Go West, Young Man from James W. Ziskin

What advice would you give to your younger writing self?

My favorite piece of advice in life and in writing is “Know what you don’t know.” I don’t remember where or when I came across this gem, but I believe it was during my corporate days. A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing, so it’s best to challenge yourself and question what you think is true and correct. At every turn, verify. Make sure. Don’t trust your faulty memory or your inadequate education.

Now, what else might I tell my younger self? How about “Buy $1,000 worth of Apple stock in 1980.” It listed for $22 at its IPO, but, adjusted for splits, that was the equivalent of ten cents per share. Which, in turn, means a 2,200% appreciation. So $1,000 invested then would be worth $2.2 million today. 

On second thought, perhaps I’d tell my younger self to buy $10,000 of Apple stock.

Another tip I’d offer myself would be to write a thriller about a murder that leads to the discovery of Jesus’s hitherto unknown bloodline and living descendants. Oh, and be sure to write that book before 2003.

Finally, I’d tell myself to get rid of that mustache I tried to grow in college.

But, as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Instead of looking for profit and a better look, I’ll say this:

• Experience the world, but don’t waste time putting off your writing. 
• Never stop yearning, dreaming. 
• Never abandon hope. 
• Don’t have regrets. 
• Don’t chase fame or fortune. Your place just might be more modest than that. But that’s okay. You may not always be the tallest person in the room, but that doesn’t mean you’re not the grandest in the room.

Do I follow that advice now that I’m older and wiser? I try and fail. But that’s okay. 

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THE PRANK…enigmatic and unnerving. The pace never flags for a second. This is some masterly plotting. I loved it.”

—Liz Nugent, author of Strange Sally Diamond

 

“The Holdovers meets The Bad Seed,”

THE PRANK. A picture clipped from Playboy magazine, a missing Swiss Army Knife, and a prank gone terribly wrong conspire to make Christmas 1968 a deadly holiday to remember.

From two-time Edgar Award finalist, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity award-winner James W. Ziskin, THE PRANK releases July 2026.