Lansing High School students had the unique opportunity to learn directly from a published author during a presentation in the school library on Wednesday, October 22nd. Thanks to the National English Honor Society’s generosity, students in Jess Moore’s Creative Writing class along with all fifth-hour English and theater classes gathered to hear from Kansas City–based author Jennifer Brown, whose visit filled the library with readers and aspiring writers.
Brown, an award-winning former Kansas City Star columnist and the author of more than two dozen books, spoke candidly about her writing journey, the realities of rejection, and the creative process behind her acclaimed young adult novels such as Hate List, Bitter End, and Thousand Words.
When asked what first inspired her to write, Brown told students that storytelling had always been a part of her life - she wrote her first short story when she was only eight years old. Although she didn’t initially set out to become an author, Brown said encouragement from her husband and her own need for a creative outlet eventually led her to pursue writing professionally.
One of the topics during the session was writer’s block or, as Brown prefers to call it, “writer’s boredom.”
“Writer’s block doesn’t exist,” she explained. She shared that usually it’s boredom, perfectionism, or burnout, and the best way through it is to keep writing.
Brown described herself as a “pantser,” a writer who prefers to let the story unfold organically rather than following a strict outline. However, she emphasized the importance of deep character prewriting to make her stories feel real and emotionally authentic.
Brown’s novels often address serious subjects such as mental health and school violence. She said she approaches these topics with honesty and empathy.
“Treating emotions realistically is being sensitive,” she told students. “When you write a book, one of your main jobs is to create a character that your readers see themselves in a little bit - even the ugliest parts of your character. Maybe your reader can see a little bit of themselves in that too, but you don't want to just like wallow there. You want to then take the character into a better place, and you're showing the reader, you can get to a better place too."
She noted that many of her stories share a common theme of connection, finding common ground and shared humanity between people who seem very different.
Brown also spoke openly about the challenges of working in the publishing industry. Despite her success, she said rejection is still part of her experience. She shared that it took her nine years to get published and even now, not everything she write sells. She encouraged the students to keep going, because the love of writing has to be greater than the fear of rejection.”
Before concluding, Brown offered students several pieces of advice:
1. Read constantly. What you love to read is what you’ll be best at writing.
2. Write daily. Keep a journal. Even a sentence or two a day matters.
3. Learn the rules, then break them on purpose.
4. Develop thick skin. Writing means sending your inside thoughts out to play. That takes courage.
During the final portion of the event, students were given time to ask thoughtful questions about character development, multiple points of view, and finding their own voice. Brown praised their curiosity and originality, even rewarding two students with a signed copy of her book - one for being the first brave student to ask a question and another for asking a relevant question she’d never been asked before.
Ms. Moore expressed her pride in both her students and the collaborative effort that made the event possible.
Thank you so Ms. Moore, Ms. DaMetz and the National English Honors Society, Library Aid Marsha Jaskowiec for her help in getting the library ready for the presentation, and to Jennifer Brown for a meaningful presentation for our high school students!
We encourage students, parents, and staff to check out Jennifer Brown’s work—especially if you enjoyed her visit. Her novels span a range of themes and age groups, from young adult to middle grade. Click here to visit her website.
