by Sarah Dessen
What was your favourite subject at school?
English. Anything to do with writing and reading. I’d been writing forever, but I got frustrated in school because there were rules about what you were Supposed To Write. I wanted to be able to make everything up, even then.
Where do you get your ideas?
This is a hard question, and there’s no single answer. Usually I start with something that did happen to me or someone I know, and build on it from there. There are so many stories out there waiting to be told. You just have to keep your eyes open.
What’s your best advice for aspiring writers?
I think, first of all, you have to believe in yourself and your work. Writing can be really solitary, so you have to be not only your own harshest critic but also your own biggest fan. But what really matters above all is that you are writing. When I’m working on a book I’m at the computer every day. Work out what time of day you get your best work done, and try to write at that same time, every day.
Table of Contents
Start
