Nicola Yoon is an author whose novels greatly impacted young adult romance. She has written stories from her life experiences and used her influence to give a platform to people she believes are not represented enough. From a programmer to becoming a bestselling author, Nicola has shown the world that a person can fulfill their dreams no matter how long it takes.
From being the first woman to earn a prestigious award to writing a story while having daunting responsibilities, there are elusive facts about Nicola Yoon many people may not know. She has expressed several times that she writes to show black women there are multiple possibilities for them in literature. To create a warmer atmosphere for people of color, Nicola focuses on stories that show happiness in a world of tribulation.
Nicola Yoon was An Electrical Engineer
Though many people may know her for the budding romance stories she tells, Nicola Yoon was an avid math lover who initially studied Electrical Engineering at Cornell University. It was while studying engineering that Nicola realized her passion for creative writing.
After graduating, Nicola took the Master of Creative Writing program at Emerson College and started writing multiple short stories. It was through one of her acquaintances at the program she first submitted some of her samples for evaluation.
A Secret Crush to Light the Flame
Though people may know Nicola started writing in university, what they may be unfamiliar with is that her desire to become a writer started from a one-sided crush. While in Cornell, Nicola fell head over heels for a boy she never revealed. Her love was unreciprocated, and she never stated if she told him. It was during this time that Nicola started writing love poems.
One of her teachers read them and told her she had potential; this sparked her interest in creative writing. After graduating, she went to Emerson College.
Nicola’s Hate for Sadness
Nicola has stated many times that she dislikes the one-sided portrayal of black people in popular culture. According to her, so many books, films, poems, and essays focus on the tribulations of black people. Nicola said it inspired her to create stories portraying love and happiness.
Never Watched 12 Years A Slave
In her article on Cosmopolitan ‘Black Girls Need Their Happily-Ever-Afters Too,’ Nicola Yoon made a somewhat shocking revelation. She said she has never and will not watch the movie 12 Years A Slave. Nicola explained that racism in America is a complex issue, and most films and books writing about it will fail to solve it. She said:
A not-so-charitable part of me thinks movies like this exist to make people feel good about themselves. I imagine an internal dialogue that goes something like: I watched that movie and witnessed the brutality and cruelty perpetrated against Black people. I empathized with slaves and their struggle, and therefore I cannot be racist. Sometimes I think movies like these are a salve on the open wound that is racism in America.
Nicola Yoon
A Career Before Writing
Before becoming an author, Nicola Yoon was a programmer for investment management firms for 20 years. She worked with a financial firm in Los Angeles that kept Wall Street hours.
Nicola stated that having her daughter made her job uniquely stressful as her newborn would wake up by 6:30 am, around the same time she had to be at work. She also said the job was so challenging that her hair turned gray. She had to write her debut novel ‘Everything, Everything,’ from 4 am to 6 am.
A Lover of Games
Nicola Yoon stated she loves games like Uncharted, a video game series developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. She also plays other games. Her admission to playing Uncharted hints she uses the PlayStation and not the X-Box.
Born in Jamaica
Nicola was born in Jamaica and spent 11 years in the country. When she clocked 11, her family moved to Brooklyn. After meeting her husband, David Yoon, she moved to Los Angeles, where she currently resides.
The New York Times Bestseller’s List
Nicola Yoon is the first Black Woman to reach the number one spot on the New York Times bestselling list for young adult fiction, though there have been many black people there. Her books are also New York Times bestsellers and have received praise for their depth and thought-provoking themes. Nicola is also a National Book Award finalist, a Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner, and a Michael L. Printz Honor Book recipient.
Inspired by Her Daughter
After the birth of her daughter, Nicola Yoon said she was a super nervous mom who worried about everything concerning her daughter; this led to her first book idea, where the character was allergic to the outside world.
Love in Writing
Nicola and her husband met while she attended Emerson. They realized they were suckers for love and started dating. They eventually had a daughter.
