I’ve always known I was shy. As a child and well into my thirties, I always felt “less than,” uncomfortable in my own skin, so hyper aware of my own flaws that it was hard to make friends and almost impossible to feel at ease in social situations. That’s a hard way to live, and…
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What’s Wrong With This Character?
I would argue that every protagonist in fiction needs a major character flaw. Part of the satisfaction of reading comes from finding out how a character changes for the better. Of course some character flaws are greater than others, and when you make your protagonist seriously flawed (as I like to do), the question becomes:…
When the Universe Gives You Gifts…
I’m a member of SCBWI, which stands for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. This international organization holds regional conferences throughout the year where writers and illustrators of children’s books (and here “children” includes young adult) gather to learn from and schmooze with more famous writers, illustrators, agents, and editors. Florida has two…
Finally I Found My Voice
I want to write about something that’s uncomfortable—something that’s been a source of shame for most of my life, something I’ve kept secret. When I was a child, I was sexually assaulted—not raped, but I was repeatedly fondled and kissed by an adult male who was supposed to be someone I trust. That does something…
Life Is Beautiful
As a novelist for young adults, I spend a lot of time trying to recapture the emotions I had in high school. For me, there wasn’t much joy in being a teen. I wrote poetry back then, and a lot of what I wrote captures my self-loathing and fear and confusion. I sometimes wrote about…
Good Enough
Sometimes it feels like my creativity is drying up—or that I never had much creativity to begin with. Where do story ideas come from? Why aren’t I brimming with new ideas? These are the questions I’ve recently been asking myself, and I’ve been trying to find ways to feed my creativity. A few years ago,…
Breast Cancer, Vacation, Revision, Oh My!
I recently finished a complete draft of my latest novel, which, for me, is a big deal, especially because I’ve spent the last four years tangled up in plot revisions, character revisions, setting revisions—you name it. So needless to say, it felt really good to type the words “The End,” even though I planned on…
Putting A Painful Past to Good Use
I write for teens, so it’s important that I stay in touch with my teenage self. Now that my son is a teenager, I catch myself observing him sometimes as though I’m a behavioral scientist. But I also rely on memories of what it was like for me back in the day. I say “back…
Inspiration in Strange Places
My muse likes to hide from me. Sometimes she jumps out and surprises me, but most of the time she makes me chase her. It’s hard to pin down what inspires me to write—what makes my muse grace me with her presence—but in thinking about it for this blog, I remembered a chance encounter I…
How to Keep Readers Invested in Flawed Characters
Every protagonist in fiction needs a major character flaw. Part of the satisfaction of reading comes from finding out how a character changes for the better. Of course some character flaws are greater than others, and when you make your protagonist seriously flawed (as I like to do), the question becomes: How do I keep the…