A powerful how-to guide that helps aspiring writers find the stories hidden within—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray. ★ "Instructive and inspiring for storytellers of all ages."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Life is story in motion. Each day, you add to your story, revise it, and view it from a different angle. You erase things. Tear pages out. And sometimes, in hindsight, wish you could put them back. A day is a story. A year is a story. A life is a story. You are a story. Ruta Sepetys is known for creating vivid characters and harrowing plots. After five award-winning works of historical fiction and countless hours of meticulous research, she can affirm that the secret to strong writing is embedded within your life experience. You: The Story encourages you to look inward and excavate your own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page. Masterfully weaving in humorous and heartfelt stories from her own life that illustrate an aspect of the craft of writing (such as plot, character development, or dialogue), Sepetys then inspires readers with a series of writing prompts and exercises. Compelling, deeply intimate, and inspirational, You: The Story awakens the emerging writer within each and every one of us and reveals that with some reflection, curiosity, and courage, your story can be told.