From the age of three, Elisa Ludwig ’92 loved to sit and read. 

“I love being in a world of different characters,” Ludwig told GA sixth grade English students in Mrs. Kristen Donches’ and Mrs. Glenda Daulerio’s classes on April 10.

Reading led to writing. A few years down the road, Ludwig started The Elisa Bulletin, which featured bands (mostly Duran Duran), movies and the latest trends. She sold it for 10 cents, but gave a 5-cent discount to family members.

Years later, the Germantown Academy graduate is still in love with reading, is still penning stories, and fortunately, turning a little bit larger profit.

“Writing always made me happy,” said Ludwig, who recently released her debut novel, “Pretty Crooked,” a fictional story about 15-year old Willa Fox, a new student at Valley Prep, who, in Robin Hood style, steals from the rich kids and gives to the poor ones after she is welcomed into the inner circle of the “Glitterati.”

 GA students helped bring Ludwig’s book to life by acting in the trailer.

With her recent milestone reached, Ludwig used the opportunity to talk to young GA authors about her journey to becoming a professional writer, which coincided perfectly with the sixth grade’s Author Study project, an ambitious research and writing assignment.

“The project provides students the opportunity to select, from an extensive teacher-generated list, an author and novel of their choice,” Mrs. Donches said. “The award-winning young adult novelists range from writers who create realistic fiction to those whose focus on fantasy. Historical fiction and science fiction writers are also included on the list.”

Ludwig, who loved young adult novels when she was in middle school, told students that she was encouraged to return to her roots and write for teenagers after she submitted a story to a publisher with a teenage antagonist.

Soon the Vassar College graduate was voraciously researching and developing a story, a story that after hours of writing, edits and some fine-tuning, was released with rave reviews to the public in March 2012.

“Every writer has their own path to becoming a writer and to being published,” said Ludwig, who used to be a staff writer for Philadelphia Weekly and has worked as a freelance writer for a number of other companies over the years.

Ludwig said she was inspired to read and write by her father, Dr. Stephen Ludwig, who wrote books and journals.

“I wanted to be like him,” she said. “I came from a creative household.”

Her love of writing only grew when she came to GA in fourth grade, where she remembered her time studying under Middle School English Teacher/Assistant Head of Middle School Mrs. Maggie McVeigh 1760 and Mrs. Daulerio 1760.

Ludwig also added that she “had incredible English teachers” in GA’s Upper School, specifically Peter Drewniany 1760 and the late Ralph Allen, and that “GA definitely prepared me for [college].”

After her presentation, Ludwig fielded a number of questions from her excited audience and read a snippet of her new book.

“Ms. Ludwig’s presentation was perfectly pitched to a sixth grade audience,” Mrs. Donches said. “The kids were keenly interested in how her own experiences at GA informed her choices in the fictional world of Valley Prep. They asked lots of great questions, many of which will help them as they begin drafting their own author papers.”