When thinking about the novel Bridge to Terabithia, I chose to look up information about the author Katherine Paterson, and learn some information about her history and background in the field of writing.  I discovered that she did not always want to be a writer, and that her childhood dreams were to become a movie star or missionary.  I found it fascinating that a random character may come to her mind at any time, and she will then spend years completely developing his or her personality.  On her website, I found her saying:

“But there are days when I wonder how on earth I got involved in this madness. Why, oh why, did I ever think I had anything to say that was worth putting down on paper? And there are those days when I have finished a book and can’t for the life of me believe I’ll ever have the wit or will to write another.  Eventually a character or characters will walk into my imagination and begin to take over my life. I’ll spend the next couple of years getting to know them and telling their story. Then the joy of writing far outweighs the struggle, and I know beyond any doubt that I am the most fortunate person in the world to have been given such work to do.”

          I found the quote to be very informative about Paterson’s personality in that I feel it shows that she is very down to earth, and truly loves being a writer.  She shows that just like with every career, there are good and bad days, and that she uses those to motivate and stimulate her writing.  By letting fans of her writing read her entry on her website, she informs them that she is determined, and will always produce her best work.  I like the fact that she works through any challenge that may come her way, and in the end is able to feel a sense of accomplishment.  This lets people relate to her, and see that if they struggle with their writing skills, to not instantly give up.  She shows that it takes time and patience in order to produce a well-written piece of literature, and that anyone can do it as long as they are in the right frame of mind.