Paige asked Laurie Halse Anderson:

I absolutely love every single book of yours that I have read. You are a major inspiration for me, and you are one of the main reasons I've decide to study English in college. What is your main advice?

Laurie Halse Anderson For the record, I didn't study English in college. I got a decree in Language & Linguistics, with a minor in Spanish.

An English degree is a great way to stretch your mind, but can make fining a job after graduation very tough. My advice is to choose a minor in another passion that might help at job searching time. And to try and score as many internships as possible.

Writing for a living is awesome. It is also unbelievably hard and it can take decades before you are earning enough from royalties to be able to pay all your bills. Everyone pursuing a career in the arts should be supported and cheered, but also needs to be clear-eyed and realistic about finances, so their dreams aren't crushed.

I hope you get to read a bazillion wonderful books and have plenty of time to write your own!!

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