Stories are like people. They have a body, and a soul. The body is the plot, the actions that happen. And the soul is the character, the protagonist, the key person (or persons) bound by the circumstances of the plot and forced into decisions.

Here's an energizing pep talk on how to write, including the ingredients you need to get started and keep going.

What’s a writer to do? When you feel like you should write a “girl book” because it’s all you’ve written before? When girls are your audience, do you dare branch out and try to reach boy readers? What if that affects your sales? Your school visits? Your future?