Margriet Ruurs' evolution into becoming a writer was motivated by multiple occasions. When asked if she had always wanted to be an author, she remembered being handed a scribbler by her mother who then told her “write down all your poems in it”. Her second motivation was a writing competition that took place at her school when she was young. And, her final motivation was quite simply her kids. Reading picture books to them inspired her to write her own stories.
Mrs. Ruurs also talked about why she writes children’s books. She says “adult books are so boring!” and she loves to entertain kids with her books, “I just love being able to share funny stories,” not boring books that don’t entertain people!
Although she doesn’t often suffer from writing block, she says her “problem is I have too many ideas and not enough time.” If she does get stuck, she usually goes for a walk to clear her head and think about different ways to write the story.
Finally, when dealing with criticism, she says it’s important to remain determined. “I was rejected 17 times...” for My Librarian is a Camel, but she held on to her faith in it. Any aspiring writer must do the same.
The successful writer (she insists saying she is an author sounds boring) was generous enough to share helpful advice on writing for aspiring young writers. She stated practically immediately that to be a true writer, it is advisable to read. Actually, her exact words were: “.”
Margriet Ruurs has come a long way from publishing her first book in the 1980s. It is a great privilege that she was able to share her knowledge and wisdom on writing with students at our school.
Written by:
Albane Year 10
Clara Year 8
Louisa Year 5
Kaylie Year 5