How does a successful short-story writer and novelist find plots and characters for his writings? Where do his ideas come from? Fans of Jack Weyland’s fiction would perhaps find the answers to such questions concerning his writings almost as intriguing as the writing themselves. Few except those most directly involved realize how much writing, rewriting, and polishing are necessary before his works are ready to be published.

Most successful writers find inspiration in their own experiences and background. We all write best when we write about things we know. Though Jack Weyland’s plots may be more fanciful than those that you and I might write, most of them do have their seeds in his life and experiences.

For example, Peppertide has its roots in a childhood experience when the father of Jack’s best friend was sent to prison for illegal gambling (“My friend was the only boy I know who had a pinball machine in his tree hut,” Jack recalls.), and the boy tried to explain to Jack why it had happened. When he wrote Last of the Big-time Spenders, Jack was remembering his own college days, when, with no money to spend on social life, he took a date to watch the swim team practice.

The Reunion began taking form when Jack and his wife, Sherry went to a high school class reunion. The characters in the book are all based on real people, including the couple who married right out of high school.

Sherry and her sister were the inspiration for one of Jack’s most memorable characters, Charly. They are from the East and are converts to the Church (as is Charly), while Jack came from an LDS background. Then when Jack and Sherry married and moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, he worked with a man whose wife developed a kidney ailment and died. This had a profound impact on him-and was incorporated into the novel.

“The Award” is a short story about a football team that gave an award to the ugliest girl in school--a plot that was suggested by a boy who told Jack, his bishop, that the team in his school had actually done that. “Christmas Song,” another short story, is about a boy whose mother has severe arthritis. At Christmas, the boy becomes very depressed. His mother has him make some cookies, but when she tries to press the dough into shapes with a cookie cutter, she has no strength to do it. This is autobiographical also, an experience that comes out of Jack’s home, where his mother had rheumatoid arthritis. Jack took care of her during Christmas vacation and made cookies under her direction.

“I usually start out writing bits of dialogue,” Jack explains. “At that point there’s no plot, and the characters haven’t been thought out.” Deseret Book’s editors can attest to that. Often the first draft of one of Jack’s novel is totally different from the one that is published--with many versions in between. In our files are voluminous manuscript evaluation sheets and copies of long letters to Jack about his manuscripts. Here are just a few short staff comments on one of his novels with none of the detailed comments on the plot or characters:

February (first draft): “Wild story!” “Unbelievable.” “This is so very predictable.” “It all seems so IMPROBABLE!” “I’m not quite sure what to say about this. It didn’t seem to be as rough as some of the first drafts Jack sends us, but I don’t think he has a clear Idea of what his story is.”

June (second draft): “I have learned quite a bit through Jack about exercising faith. I have to have faith that what may seem unsolvable will, through his expertise, turn into good copy eventually.” “This still isn’t plausible, believable, or interesting. There are some occasional one-liners that are enjoyable, two moments that are touching, but as a whole it doesn’t work for me.” “I don’t like this at all, and I’m not sure it can be salvaged. The characters are totally inconsistent and shallow.”

July (third draft): “Can he salvage a totally inept plot? Can this really become a book for us?” “It still has such a long way to go!”

August (fourth draft): “I like this better than the last version, but don’t think he’s got the answer yet. I wish he would just drop the silliness and get serious.” “This is a big improvement over the previous version. What it needs now is a good strong dose of conflict, of overwhelming obstacles that must be overcome.”

September (fifth draft): “ I’m at a loss for further suggestions for revision.” “ This book now has a lot of real interest. Many of the scenes are powerful, and I like the way the characters work out their problems. I think we are getting there.”

November (sixth draft): “Let’s recommend this for publication. I can’t believe how much it has changed-and improved. It should be a winner!”

With every letter, of course, we included lots of specific examples and suggestions. In the first draft the characters were totally unlikable and their actions shallow and unmotivated. By the final draft, a plot had taken shape (after many side trips), characters and been rounded out (and some even eliminated or added), dialogue had been polished--and a novel had emerged that Deseret Book and Jack Weyland were both proud to publish. The name of this book? The Understudy. (Even the title had changed a half dozen times!)

Jack Weyland and Deseret Book’s editors form a unique team with a very productive working relationship. We have many letters going back and forth, with almost weekly phone calls that sometimes last thirty minutes to an hour. But it works.

And yes, in case you wondered, we have even been brave enough at times to tell Jack that despite his and our efforts, a novel isn’t working and probably won’t ever work. And Jack has swallowed hard and set that manuscript aside and moved on to the next one.

Sometimes an author resents the suggestions of the publisher--and sometimes the publisher makes unnecessary requests of the author. But when author and editors work together toward a common goal-to come up with good, well-written work that will move readers and have them asking for more-the results can be satisfying to everyone concerned: to the author, the editor, the publisher, the bookseller, and the reader. What a delight it is for us at Deseret Book to be a part of such a partnership with Jack Weyland!

(This article is from Directions, a Deseret Book review for Deseret Book Dealers, April 1987)