Photo by Amy Foster

Whether you find yourself singing in the car to one of the many tunes that Amy Foster, SIS/BA ’96, has penned with popular singers or being spirited away to a magical town in When Autumn Leaves (2009), you can know that Foster’s path, like yours, had a stop at AU.

While at AU, Foster didn’t know that she wanted to be a writer, but it seemed natural to join her family in the music industry as a song writer. Foster has collaborated with many artists, but the professional partnership for which she may be best known is that with Canadian artist Michael Bublé. Together they wrote “Home” (2005), “Everything,” (2007) and “Haven’t Met You Yet” (2009). Fans of their collaborations will be happy to know that they will soon begin work on a new album.

Foster credits her college experiences for expanding her artistic view. For her, college represented a time of “exposure to the great masters and esoteric works of art.” SIS classes challenged Foster’s thoughts and prompted her to look at the world through a new lens. She credits her AU experience in honing her discipline as a writer, and discipline, she says, “is the key to success in the arts.”

Meeting deadlines for assignments and appreciating when to contribute in class sets a foundation for future personal and professional growth. She also shares, “The only way to be a better writer is to write and to put the work in.” When Foster began her professional career, she wrote five days each week with other artists.

When Foster began When Autumn Leaves (2009), she worked with a book editor who challenged her as a writer. As a lyricist, Amy enjoyed collaboration, and she welcomed feedback from her editor. Foster notes that if you’re “precious about your words” that you may overlook the advice of others, which can achieve optimal results. Amy values the process of her art – whether knitting, writing songs, or penning new characters for her book’s sequel. 

Whether working on a project or listening to NPR, Foster confesses that she’s not so different than the people she writes for. And through her writing ventures, Foster welcomes us and her fans to join her for the journey.