What’sitliketobeapopularteenauthor?WeaskedAmeliaAtwater-Rhodesauthorof IntheForestsoftheNight tofinditout.
Howdoyoucomeupwithyourideas?
Istartwithaminorcharacterandthenexpandonthatcharacter.InthefirstbookIjustwrotesomeflatcharacterstopassthetime.EventuallyIwantedtoknowmoreaboutthecharactersI’dcreated.ThefirstthingsIwroteweren’tverygoodbuttheydidgetmetostartwritingwhichwasimportant.
Howhasyourwritingevolved?
EverybookIwriteIgetmoreintoit.Historyisoneofmypassions(酷爱)rightnow.SometimesI’lltakeinspirationfromcharactersinAncientEgyptRomeorMesoamerica.Myfirstcharacterswereflatbutnowthey’relikemybestfriends.
Howdidyoufeelwhenyourbookwasfirstpublished?
Itcameasashock.ThefirsttimeIsawmybookinprintIcouldbarelybelieveit.Ihadtotellmyself“Thisisreal.I’mnotdreaming.”
Whatdoesyourwritingspacelooklike?
Imostlywriteonthecomputerinmyroom.Icanwriteanywhereaslongasit’squiet.Ialsodowritinginnotebooks.
Howdoyoumaketimeforyourwriting?
Writingisoneofthosethingsthatyouwillmaketimeforifyouwanttodoit.WhenIhavesomethingtowriteI’llneedtowriteit.Ifyoulovewritingyouwillmaketimeforit.
Doyouthinkreadinghelpswriting?
Definitely.Whenyoureadyougetusedtovisualizingthingsinprint.I’mnotabigtelevisionfansoIhavealwaysspentalotoftimereading.Youlearntoseethingsinwords.Youfigureouthowtoexpressyourselfinwords.Youlearnthebasicsandthengettheideasforyourwriting.
What’syouradviceforaspiring(有志向的)kidwriters?
Gooutanddoit.Findotherpeoplewhowrite.Keepatit!Youcanalwaysedit.Everyauthorishisorherownworstcritic.Ifyoulovetowritejustdoit.
21.WhatdoweknowaboutAmelia?
A.Historicalcharactersinspirehertowrite.
B.Shelikestocreateperfectcharactersfromthebeginning.
C.Sheconsiders IntheForestsoftheNight asherbestnovel.
D.Flatcharactersoncestoppedherfromimprovingherwriting.
22.WhenAmeliafirstsawherbookinprintshewas________.
A.amazed B.disapp