By: Naomie Chien, Grade 9
“Anything can be an idea.” Megan McDonald, bestselling author of the Judy Moody series, knows that best. Our worlds can really be similar to the worlds we write about, and can act as fuel for our ideas. As for Megan, she grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and story-telling has always been a frequent occasion amongst her family. She loved to read and write, always scratching down quick ideas on her spiral-printed notebook.
Like Judy Moody, Megan also had siblings and was even in the Toad Pee Club, a club that was the brunt of many Judy Moody’s jokes. But one aspect of where Judy and Megan differ from each other is that Judy speaks up for herself and follows her passions even from a young age. Megan spoke about a time when her voice was quiet and she carried a stutter. Judy matters so much for Megan because, as Megan maintains, “The power of voice isn't only in speaking. It's also in writing and what we can say through our words … I think that really goes back to the beginnings of me as a writer and finding my own voice.”
In addition to finding her own voice, Megan defines what confidence means for her. She argues, “Confidence is about a belief in yourself.” The author herself always had her eyes on becoming a writer, and emphasizes that “you really have to have belief in yourself and confidence that you can do it.”
Megan’s inspiring story about finding confidence and voice marked the end of our 2020 workshops! We will resume in January with more monthly workshops.