Writing and Inspiring — NorthStar Navigator

By Caylee L.

**Literature Author in Glasses Typing on Typewriter** by **nomadsoulphotos**
**Created in Canva**

Regan S., an 11th grader at NSA, is a writer, artist, and Third Culture Kid. She has been at NSA for four years and has lived in China for 10 years. In August 2020, Regan began seriously thinking about writing a children’s book based on her experiences as a Third Culture Kid.

Regan shared that some of her favorite books growing up were from the “Goodnight” series. Regan says that she found the inspiration for her book while living overseas in China. “[There] are children's books about different cities all over the world, but I was so disappointed that they didn't have any books about China, which is where I grew up. It wasn't until last year, when my family moved, that I really thought about writing one myself about all the different places I've been in China.” Having lived in China for 10 years, Regan wants to give children the opportunity to read about life in China from someone who has grown up there. As an artist, Regan uses her own photos for inspiration when she illustrates each page.

Throughout the process, Regan stated that, “NSA [has] helped me the most by allowing me to communicate with some of my teachers, who have been very supportive of me as a writer and artist. The biggest thing, though, is definitely the support from classmates and teachers here.”

She spoke about the goals for her book saying, “I want both children and adults to be inspired to think and act creatively because anyone's dreams can come true.” She wants to share her adventures with the world and would love for her book to become a bestseller. Hoping to publish her work sometime this year, Regan is excited about spreading the word about her book. Although traditional publishing is a lengthy process, Regan has decided to self-publish to maintain the rights to her book. “Self publishing can happen in a day, though it’s best to take a month or two to plan everything out,” she says. She enjoys having “complete creative control and overall, [having] much more freedom over [her] own work.”

Regan says that “the process [of writing and publishing] can be very long and it’s easy to get discouraged.” However, she offered a final piece of advice to her fellow writers. “Never give up is the biggest thing because pursuing your dreams is the only way they will ever come true.”

Columns: 👤NSA People