Interview by Nicole Melanson ~
Lauren Oliver is the author of the New York Times bestselling YA novels Before I Fall, which was published in 2010, Panic, and the Delirium trilogy: Delirium, Pandemonium, and Requiem, which have been translated into more than thirty languages. She is a 2012 E.B. White Read-Aloud Award nominee for her middle-grade novel Liesl & Po, as well as author of the fantasy middle-grade novel The Spindlers. Panic, which was published in March 2014, has been optioned by Universal Pictures in a major deal. Lauren’s first novel for adults, Rooms, was published in late September 2014. And upcoming in March 2015 will be Vanishing Girls, a gripping YA novel.
A graduate of the University of Chicago and NYU’s MFA program, Lauren is also the co-founder of the boutique literary development company Paper Lantern Lit.
HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AS A WRITER?
I was an editor at Penguin Books in a young adult division called Razorbill, and while there I started work on Before I Fall.
WHAT IS YOUR LATEST BOOK OR CURRENT PROJECT?
My first adult book, Rooms, was published last fall, and I have a new YA standalone called Vanishing Girls coming out this Spring!
WHAT IS YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT LIKE?
I work everywhere (often on my phone!) but my favorite place to work is at my dining room table when it’s quiet.
WHEN DO YOU WORK?
Constantly! I try to write first thing in the morning though.
WHAT IS YOUR WRITING PROCESS?
I have a word count that I reach every day; it’s grown over the years. I try to write first thing in the morning, but sometimes I add on an afternoon or evening session as well.
WHY DO YOU WRITE?
I was always an avid reader, and I started writing because I wanted to spend more time with the books I love. Now I love writing for its own sake.
WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Everything! You never know where inspiration is going to come from, so I try to keep my mind’s eye open at all times.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF DOING WHAT YOU DO?
Finding the time to balance writing with the business of being a writer.
Thank you, Lauren Oliver!
— Nicole Melanson
* Author photo by Charles Grantham
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