Slice of Life Tuesday: Gordon Korman Visit

Last Friday night, as a part of the Fox Valley Book Festival, my two children and I had the privilege to hear children's author Gordon Korman speak. As an avid reader and writer, I always appreciate hearing an author talk about his or her writing process and craft. I was in awe after learning that Gordon has published over eighty books and that he began writing his first book when he was in seventh grade as part of a school project for English class. In fact, Scholastic published his first book when Gordon was only in ninth grade.  

During the Question/Answer Session towards the end of the presentation, a young child asked Gordon, "How do you feel when you are writing your books?" I adored Gordon's response, "Everything. Happy. Frustrating. Satisfaction when you're done."

Perhaps my favorite takeaway from Friday night was when Gordon shared the power of asking the question what if. This is his guiding question that is often at the heart of his writing. For example, Restart, one of his more recent books, is all about the question what if. What makes us the people we are? Is it ever possible to restart? He explained that constantly asking himself this question what if is what helps him play with ideas in his writing. His advice to writers was to consider, "what are the what ifs in your story?" 

As a reminder, during the presentation I wrote the words what if on my hand. 

Those two words have been lingering in my mind all week. 

How can what if guide me as a writer? 

How can what if guide my teaching? 

How can what if guide my learning? 

What if opens up all sorts of exciting possibilities. 

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