Read the following excerpt from "Why I Wrote 'The Passage'" and answer the question that follows. "Once Monty existed, the story mostly told itself, as stories often do if you get out of the way and let them. The games in the story--Life, Risk, Monopoly, checkers--come from "Man in the Moon" (track 10), as does the name Andi; the Northwest Passage from "Find the River" (track 12); and the final moment in some complicated sense from "Sweetness Follows" (track 6). All this I understand. What puzzles me is why my mind went back to that day in the spring of fifth grade--why that moment? That's a mystery. But here's a guess: it had something to do with that laugh, my friend turning around to correct me, my ten-year-old self still needing to make things right in some quiet way. Writing is useful at these times. Here, you sometimes say to a younger version of you, take this--it will help."

What lesson can other writers learn from Martin and his writing of "The Passage?"

The best thing a writer can do is plan out every aspect of the story.

Writing can be a powerful experience to work through struggles in life.

The only way to write a good story is use an event from your childhood.

Basing a story on music is a great way to get ideas flowing.