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Interview with Author Jonas V. Bilenas

Authorline interviews Jonas V. Bilenas to get a behind-the-scenes look at his newly released book The Power of PROC FORMAT.

Authorline (AL): What was your motivation for writing your book?
Jonas V. Bilenas (JB): I was going to NESUG conferences for many years and always thought I could present a paper at the conference. I tried out a PROC FORMAT paper among colleagues at work and then submitted the abstract to NESUG in 2000. After a few more presentations of different topics I thought I could write a book on the topic of PROC FORMAT.
(AL): Who are you targeting with your book?
(JB): All users of SAS, from beginners to advanced users. For users who are using SAS for reporting as well as users who are more involved in the statistical end of SAS.
(AL): What features of the book are you especially pleased with?
(JB): I updated my PROC FORMAT presentation at NESUG 2004 and still have members of the audience come up and say they always wanted to do what I illustrated in the paper but they were not sure how. The discussion on 2-dimensional table look-ups and multilabel formats should be of interest to many users.
(AL): How will your book benefit SAS users?
(JB): Simplify and streamline their code in terms of improving processing time and eliminating inefficient code. I believe that users, once they get into using PROC FORMAT, will look to PROC FORMAT and add it to their bag of coding tools.
(AL): What were some of the joys of writing this book?
(JB): Getting inspiration from problems at work and thinking how to generate hypothetical data to illustrate the solutions. Getting to know even more about PROC FORMAT. When you write about a topic that you think you know, you realize how much more there is to the topic.
(AL): How did you develop as a writer while you were creating this book?
(JB): I built the work in layers, almost like creating a gourmet recipe. I started with a rough outline that was added on by reviewers and myself. I then put down most of the work on paper (ok, computer) and then started to polish the work based on reviews by technical reviewers and myself. Some sections I made clearer while other sections I streamlined or eliminated with the goal of keeping it simple.
(AL): What did you learn while writing this book that would be important for other authors to know?
(JB): Keep at it. Try to get most of it down in a short period of time. Then take a break and come back to the work and make it clearer and more concise. It takes many reworks, but each rework will make the project clearer and better. However, don't rework it too much. If it is clear and conveys what you want to say, put it down for a while and see if it is still clear when you review it at a later sitting.
(AL): How did you decide to publish with SAS?
(JB): Most of the way I learned SAS was through using SAS and reading SAS books. Since SAS has the marketing to sell the book to SAS users, I did not even consider other publishers.
(AL): Are you glad you decided to publish with SAS? If so, what has made the experience a good one?
(JB): Yes. The support from SAS was timely and knowledgeable. Getting a version of SAS to test out code for the text to use at home was helpful as well and also gave me inspiration for new SAS book ideas.
(AL): Your book will be going to the printer in just a few weeks. How does it feel to be in the home stretch of such a long project?
(JB): Rewarding. Like coming home from a great vacation; a bit tired but the experience is unforgettable.
(AL): What advice would you give to potential authors?
(JB): Just keep at it. Start small and scale back if you have too. Sometimes simpler is better.
(AL): How were you able to balance your time between your career and writing this book?
(JB): It was hard this past year with my company relocating from NY to DE. At times it was not easy. I usually slated out weekends to work on the book at home. While commuting on the train, I sometimes brought my notebook PC to work on chapter edits and test code. The book becomes part of you and you make it fit in your schedule.
(AL): When you aren't writing or consulting, how do you like to spend your free time?
(JB): I enjoy cooking, listening to jazz, photography, traveling and spending time with my wife and son. A good single malt scotch and cigar on occasion is relaxing as well.

Jonas V. Bilenas

Jonas V. Bilenas, Vice President of Product and Price Optimization at JP Morgan Chase, develops SAS applications for the consumer credit card industry, specializing in credit risk management, credit scoring, forecasting, pricing optimization, reporting, experimental design, and simulation. A SAS user since 1986, he has extensive experience using Base SAS software and applying the FORMAT, FREQ, and TABULATE procedures and the DATA step. Jonas holds an M.B.A. in quantitative analysis and is a frequent presenter at local SAS users group meetings. He is also an active contributor and speaker at the NorthEast SAS Users Group (NESUG) conference.

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SAS Press» Authorline

Interview with Author Jonas V. Bilenas