An Online Interview with Rick Riordan
Any advice for young people who might want to be writers?
I started writing seriously when I was in eighth grade. I had an English teacher who encouraged me to submit my work for publication.
I became a middle school English teacher largely because of the impact Mrs. Pabst had on me twenty-three years ago, and I love having the chance to encourage kids to write the way I was encouraged. That’s one of the reasons I was not anxious to leave the classroom to pursue full-time writing.
The first thing a young writer needs is a mentor who believes in his or her talent. So don’t be afraid to ask for help! Find a teacher you respect. Correspond with authors. You will find that a polite email will almost always get a response.
Secondly, read a lot! Read everything you can get your hands on. You will learn the craft of writing by immersing yourself in the voices, styles, and structures of writers who have gone before you.
Thirdly, write every day! Keep a journal. Jot down interesting stories you heard. Write descriptions of people you see. It doesn’t really matter what you write, but you must keep up practice. Writing is like a sport — you only get better if you practice. If you don’t keep at it, the writing muscles atrophy.
Finally, don’t get discouraged! Rejection is a part of writing, and it hurts. The trick is to keep at it. Wallpaper your room with rejection notes, if you want, but don’t give up.
