Crutcher provided the students with a look behind the scenes of what goes into his writing a novel. Crutcher used examples from his stories to illustrate how people that he knows and situations that he has witnessed in real life can be turned into characters and plots in his fiction. Crutcher wants his readers to actually feel some of the heart wrenching situations he has witnessed, such as a four-year old multi-racial child attempting to rub the color from her skin, because she was convinced that was the source of her problems. “I want the reader to have the same reaction that I had,” says Crutcher.

Crutcher is able to strike the delicate balance between comedy and tragedy in his fiction. This balance allows him to deal with some of the heavier issues that teens face, while still presenting the material in an entertaining manner. Because he is willing to take on heavy and relevant issues, Crutcher’s works have sparked controversy. Some of Crutcher’s novels have even been banned for their treatment of subjects such as child abuse, spousal abuse, homosexuality, and racism.