chickade64 wrote:
I'm a high schooler that is in love with your books. I've read all of the teen ones you have out (and I think one adult). They consisted of Speak, Catalyst, Twisted, Fever, and Prom. This past year I did a book report on Catalyst and had such a hard time since the book made me cry (which is good since I really like emotionally tuned books). My teacher loved how the book sounded and decided to read it herself. I have just two questions to ask you.
1.Where do you get all of your inspirations and ideas?
2.Do you have any advice for young writers such as myself?
One more thing. I don't know how much say you had in this but I just wanted to comment that the movie for Speak was amazing! I've never seen a movie so like it's book.
~Kat
Message Edited by chickade64 on 07-04-2008 12:00 AM
Thank you for your kind words, Kat!
The question of inspiration is a complicated one. I am inspired by readers like you. I think the world is a hard and confusing place for teenagers, and that motivates me to write stories that might help you understand it a little.
But then there's the 'weirdness" of writing. I don't really know where the ideas come from. I'll have a vague concept of something that I want to explore - like the pressure that some gifted kids put on themselves (CATALYST), and I'll mull over it for a while, but then the character starts talking in my head and I am never sure exactly how that happens. I wish I could explain it better.
By the way, I cried while writing several scenes in CATALYST.
Advice for young writers! I have lots!
Make time to read and write every day. No, the internet does not count. Sorry.
Don't worry if you're not published by the time you're 20. Most writers don't really get their career going until they're about 30. You have plenty of time.
Have a good back-up job plan because while you're breaking in (which takes 10 years on average) you'll need to be able to pay your bills.
Do not expect that if you get a college degree in Creative Writing, it will mean you're guaranteed book contracts. Publishers don't care what you study in college. They just want to see a great story.
Travel to foreign countries as often as you can. Volunteer overseas, so you can get to know people from other countries personally instead of just being a tourist. Not only is this a fun thing to do, but it will help you gain perspective on the world you grew up in, which benefits your writing.
Be brave enough to revise your work, over and over.
Don't let anyone step on your writing dream.
I liked the SPEAK movie, too, but maybe it's because they gave me a part in it. I played the lunchlady who dished out the mashed potatoes in the cafeteria.
