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Sharon M. Draper
Biography
Sharon Draper is a professional educator as well as an accomplished writer of stories that teenagers love to read. She has been honored as the National Teacher of the Year and is a popular conference speaker, addressing educational and literary groups both nationally and internationally. She is the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award for Forged by Fire (1998) and November Blues (2007) and a Coretta Scott King Honor Award winner for The Battle of Jericho (2004) and Copper Sun (Simon & Schuster, 2006. 2008 paperback). She lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2008 Podcast
2008 Webcast
2006 Webcast
The Scoop
What sparked your imagination for your book - Copper Sun?
I went to Ghana several years ago and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the land and people, as well as the history of the place that hovered just out of reach. When I visited the slave castles, where thousands of Africans were housed like cattle before being shipped as cargo and sold as slaves, I felt their spirits crying out to me. When I crawled on my hands and knees through the "door of no return," which led from the darkness of the prison to the incomprehensible vastness of a beach, I knew I had to tell the story of just one of those who had passed that way.
What challenges do you face in your writing process? How do you overcome them?
Writing for me is a very fluid process--I sit down a wait for the words to come. They usually do—in buckets and waves. It's amazing. I look upon it as a blessing because the words come so easily. I try to make strong characters that change and develop and learn from their mistakes. I think the layering comes in the story development. The plot is born from the idea, and then is crafted by the characters and how they respond to what happens to them. I get up early in the morning and write all day—maybe ten or twelve hours a day. It is truly an act of immersion. It's a thrilling, exciting process.
What tips or advice can you share with young students who hope to start writing?
If your gut tells you that you have to write, if you are compelled to write or scribble or draw, if you make up stories in your head—then you are a writer. Enjoy it! The best way to become a writer is to write. Get yourself one of those blank journals, and just keep on writing until you fill it up! Then write some more. You don't have to show it to anyone--just write whenever you feel inspired. It's like an athlete. Much practice is done alone. At game time, you shine. Game time for a writing athlete is papers due for school, or short stories, or poetry. You must keep on reading and writing and perfecting your craft. Read everything you can get your hands on, and then write until your fingers fall off!
Can you suggest a fun writing topic to get them started?
Write about what you know about. Write about things you love. If you love dogs and you know how they run and pant and sleep and eat and smell, then write about dogs. Use lots of details and have fun with it.
What is your list of favorite children or teen books?
I was a voracious reader as a child. I read at least ten books every week--the librarians knew me well! Because of the volume of books, I was able to read about other countries and cultures, which at least gave me a knowledge beyond the limited vision afforded me in books about my own country. My favorite book in the fourth grade was Caddie Woodlawn. The heroine was spunky and brave--qualities I admired. I also read all the Little House books, all the Little Women books, and all the rest of the books in our small library.
How do you decide on themes for your books?
I let themes find me. I try to write on topics that a meaningful for young adults. I create characters that sometimes make poor decisions, and the result of those choices make for a terrific plot. That ultimately leads to a memorable theme.
How important is research in the development of your books? Can you explain the process as well?
When writing historical fiction, research is essential, and very difficult. It’s tedious and time-consuming. Every single fact and detail must be accurate and true to time and place. For Copper Sun, I spent almost ten years doing research and editing it for accuracy of fact as well as sincerity of spirit. I read dozens of books, listened to transcripts of slave narratives, spent years on the internet, and talked to friends in Ghana who made sure I was telling the story correctly. On my website I have provided a resource page where dozens of websites and books are listed that can give you more information.
But even my books that are not historical fiction require research. I had to research such topics as child abuse, jumping Double Dutch, hazing, and teen pregnancy. The fiction doesn’t work if the reality is not accurate.
What is your advice to parents for passing the joys of reading on to their children?
Kids today live in a noisy, frenetic world of instant gratification and electronic satisfaction. Information they need can be instantly downloaded from their computers to their printers without having to pass through their brain for thought or digestion of ideas. Their worlds are hurried, pushed and scheduled. They go to soccer practice, ballet lessons and gymnastics. They heat their dinner in the microwave, watch television while they pay cursory attention to their homework, and then fall asleep in exhaustion to start the routine again the next day. Parents need to take time to read with their children, to turn off the television and open a book. Their world has very little time for leisurely, extended periods of reading. Nothing in our current way of living encourages, applauds, or celebrates the joy of reading. The joy of television, the glory of movies, the magic of video images—these are what our society celebrates and emulates.
Reading, which is the key to a world of knowledge beyond that commercialism, must compete with and conquer the forces that push reading to the bottom of the book bag in the priority system of students today. And parents are the ones who can do it. Read to them--out loud. It works.
Book Covers
November Blues |
Copper Sun |
Battle Of Jericho |
Forged By Fire |
Last Updated: 10/03/2008