The Inklings Book Contest is here and our Inklings are hard at work creating new worlds and characters. This month, we’ll be featuring some special words of encouragement from different authors.
Peter Pearson, author of How to Walk a Dump Truck, has some great insight for all of us this month. He shares:
“The secret to being a writer is to never give up. That’s it. Everything else is negotiable. Maybe you’ll win a contest. Maybe this one. Great. And…maybe not! That’s fine too. Did you know that every writer you’ve ever read — even your very favorite writer — has failed to win MANY, MANY contests? It’s true. (Raises hand.) If you win, celebrate. If you don’t, keep going. That’s how stories are born. My first book didn’t come out until I was 35, which is when you’re finally old enough to be president. Writing a book is way, way better.”
So WRITE, Inklings! You never know where your stories will take you…
After detours through social services and astrophysics, Peter Pearson earned his MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in 2012. Peter has received awards, grants, and other recognition from Hamline, the Loft Literary Center, the Minnesota State Arts Board, and the Anderson Center. His first picture book, How to Eat an Airplane, was published by Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins). He also makes pretty good pancakes and is sort of tall.
Special thanks to Peter Pearson for sharing with us! You can find more of his books at peterpearson.com.
