An Interview with Leslie Lehr
Interview conducted c. early 2010s
Introduction
Leslie Lehr is a novelist and screenwriter whose work spans literary suspense, contemporary drama, and character-driven thrillers. Her fiction is marked by emotional intensity, moral complexity, and close attention to the pressures shaping personal transformation. In addition to her novels, Lehr has written for film and television and teaches writing at the UCLA Writers’ Program.
This interview was conducted during a period when Lehr was actively working across both prose and screen storytelling, refining a rigorous approach to narrative design rooted in character change and structural clarity. The conversation explores premise development, disciplined outlining, scene construction, and the practical realities of revision.
Lehr’s responses reflect a storyteller who treats writing as both emotional exploration and deliberate craft. Her approach emphasizes purpose, structure, and the necessity of tearing work apart in order to rebuild it stronger.
This interview is preserved as part of the Better Storytelling Archive, documenting the voices and working methods of contemporary storytellers.
LesliLehr_Interview
The Interview
Life as a Writer
How did you get into writing?
I read a lot. I never planned to be a writer—I just wrote on the side. Writing was a way to vent and to have a voice in the world.
When did you first realize that you have what it takes to be a writer?
When I read books and scripts that I felt I could have done better. And then when I sold a book and a script.
Premise
Where do you get your ideas from?
Real life.
How do you develop your ideas into a story?
I think about the what ifs, then pull them out like taffy until they become a story.
Genre
What kind of stories do you enjoy working with?
Drama—everything from contemporary stories to thrillers and suspense.
What genres would you like to explore in the future?
Humor and romantic comedy.
Structure
Do you work from an outline?
Yes.
Plot
How do you build your story?
I use the Truby 22 Steps. If there are multiple characters, I use the 7 Steps for each character.
Character
For you, what makes a great hero?
I like heroes who are complex—characters with weaknesses that give them the opportunity to change, but also strengths you can root for.
If one of your characters were to describe you, what would he or she say?
Hopefully that I have many weaknesses, but enough strengths to root for.
Setting
How much time do you spend researching the setting for your stories?
For What a Mother Knows, the main character travels all over Los Angeles and then searches for her daughter in Hawaii, New York, and Key West. I drove all over LA, took pictures, and read the history of different areas. I’d already visited the other places—which is partly why I chose them—but I still did extensive online research. When I returned, I looked for specific details I could use.
What settings would you like to explore in the future?
It depends on the story. I have one ready that has to be set in Vegas, but I dread going there. Maybe somewhere tropical.
Theme
Do you like to know the purpose of your story before you sit down to write it?
I have to have a purpose in order to sit down and write.
Dialogue
Do you have any favorite lines from your stories?
There are a few recurring lines in What a Mother Knows. The one that comes to mind first is:
“Every child is at risk.”
Writing Process
Do you have a routine?
This book had a lot of Doors music in it, so I listened to the Doors to pin down some of the lyrics I used. Otherwise, no music. But always popcorn and Diet Pepsi at my desk, overlooking the yard.
How do you deal with writer’s block?
I don’t really believe in it. There are always other things to work on—character, research, structure. Sometimes I realize I’d have better luck writing if I took time off to hike, go to the beach, or read a book instead of sitting for hours trying to force it.
Story Development
How do you go about fixing a story?
I rip it apart scene by scene to see what I can cut. Then I figure out what I need and rearrange it.
How do you know when to stop?
When I like everything about it. Or if it’s sold, when my editor says so.
Words of Advice
What words of advice would you give to new writers?
Something my dad told me: You can’t fail until you quit.
Final Thoughts
What’s the best thing you’ve ever written?
What a Mother Knows.
What are you working on now?
Answering these questions.
Closing
This interview captures Leslie Lehr’s disciplined, purpose-driven approach to storytelling. Her reflections emphasize structural clarity, emotional honesty, and the necessity of revision as an act of discovery rather than correction.
Presented here as part of the Better Storytelling Archive, this conversation preserves a voice shaped by craft, experience, and a clear understanding of how stories work from the inside out.