Four Questions for James Patterson

I always start with an outline and I always want to involve a coauthor in creating that outline. It is vital to the success of the book. If writers are just looking for a payday, it is a disaster. If they are committed to making the book as good as it can be - a story they can be proud of - it is a success. When collaborating with another author, it is important to be in constant touch and read their scripts often - since occasionally books wander or march in place, and it's a lot easier to review stories every two weeks and talk it through if something's not quite right.