SAWYER LOVETT: How to Build Realistic, Relatable YA Characters (Even If You’re an Adult), October 26, 2-4 PM ET

Instructor: Sawyer Lovett

Cost: $60

Open to writers of: YA

Most YA writers are adults who draw from their own experiences in youth and adolescence to build character and plot. Fair enough—but how do you create characters that will jump off the page and into the hearts and minds of today’s young readers? 

This two-hour class will discuss character development, authenticity, timeliness, and motivation. We’ll examine passages from well-loved books in several subgenres of young adult fiction, do a short generative exercise, and end with a toolkit for building nuanced, dimensional characters your readers will connect with.. 

Sawyer Lovett is a writer who lives in Tazewell County, VA, by way of Philadelphia. He is the author of Shampoo Unicorn, a new YA novel from Disney-Hyperion. He’s also a professor, dog dad, occasional bookseller, barista, and a balloon artist who makes zines.