sophia asked Veronica Roth:

How did you find your voice as a writer and develop your writing style?

Veronica Roth I spent a long time fighting against the voice that came naturally to me, which was a bit sparser and more straightforward than some of the writing that I admired most when I was younger. But in college I was in a writing class with a professor I ended up taking quite a few classes with, and she circled one paragraph in one of my assignments and said, "this is the best writing in the piece." That paragraph was notable because of its clarity and precision-- not because of any "pretty" or clever language.

This moment unlocked something for me, which is that I was fighting so hard to be a writer I wasn't-- and I needed to just become the best version of the writer that I am. Since then my highest priorities have been clarity and precision, even if I don't always get there. And believe me, there's plenty of room to grow in that style if that's the style that comes naturally to you. And not for nothing, it can be just as beautiful.

The critical moment, for me, was having someone reflect my work back to me clearly, and being able to accept what I saw. I think most writers know what comes naturally to them, but they might not like it, or they might not know how to develop it. Something that might help is trying on different styles to see how they feel. I did that in school and it was really valuable. You just have to think of some writers you admire, then identify what it is about each writer you admire that makes them distinct, and then write a few pages in which you try to emulate those qualities. Inevitably you'll find that some people are easier for you to imitate than others-- and that can help you to discover what works best for you and your voice.

Best of luck out there, writers!

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