Monday, May 24, 2010

Why Write? Mayra Calvani Speaks

Mayra Calvani is an award-winning, multi-genre author for children and adults. She’s a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, the CBI Clubhouse, and the Children’s Writers Coaching Club. Mayra’s non-fiction book—The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing—was a ForeWord Best Book of the Year Award winner, and it’s required reading at four universities.

For more on Mayra, read the Write On! Online Author Q&A.

Why is writing so important for young people?
In today’s competitive world, writing well is an essential skill for everyone. Writing well gives kids that extra edge they’ll need when, in the future, they apply to college or for a job. This will make writing all those papers and reports a lot easier.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were a tween or teen?
It’s incredibly important to be focused, to know what you want to do and to create a plan to make it happen. Just being conscious of this already helps. Many teens aren’t aware of what their talents are; they might be good in many areas and therefore they aren’t sure of which way to go with their futures. It’s helpful to ask advice from a mentor or school counselor.

Teens, especially high school juniors and seniors, should be aware that they have the power to shape their lives, but I see many teens roaming aimlessly without a thought to their futures.

How has the ability to express yourself helped you in life?
How you express yourself reflects a lot on your education and even the type of person you are. This goes for both the written and spoken word. In your college application, you’ll be required to write a personal essay; when you apply for a job, being able to express yourself correctly will impress that potential employer.

In my case, being able to express myself correctly has helped me become a published author, reviewer, and freelance writer.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for having me on your blog, Debra! Great to be here!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Mayra! Keep up the great work!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love your advice for teens to "be aware that they have the power the shape their lives." That is so true, and so well-put. Thanks for this great interview. I'll be tweeting the link! :)

    ReplyDelete