Andrea is an American writer. She has written more than 20 books, including her latest collection of poems, Martin Rising: Requiem for a King.
Reporter: What inspired(激励)you to become a writer?
Andrea: When I was in second grade, my dad got me a notebook. He said if I had a thought, l could just write it down. He said it didn't have to be perfect. So that's where it started. Then, when I was in sixth grade, there was a writing competition at my school. My teacher entered me for the competition. I wrote a story about a man made of fire. It was a mess, but my story won. I felt good, and I thanked my teacher for that.
Reporter: What were some of your favorite books when you were a kid?
Andrea: One was The Snowy Day. That was really the first mainstream(主流的) book to have an African-American kid as the main character. I loved Peter, and this kid looked just like me. I loved that book.
Reporter: You're both a writer and an editor (编辑). What's the difference between the two jobs?
Andrea: When I write, I'm creating what's going to go in the book. When I'm editing, I'm helping other writers say what they want to say. As an editor, I also pass messages between the writer and the illustrator(插图画家), who typically do not meet each other.
Reporter:
Andrea: Write about things that are important to you. Believe that you can do it, and don't let anybody tell you that you can't.
