Jacqueline Woodson

When it comes to basics, many 101 courses on writing will tell you that a writer simply writes what he knows. This is a rule that persists for centuries and it is the one that is heavily relied on. It makes sense when you come to think of it- it is natural that you will be more likely to write about the world you have experienced, touched, saw, heard and try to dissect it, rather than make up a new one. Then again, there are writers such as Jacqueline Woodson, a creator who says that she used to lie a lot and tell made-up stories to her friends and watch them rise in awe as they heard her spectacular creations. Of course, the term “lying” itself is taken in a benign sense- anybody who knows Woodson’s work knows that she has created some of the most endearing and beautiful children and young adults books. The awards that she won are almost impossible to count. The impact that she has been making through her work can not be measured. After all, The American Library Association chose her to bring May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture, an honor not given to many writers. This is a story about Woodson- how she came to be so successful, so influential and such a beloved author.