Christopher Paolini

I think heroes are people who are inspirational; either for their work or acts. They should also be doing something for the good of everyone, not just for themselves. They should also have a strong character, meaning that they can accept criticism and don’t get discouraged easily. Based on this, my hero is Christopher Paolini.

Christopher Paolini is a fantasy writer, who is best known for his series “The Inheritance Cycle”. He was born in Paradise Valley, Montana, and started writing when he was 15. His books have sold millions of copies, and he is a New York Times bestelling author.

Christopher Paolini is a great writer because he has the talent to make a scene come alive in the reader’s mind. For example, when you read his books, you get completely transported into the world in which the story is taken place and you get hooked to the book.

Paolini was homeschooled for the majority of his elementary and middle-school, and he applied for an accelerated high-school program, graduating at fifteen. I think that because he graduated so early, he started writing at an earlier age than most other authors. I also feel that this is what makes him unique. In my opinion his writing appeals most to young audiences because he was around that age when he started writing. It is also very difficult to graduate at fifteen, and I admire Paolini for that - he inspires me to undertake greater challenges.

I think that Paolini has contributed to the world in two major ways. Becoming a New York Times Bestelling author at such a young age is also no piece of cake. Paolini proved to everyone that age is no barrier to achievements – if you try hard enough, you will succeed.

He also tries to spread awareness about English Literature. He travelled around the US talking to middle-school classes about writing novels. I feel that this is a good thing to do, because if you have a specific talent, why not help others with that talent? Because of this I try to help people at certain things that I am good at and they aren’t. I’ve been playing the piano and the guitar for 5 years and so, in music class at school, I help other students to learn and play those instruments.

I chose this particular hero because of one thing. After reading his first book (this was two years ago – when I was 10) and discovering at what age he started, I have been inspired to write my own books. I have tried many times – and failed many times – but after two years, I am still trying. He has been my greatest inspiration throughout those two years of writing.

Sometimes I try to copy his stories – with slightly different characters and plot sequences, but they never work. I discovered that writing is not always easy. When trying to write a story, I learnt that it is important to plan ahead, and not get too caught up at one point in the story. You should also make your writing interesting: it should capture the reader’s attention. Most importantly, I learnt that you have to be yourself when writing something. If you try to copy or write like someone else, it comes out artificial, which is NEVER a good thing.

I think that Christopher Paolini is a hero to me because he taught me a lot about writing at a young age. The circumstances under which he graduated were also extreme – and this taught me that if you are determined you can accomplish many things. As a writer, he also tried to encourage writing talent among kids – he spread knowledge, benefitting everyone.

Do you have a hero?