When my characters are questioning things, it's not me leading up to an answer; it's me asking those same questions and letting the characters' lives unfold and seeing where it takes them. Sara Zarr answercharacterlead Change image and share on social
I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se. But every time I thought of a story, it featured characters 15, 16, 17. Sara Zarr characterdecidefeature Change image and share on social
When the reader and one narrator know something the other narrator does not, the opportunities for suspense and plot development and the shifting of reader sympathies get really interesting. Sara Zarr developmentinterestnarrator Change image and share on social
My first published book, 'Story of a Girl', was the fourth book I wrote. Sara Zarr bookfourthgirl Change image and share on social
When a young reader tells you that they'd never finished a book outside of school until they read yours, or that they really needed to hear something that one of your characters says or thinks... that's just rewarding and humbling. Sara Zarr bookcharacterfinish share on social
Family or love or romance, whatever it is, is not restricted to perfect people. If it were, it wouldn't exist. All of that comes out in my work in some way. Sara Zarr existfamilylove Change image and share on social
The characters are whole, real people to me that I'm getting to know, and since real people are all flawed, so are my characters, I hope. Sara Zarr characterflawedhope Change image and share on social
Making lists of favorite things is, for me, a task ridden with anxiety. What if I've accidentally excluded something I love? What if I discover something new tomorrow that I love even more? Sara Zarr accidentallyanxietydiscover Change image and share on social
There were about ten years of trying, failing, trying again, suffering rejection, etc. My first published book, 'Story of a Girl', was the fourth book I wrote. Sara Zarr bookfailfourth Change image and share on social
It's hard to say when my interest in writing began, or how. My mother read to my sister and me every night, and we always loved playing make-believe games. I had a well-primed imagination. I didn't start thinking about writing as a serious pursuit, a career I could have, until after college. Sara Zarr begincareercollege share on social