Award-Winning Novelist Ruth Ozeki gave a lecture to Franklin High School students about her literary journey on March 16, 2023 in the school library. This conversation was a part of a larger Literary Arts program called Everybody Reads, an annual community-wide program that celebrates the power of storytelling. Ozeki spoke about overcoming financial struggles early on in her career, the inspiration for her characters, and how Zen Buddhism influences her stories.
Connecting students with authors can help inspire students to explore the literary world. “Hearing from an author like Ruth Ozeki can encourage student writers to pursue their creative endeavors,” explains Franklin Librarian Ayn Frazee. “Exposure to authors can really spark a student’s interest in reading and writing by bringing that human component into the art.”
Ozeki shared the tumultuous 10 year writing process of her first novel. AP Literature student at Franklin, Holland Rhoads (12), attended Ozeki’s lecture, and reflects, “The time it takes to create art is something that a lot of non-artists and non-writers often fail to understand the full extent of.”
Ozeki spoke about overcoming financial struggles early on in her career: “The route to becoming a writer was not straightforward.” Hearing first-hand about Ozeki’s challenges and triumphs can help students envision a career in writing. Frazee adds, “Hearing about the realities of being a professional author helps remind students that anyone can start a novel.”
As an avid reader from an early age, Ozeki was always drawn to the literary world. However, she did not see herself represented in most stories, saying, “when I was growing up there was no diversity in books.” The majority of Ozeki’s work focuses on young people struggling with mental health. Ozeki shares, “I am able to reflect on my own childhood and understand myself better through writing.” She believes that writing not only gives us an opportunity to understand ourselves better, but helps us to connect with others more deeply. “Reading stories from authors who have different lived experiences than our own builds empathy,” Frazee says. “Writers are sharing their truths, but are also validating and exploring what it means to be human.”
Writing also helps us explore our minds and tap into our subconscious. “Ozeki reminded all of us that there is such a fine line between dreaming and writing,” reflects Frazee. “Everyone has an inner tape playing, consciously and subconsciously. Getting those thoughts down on paper brings those stories to life.”
Ozeki is an award-winning author of three novels: “My Year of Meats, All Over Creation” and “A Tale for the Time Being,” which was a finalist for the 2013 Booker Keeper Prize; her most recent book was “The Book of Form and Emptiness.” You can find out more about Ozeki’s career by visiting her website ruthozeki.com, and you can learn more about the Literary Arts program by visiting the website literary-arts.com.
