Rupa, age 13

Hey Cathy

I want to be a graphic designer. It’s my dream, but I am not the best in my class at art and get better marks at French and music. Sometimes, I worry that I am kidding myself.

Libby, age 14

Rupa has worked out that if you have a plan, you have a better chance than ever of making your wish come true. She is gathering in all the information she needs to make her dream a reality… if you don’t ask, you don’t learn.

My answer to Rupa was to work hard at English and at all of her subjects – a good general knowledge is helpful for any writer. Some writers study English or Creative Writing at university, but many don’t. I went to art college and studied illustration! It didn’t matter – what made me a writer was the fact that I loved to write, always. It was just a part of me. I practised all the time, and eventually found a job in journalism, later freelanced and finally started writing books… but every writer has a different story.

Some never go to university at all… they just live a vivid, adventurous life and use all of that life experience to feed their work. Sometimes, there are no right or wrong ways! Whichever path Rupa chooses, I think she will do well because she is looking ahead, making plans, taking steps to make the dream real.

Libby’s letter struck home because I had just the same dilemma at fourteen. I loved art as much as writing, and longed to be an artist, but I worried that I wasn’t good enough. Perhaps I wasn’t, but I wanted to be – badly. I worked really hard and got myself to art college and scraped a living for years as an illustrator, fitting it in around my magazine work. I pushed the talent I had to the max, because I wanted to succeed.

Sometimes, people will tell you that you don’t have what it takes for a certain career. You can accept the advice and watch your dreams and confidence fizzle, or use it to spur you on. Best of all, perhaps, you can adjust your dream, and turn it into something with more chance of success… Libby can find out all she can about careers in graphic design, visit art colleges, talk to tutors and students. Like Rupa, she can start planning, researching, gathering information… preparing to succeed.

But dreams alone are not enough.

Cathy

I want to be a fashion designer. It’s my dream, and I have taught myself to sew and I love turning old stuff into something new and different. I am studying art, but our school doesn’t have a textiles option – will this matter?

Tira, age 14

Hello Cathy

My dream is to be a dancer. I do ballet, modern and tap twice a week and have done for years. My plan is to study dance at a performing arts college, but my little sister has started saying only one or two people ever make it as dancers and I may as well not bother. It really gets to me.