In English at the moment, we have to pick a famous person, get some information on them, and then write a speech about said person. Me being the dork that I am, I naturally chose Michael Grant.

Part of our task is to get the (positive) opinions on this person from 'the audience', and as none of my family reads the GONE books, I thought I'd ask you guys!

So! My question to you is this: do you look up to Michael Grant? Why, or why not? Is any of this correlated to your love of the books?

I look up to Micheal Grant because he makes us understand every character, not just the chosen few golden girls/guys. We understand everyone from Drake to Bug, not just Sam, Astrid and Caine.

I do! Not only is he a great writer, he's funny and witty. xD

^This.

I like him because he is an amazing author, and also just a really funny, normal-seeming guy. I also like him because he interacts with his fans, and talks to them, and makes friends with some of them, unlike some authors. Also, he has awesome views on parenting/treatment of kids. Read his latest article (I believe it is called Cold Soup and Taxes, or something along those lines). It is hilarious.

Edit: Also, it is idolizing, not idolising. Just sayin'.

I admire his ability to be humble and cool with everyone... Like he doesn't seem to hate or pick on certain people. Usually people have to go out of their ways to show that they're cool with whatever you are or whatever you do, and Michael Grant doesn't. That's the way he comes across in the books, at least. I've only seen a few interviews with him.

He's also a talented writer, and if you write a thrilling fast-paced book, you have to be a good writer to keep people re-reading. Like, I keep finding new things when I re-read the series, and that's really hard to do.

He's also got a cool name. And he made me love Quinn Gaither. <3

Yeah, I do. I'm a reader and a writer in RL. Grant's works (the ones I've read) are amazing, and I tend to idolize writers that I think do a good job because I want to be the kind of writer that can do that kind of a job.

There's also the fact that he's friendly with his fans, and he interacts with them. He also gets in a bunch of peoples' POVS. while it can be choppy on occasion, we understand more about all of the characters points of view. This makes them better characters, and more subjectively realistic.

Well, I do, sort of. I think he's a good writer, funny, witty... but I look up to so many other writers that are better than him even more. I respect Michael Grant (and he's a great author), but even though I really like the GONE series, I prefer other authors/books. For example, a list of authors whom I think are better than MG:

1. Jules Verne <--favourite author of all time
2. Charles Dickens
3. Jane Austen
4. F. Scott Fitzgerald
5. Shakespeare

^^Yeah, I know, some people think classics are boring. (NOT!) :)

Either spelling is valid. I use idolising because it's the spelling that I was taught to use.

I say Idolizing aswell, i think it's what you're taught from where ya from...

Michael Grant has got to be one of my favourite authors as he explains so much of each character and his writing is amazing!

He's a writer who really knows how to reach his audience (aka us teens). I've read plenty of other books directed at teens, but few have left such a significant impact on me. To top it off, he has really vivid imagination and creativity, like in creating the FAYZ scenario and making unexpected twists, which I mostly look out in plots. At the same time, his stories aren't totally far-fetched, because he so amazingly is able to allow his audience to relate to his likeable characters. I think that aspect's a really essential part of capturing your audience.

Apart from writing books, he sure knows how to keep in touch with his fans, and keep the spirit alive between book releases. (As you can tell from him answering his fans' questions on youtube and on here) Very few writers actually do this, as far as I can tell. So in a way, he takes pride in his work and shares our excitement over his books.

Good luck with your assignment! You can't go wrong with Michael Grant. :)

This.
I look up to him. He's humble, yet also successful. He seems like a good person, and he's a good writer.
Plus you know, the whole thing where he wrote Gone and BZRK...

HE'S AWESOME! ! ! ! ! ! !

I admire him a lot. and sorry I know this is late. but I had to say something. xD