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Back to Featured Interviews >> MEET LAURI S. FRIEDMAN (9/2011)
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| Lauri S. Friedman |
Like most college seniors, I was unsure what steps to take after college. I had always excelled at research and writing, but didn’t yet know how to capitalize on these skills. One of my favorite professors noted my aptitude for writing in a recommendation she gave me at the time, saying, “No matter what path she chooses, it is clear that Lauri will have the writing life.” This turned out to be prophetic: in the many years that have elapsed since, the writing life has led me to hold such positions as newspaper reporter, copyeditor, editor, content provider, writer, ghostwriter, series developer, and project manager. I am still amazed that my professor so accurately predicted my future, when to this day I occasionally have moments where I still can’t believe I have been able to make a living as a writer.
What audience did you have in mind for your career as a writer - adult or children?
Children who think like adults!
When you went to college, were you already pursuing a writing career? (or a career in illustrating? or just art in general?)
I went to Vassar College, where writing was an integral part of every course of study. By my junior year I was churning out about 20 pages a week in reports, essays, reading responses, critical thinking exercises, and other written work. I also elected to write a senior thesis, which is not often attempted by undergraduates. This 80-page, year-long project was my first attempt at researching and sustaining the kind of nonfiction that I now love to produce professionally.
What was your first job when you graduated from college?
My first job was as an editorial assistant at Prentice Hall, in the textbooks division.
What are the topics are some of your books?
I tend to work on books that focus on social issues such as abortion, gun control, the death penalty, assisted suicide, and other classic research and debate topics. I think it is important for students to be well informed about these issues and to know how to identify the elements of an argument, critique an author’s sources and strength of reasoning, and ultimately, form their own ideas and opinions. These are incredibly important skills, especially as the Internet and social media increasingly challenge the notion of truth and make it easier to manipulate information.
Do you focus on fiction or nonfiction? Which do you prefer? Do you find one easier than the other?
I exclusively focus on nonfiction because I love the issues and topics that shape our society.
Has anyone ever written you a fan letter that you’d like to share?
Every now and then I’ll get an email from a student telling me they used one of my books in class or to write a report. I love hearing that it made them think about an issue in a different light, helped them understand a topic they’d always been confused about, or otherwise engaged them. It’s the best compliment I could ever get!