Drew was taught to read by his mother at a very young age. At first she simply read to him out of the books that she herself was reading, but over time, she asked him to read more and passages of the books. Drew believes that many people learn to read by this method; having a parent slowly incorporate reading into the child's everyday life. Drew reads for the same reason as many people: he seeks to gain new knowledge while at the same time taking part in an adventure that he could never be a part of in reality. However, to truly be a part of these adventures, Drew believes that one should not simply read the words, but should also strive to understand the hidden meaning of whatever they are reading. In Drew's life, picking up a book and finding time to read has never been a struggle. Being the son of two voracious readers meant that reading was always promoted in Drew's home as he grew up. However, this does not mean that Drew did not struggle with reading at time. A very fast reader, Drew often found that if there were any distractions around him, he could not focus and would often re-read passages five or six times before he comprehended them. Drew is most fascinated by older books about times long before he was born. He loves the feeling of being transported back in time to witness things that he had learned about in his History classes. In Drew's mind, the best books are the ones that truly makes the reader feel as though they are in the story. Drew attempts to read at home every night, and although he may occasionally fail at this goal, he stays true to it for the most part. Drew believes that reading is a massively important part of someone's life, as it increases knowledge and understanding of the world far beyond that which one can learn in school.
Drew's love of writing was born out of his own father's love of writing. An English major, Drew's father instilled in his children from very young ages the importance of being a competent writer. This led to Drew and his siblings to often write short stories for their father, which ultimately led to them developing strong skills as writers. Drew believes that many people learn to write as children by simply writing short stories. Drew feels that many people write to simply put their thoughts in order or to tell a story, however many people also write to influence people and make a difference. Drew believes that in order to be a successful writer, one should have a large vocabulary, as well as being an active reader. This enables writers to produce thoughtful and creative works of literature. Drew enjoys writing about fantasy worlds where characters can have amazing abilities. Drew is heavily influenced in his writings by interactions he faces in the real world. He will also often times look at nature and simply create a story in his mind about what he sees. Drew improves the most off of positive suggestions and criticisms, as he feels that this is the most constructive form of help. Drew writes at home quite a bit, but he usually keeps his writings to himself. Although he does not make his work public, Drew is very proud of his writings, and believes that he has developed into a thoughtful and detailed author. |