The One and Only Judy Blume

I went to breakfast one morning and standing right in front of me was the prolific children's author Judy Blume. At first, I thought, Wow, there's Judy Blume. But guess what? Judy Blume was just....just ...another person--who dug in her heals, worked hard and had publishing success.
We had a chance to hear from her when author John Green canceled for gall bladder surgery. Now that would have been interesting...
She told us:
She keeps her old IBM SElectra in the closet and whispers "I love you" when she passes.
Because of the OLD way of writing she would write from beginning to end. She has succumbed to the constant editing due to the ease of the computer.
Her adult novel Summer Sister took 23 drafts and over 3 years to write.
Her basic ideas for books live in her head and percolate.
She doesn't understand the creative process and plot isn't how her ideas/books come to her.
When you write, you become the age of your character.
Your novel starts the day something happens.
Supposedly her dialogue is the best ever and it's the only thing she likes to write.
Question your characters and ask the questions that don't have answers.
She knows where her novel starts and when it ends but loves the mystery of not knowing what is happening in between.
She takes lots of notes and scribbles things down before she starts writing.
Every writer needs someone who's supportive.
Suggested taking everything I've learned at the conference and then letting it go.
When she wakes up, she's excited to go in her little room and work with her characters.
While writing, she cries and laughs out loud. --That is how moved she is by her own characters and to me, shows the depth of her creation and how real they become.
Natural determination counts as much as talent.