Lauryn was introduced to reading at a very young age. In a home where TV wasn't much of a distraction (her parents only allowed a couple of PBS cartoons), she always read many different types of books. Reading provided imagination and creativity for Lauryn. She remembers having a bright childhood full of imagination and energy. She believes this is partially due to the ideas she received from reading so many different books. By being able to read books that she really liked, including the Magic Treehouse and Junie B. Jones, she learned to love reading and she grew up to appreciate literature even more when she entered high school. Lauryn had to read a large variety of books, including To Kill a Mockingbird, Black Boy, The Crucible, Frankenstein, and many more. These helped her see literature on a broader scale and she could see more reasoning as to why it is such an amazing work of art. People read to find reasoning, whether it be a research paper or a philosophical piece, people want to find meaning and understanding. Reading helps open the mind up to new ideas and creativity as well. In the same sense, reading can be an escape. Literature can be a place for your mind to escape reality and see new beauty. Anybody can be a good reader if they keep an open mind. People need to be willing to read new pieces and see all types of writing. This way they can enjoy more forms of literature and hopefully expand their appreciation for reading. This is one of the things that made reading easier and easier for Lauryn. She was able to enjoy new books by keeping up a good attitude and being willing to try different pieces of literature. The most difficult part of reading for Lauryn has always been trying to flip the switch from taking an author's words literally to understanding the deeper meaning of a book. Because of this, Lauryn has always been drawn to more modern books rather than historical literature. She also enjoys realistic fiction because it is easier to relate to and understand. One of her favorite authors is John Grisham. She loves the thrill in his books and the steady build up that make the climactic endings such a shock. Lauryn likes to always be reading a book. She tries to read each night or whenever she can find time. She thinks reading is a great outlet and a soothing, sometimes exciting way to pass time. Unlike reading, Lauryn did not really get into writing until she started school. At first, she didn't channel her creativity into writing unless it was assigned in school. Eventually she started to write short stories in journals about funny dogs and owning restaurants. The stories didn't make much sense because she was just a kid, but she thought they were brilliant at the time. Lauryn was able to slowly gain writing skills throughout school and she always took her teachers' edits seriously so that she could improve her papers. People write to express themselves and express opinions. People can tell their story and show passion without actually speaking. By writing, they can express a feeling in a new way, whether it be through a 600 page novel or a 2 stanza poem. For someone to write well, they need to figure out what they are trying to get across to their reader. They need to know what they want to express. People also need a general understanding of literature and history of literature to help them get their own point across to readers. Lauryn enjoys creating spoken word poems. She finds it's a good way to express her emotion and point of view at the same time. However, Lauryn keeps these poems to herself rather than sharing them with others. She typically writes about what she's feeling at the time, it could be excitement, confusion, or even nostalgia. Lauryn finds inspiration from what is impacting her life and what she is surrounded by in the moment. She is unsure of what response she would get from readers or what response would help her with her writing, but she hopes that if she ever shares her pieces she can find understanding and reassurance. Lauryn typically writes whenever she has an idea for a piece. She doesn't have a set time of day or week. She just writes when the ideas start to build up in her mind. Lauryn really loves what she writes in her own time but she still struggles to find passion when she writes papers for a class, however she still works hard to improve so that she can hopefully find more understanding and appreciation for essays.