New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone has developed a reputation for not shying away from important topics that impact young people. She is not afraid to face these tough topics head on, and she encourages others to do the same. 

That’s one of the messages that she brought to Temple University last month when she visited its Center for Anti-Racism (CFAR) to take part in a special discussion. 

“Books create anchors, in my opinion,” Stone said while speaking to the audience of nearly 100 high school students. “I would like for the books I create to create anchors for people to see themselves and see others for the sake of helping the way they think of the world and the way they think of themselves.” 

The discussion with Stone represents Temple’s continued commitment to working with the community and partnering with nearby schools. 

“The event is important as it represents the latest example of our broader efforts towards community engagement,” said Timothy Welbeck, director of CFAR. “Students who attended were introduced to an author who writes compellingly about the conditions and experiences that shape young people today. They also were able to experience part of Temple’s campus, so it was really a win-win.” 

Students from nearby Carver High School of Engineering and Science and Freire Charter High School attended the discussion. The talk with Stone was moderated by Welbeck’s oldest daughter, Leilani Welbeck, a ninth-grade engineering major at an area high school. During the session, Stone and Leilani discussed how Stone’s work challenges young readers to think and tackle real-world issues, many of which are relevant to young people like Leilani. 

As the conversation went on, one of the student attendees asked Stone to touch on how she gets the motivation to complete her works of writing and overcome procrastination. For Stone, it’s all about balance. 

“If you are tired, that’s OK. If you aren’t taking time to sit and write your stories down, that’s also OK,” Stone said. “Make sure you’re giving yourself the space to be a person who needs rest, a person who is already inundated with obligations, a person who has assignments to complete and a person whose body is still growing and therefore, you need more rest than me. Be good to you, be nice to you and if you feel like writing, write. Sometimes when you don’t feel like writing, yes, you can write, but don’t be hard on yourself if you don’t.” 

Stone’s debut novel, Dear Martin, was published in 2018 by Crown Publishing Group and rose as high as No. 4 on the New York Times Bestsellers List. She has also written five other award-winning novels for young adults in which she shows her “talent for writing compassionately about controversial topics that affect the lives of many.”