Hi, I'm Lynn, and today I'm here with Ruth.

Ruth, can you tell me a little bit about what you do and where we are?

Hi, Lynn.

It's really nice to meet you.

We're at the East Lansing Public Library, and I'm an author and an illustrator.

I create the Ellie McDoodle books which are here on the shelves.

What is Ellie McDoodle all about?

Ellie McDoodle is a book series about an 11 year old girl with a very funny family.

So it's writing and art.

It's cartoons on every page.

I feel like Ellie McDoodle is every kid.

What's a typical day like as an author and illustrator?

I work on artwork every day.

I draw every day.

I write every day.

And some days I also go to schools and talk to childre about how to make a better story and lead them through a serie of drawings to show that anybody can be a good author, anybody can be a good illustrator.

It's just practice.

That's all it is.

All of these books loo so amazing and so fun to read.

I would love to do some drawing.

All right.

Let's have a seat.

Really?

And draw together.

So we start with draw a big five somewhere on your paper.

What skills do you need to become an artist?

Observation.

Skills of observation.

But also drawing every day helps a lot.

The more you play with what you draw, the more you can turn it into other ideas.

And somebody invented the Sphinx.

Somebody invented the Pegasus.

The Unicorn.

You have that power.

Every person has that powe to create something that lasts for thousands of years.

In the consciousness of everyday people.

Now that you're warmed up, let's make a story okay?

Okay.

Why do you think writing and drawing is so important?

I think writing and drawing lift the world, and hopefully they encourage other people to create too, because I think that's what the world needs as much of that as we can get.

I'm always asking myself what can happen next, and how can I surprise a reader of my book with either the art or the writing?

For students like me who are trying to get read in club or art clubs up on their feet, but just can't find the right way to do it.

How would you start something like that?

Some of my writer friends d this where they gather prompts and everybody tries to draw the same idea, but everybody's style is going to be different, and there's a lot of inspiration to be found in that kind of difference.

There's lots of places you can get help to set up something like this, an it is a worthwhile thing to do.

There's one more thing, and that is this, the Hero's Journey.

Which is a framework for stories that's been around for thousands of years.

What advice do you have for kids who want to go into a career like yours?

Practice practice, practice.

Perfection is not your goal.

And then when you feel it's ready, share it with somebody you trust.

You have to climb this steep hill.

Things get hard and there's problems that get bigger.

What's the most rewarding part of your job.

Helping students love to read.

At the end., maybe there's a twist and the character earns a happy ending by solving the last problem.

I get notes from parents and teachers telling me about how students are now excited to read, or excited to write their own books.

Because of my books.

And it's amazing.

That is easily the most rewarding.

That's really cool.

Thank you for showing me.

Man, now I really feel like I want to go draw and write books.

And then you can act them out too!

Yes!

Ruth showed me that I can draw my own path and write my own future.

Explore your possibilities!