I’m posting this for two reasons. First, because it’s a video of the sensational writer Tim Federle, giving a commencement speech. Tim’s speech is hilarious and touching and incredibly smart about fear and self-doubt and becoming a writer. The speech is genuinely inspiring, on every level.
My second reason is completely self-serving: during his speech, Tim graciously quotes from the introduction I wrote to the first published version of Jeffrey. I’ve met Tim, and he is a total joy. His books Better Nate Than Ever and Five, Six, Seven Nate! are wonderful, and I can’t wait to read his upcoming YA novel, The Great American Whatever.