tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post144302966039540334..comments2023-09-10T08:53:26.234-04:00Comments on Randy Russell: Teen Voice: THE FOUR L's - Ruta SepetysGhostFolk.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10942600698461250382noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-58530140484725079932010-04-23T10:37:13.064-04:002010-04-23T10:37:13.064-04:00Excellent post! I tended to see myself as a Loner ...Excellent post! I tended to see myself as a Loner when I was a young adult. Although I certainly knew how to function in a large-group setting, I didn't enjoy it (still don't). My main characters tend to have that Loner voice. One concern I have heard others express related to the "Loner" voice is that it can seem self-indulgent or self-centered to the point where some readers just don't want to put up with it (as Kathy McCullough said, "Snap out of it, already!").Scotti Cohnhttp://www.scotticohn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-17055333823725025492010-04-20T15:46:59.110-04:002010-04-20T15:46:59.110-04:00Great observation about teen characters.Great observation about teen characters.Terry Stonecrophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03726985400500572770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-78860099609056613742010-04-18T20:29:24.196-04:002010-04-18T20:29:24.196-04:00Thank you for posting this! It's really helpfu...Thank you for posting this! It's really helpful.Faith E. Houghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03823750019164801104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-78870129140359238872010-04-18T18:44:04.920-04:002010-04-18T18:44:04.920-04:00Nice summary Ruta. And I can't wait for your b...Nice summary Ruta. And I can't wait for your book to come out!<br />My characters usually have some element of me in them. So far, they all run sled dogs, so a little of me slips in there. But, like Tina, I get to think of wittier things to say than I ever can think of in real life.TerryLynnJohnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08380207155608982319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-56006869286252594812010-04-18T14:55:55.239-04:002010-04-18T14:55:55.239-04:00I fell mainly in the loner category as a teen, but...I fell mainly in the loner category as a teen, but my MC's tend to be more humorous, confident, and outgoing than I was at that age.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-25917132969863500602010-04-18T00:39:48.008-04:002010-04-18T00:39:48.008-04:00Thanks for this. I've never thought about char...Thanks for this. I've never thought about characters this way before. Definitely gives me something to ponder, because I'm not sure I have an answer and that may be a problem! :)<br /><br />AmyA.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-15257170030898113402010-04-17T22:20:29.104-04:002010-04-17T22:20:29.104-04:00Really interesting way to look at things! I'll...Really interesting way to look at things! I'll have to read with this in mind.Caroline Starr Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04597510685273079757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-82483574078724608422010-04-17T20:12:45.498-04:002010-04-17T20:12:45.498-04:00Good question! My latest character is a laugher, ...Good question! My latest character is a laugher, though I was a loner. I've written characters who are loners, but I tend to get frustrated by them. ("Snap out of it, already!") Perhaps some therapy going on there...Kathy McCulloughhttp://www.kathymcculloughbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-61029593909563949192010-04-17T11:03:29.977-04:002010-04-17T11:03:29.977-04:00I think my female main characters (in my debut The...I think my female main characters (in my debut The Pull of Gravity, the MC/narrator is a boy) are a mix of who I was in high school and who I wished I could be. And, of course, like Tina, my MC's deal with family problems I never had - at least not to any degree they do (we all have family angst and dysfunction, if only to a mild degree, don't we...).<br /><br />Thanks for the post, Ruta. Look forward to your book!gae polisnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10491813685110351809noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4947919899544015572.post-19767012649586260942010-04-17T10:59:02.521-04:002010-04-17T10:59:02.521-04:00Hi, I have three YA's out with Random House, t...Hi, I have three YA's out with Random House, the most recent being The ABC's of Kissing Boys. And for the most part, my main characters DO represent who I was (or thought I was) in high school, just with the elements exaggerated. They are funnier, more athletic, braver--and their problems are way bigger because they tend to say and do the things that, given the same scenarios, I probably only would have THOUGHT to say or do.<br /><br />Interesting perspective here on writing YA characters here. Thanks!TinaFerrarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14356148823775352938noreply@blogger.com