Author Judy Blume grew up thinking she was the only one with stories rumbling around in her imagination. As she became a writer, she knew she wanted to write about real life, how it worked, and what made people tick.
Author Kwame Alexander is a self-proclaimed “say yes person.” In 2006, he exemplified that when he helped a high school class publish a book of poems and stories in one day, unofficially launching his Book-in-a-Day Program.
When Author Lois Lowry, acclaimed author and two-time winner of the Newbery Medal, was asked to write a book for kids, she turned to her own past. A Summer to Die was inspired by the grief and loss of her older sister who died of cancer when they were both young women and ignited something in the author to continue writing children’s literature.
After a graduate school professor planted the seed, Author Pam Muñoz Ryan started developing her writing skills before she even considered becoming a writer.
Author and illustrator Brian Selznick believes struggling readers feel a sense of accomplishment when they conquer his giant book The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
Different styles of writing
Writing expert Doug Hesse says that eachers should encourage students to think of writing as a response to a unique situation and audience, and as an act of inquiry — what do I need to know in order to write about a topic?
