Veronica Roth on Taylor Swift, Dystopian Fantasy, and the Art of Starting Again

This week, Tricia Friedman speaks with Veronica Roth, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series and the author of Seek the Traitor Son, the first book in a new epic romance dystopian fantasy series.

In this conversation, Veronica shares how watching Taylor Swift perform during the Eras Tour helped her reflect on her own earlier work, her growth as an artist, and what it means to keep creating after a hugely successful series. She also talks about world-building, writing for young readers, creative confidence, and the challenge of beginning again as an author.

For educators, librarians, parents, and anyone supporting creative young people, this episode offers a rare look at how one of today's most widely read writers thinks about imagination, reinvention, and the stories that stay with readers.

00:00 — Welcome to the Show 01:00 — Veronica Roth's New Book, Seek the Traitor Son 03:00 — Looking Back at Divergent 06:00 — What Taylor Swift's Eras Tour Helped Veronica See 10:00 — Creative Reinvention After Huge Success 14:00 — Writing for Young Readers 18:00 — Building Dystopian and Fantasy Worlds 23:00 — What Inspires Veronica's Creative Process 28:00 — Advice for Creative Young People 32:00 — Why Stories Still Matter