I like to write characters that feel like people that I would know.
— Anna Todd
Chicago is my biggest base for U.S. readership. If I ask my readers where should I come, Chicago always has the most votes.
I don't know how to pose or anything.
I have such admiration and respect for the military and military families.
Honestly, I never dreamed of being a writer; it felt too unrealistic to even dream about.
I never had any thought behind anything I did in the beginning, to be honest.
For me, One Direction is the only fandom I've been in, and I made so many friends.
I was a struggling army wife going to community college who didn't know what to do with my life.
I used to say that if I could get paid to read books, my life would be made.
I love telling 'first' stories - first loves, first college experience, first kiss, all of those kinds of things.
I was reading fan fiction on Wattpad, but they were taking a little bit to update the stories, so I started writing my own stories to entertain myself. I didn't think anyone would read it.
I am drawn to people who are like me - who have experienced the ups and downs of life but have come through the other side.
I will never shy away from social issues in my books - or in my everyday life.
I found Wattpad because I was reading a story on Instagram, actually. They're called 'Imagines,' and they are like little fanfictions that people used to write on Instagram before Wattpad was the place to go.
When I realized that I can invest in my own marketing and do exactly what I think needs to be done - well, then it just feels like, what is the benefit of having a publisher?
The Internet can help you come out of your shell and gives you a chance to make friends who have the same passion as you, it's a real community.
I'm not writing about the 1 percent of people who have this fairy-tale, amazing life. I'm writing about people like me, who maybe had a rough childhood.
The idea of being published was such an abstract thing in the beginning. It wasn't even an option in my mind.
When I was doing it, I just thought, 'I'm going to do this because it's fun.' I wasn't writing for a publisher or a publishing model; I didn't really think about it, but then, somehow, it worked out in my favor.
'Through The Dark' - for sure, that's my favorite One Direction song.
I think flawed characters are important, because no one is perfect.
Every single path is so different, but I would definitely say that the idea of what a writer is or should be is not a thing anymore. Everyone is redefining publishing, writing, and storytelling in general.
I didn't write a ton before 'After,' to be honest.
There's so much anxiety coming from social media with teenagers that we have to give them characters that are real and that are not always happy; and that have bad parents and not great, supportive parents; and that are not going on these journeys to save the world with a bow.
It's good that I've put out different books apart from 'After' - and before the film comes out.
I never really had a lot of friends where I lived. Online, you can have thousands of friends.
