Jenna
asked
Ruta Sepetys:
Hi Ruta! I'm only 14, so I don't know much about college or majors etc. I was wondering what you took in college to become a writer, and do you have any advice for aspiring authors? (By the way, "Between Shades of Gray" is one of my favorite books of all time!)
Ruta Sepetys
Hi Jenna!
In college, I was an International Finance major with a French minor. I did not take literature or English classes, mainly business classes. But I have always been an avid reader and that was great "study" for becoming a writer. In terms of advice for aspiring authors - I always suggest that writers think back on their own experiences of love, loss, joy and even humiliation. Those triumphs and scars are part of our individual emotional truth and if we write about them - and through them - the work will have a feeling of authenticity. Also, don't forget about rhythm in your writing. Read your work aloud, listening for rhythm and flow. If you stumble as you're reading aloud, revise the sentence.
In college, I was an International Finance major with a French minor. I did not take literature or English classes, mainly business classes. But I have always been an avid reader and that was great "study" for becoming a writer. In terms of advice for aspiring authors - I always suggest that writers think back on their own experiences of love, loss, joy and even humiliation. Those triumphs and scars are part of our individual emotional truth and if we write about them - and through them - the work will have a feeling of authenticity. Also, don't forget about rhythm in your writing. Read your work aloud, listening for rhythm and flow. If you stumble as you're reading aloud, revise the sentence.
More Answered Questions
Lindsey
asked
Ruta Sepetys:
Ruta, I absolutely adored Between Shades of Gray. As a teacher, I'm always discussing different tools that writers use to get their ideas on paper. Would you be willing to share some details about your writing process? For example, how often do you write? How do you decide the sequencing and the point-of-view in your books? Thanks!
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