When I first began writing young adult fiction in high school, I had no doubt that I was nailing the characteristics of my generation at the time. Now that around 15 years have passed since penning that first book and I’m in my thirties, I no longer have the insider knowledge on how to write characters that reflect today’s teens. Nevertheless, I continue to write young adult books that resonate with their age group.

So, how is it possible to write realistic teen characters when you’re, like, double their age? The key, my friend, is to do the opposite of what you might think.

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