From the time travel carpet at Tell Me a Story — 826LA Youth Advisory Board Students Ciro and Christopher interviewed Ben Gibbard about escaping the world and learning to write and play the guitar for the first time. 

Ciro: Why is writing important to you? 

You’re always writing about things after they happen because that’s just how it works. Writing is a way to craft stories about people, people you know, people you love, in your own way. It immortalizes moments in time. 

Christopher: When did you start writing and why? 

I started writing music when I was 13 years old. I never wanted to learn other people’s songs. I learned how to play the guitar listening to the Beatles, but as soon as I learned the chords, I just started to write my own songs. 

Christopher: Has learning to play the guitar and writing at such a young age impacted your career? 

Definitely. I look at some of the stuff I wrote when I was young — some of it was good and some of it was bad. I was in room always writing. It was my escape. Being young person is difficult you know and being able to go into your space and write about your experience is really helpful. 

Ciro: If you could go back in time to when you were 12 or 13, playing the guitar in room and listening to the Beatles, is there any advice you’d give yourself? 

I would tell me to take more photos. I don’t have a lot of photographs of that time and I really wish I did. 

Ciro: What advice would you give to aspiring young writers or musicians? 

Make sure your motivations are pure. There is a very real possibility that writing could not be your occupation and make you money, but if you’re writing is pure and you are doing to really express yourself, I think that is the most important. If it becomes your profession, that’s great, but it has to be for an undying need for self-expression first. 

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