not tough love,' insists Patterson.

'When Mum and Dad put food on the table, that's love.

'When Mum and Dad put books on the table, that's not tough love. That's love.'

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Books and Arts explores the many worlds of performance, writing, music and visual arts, and features interviews with local and international authors and artists.

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Arts, Culture and Entertainment, Books (Literature), Author