I know these are going to sound like school reading-list suggestions, but if you like dystopian fiction, you should check out some of the originals: 'Anthem,' by Ayn Rand; '1984,' by George Orwell; or 'Brave New World,' by Aldous Huxley.
— Sara Shepard
I am not an actress.
I loved the movie 'Heathers' and the TV show 'Twin Peaks.'
I've read a lot of fiction from writers just starting out, and the dialogue is a little bit forced, or it's almost too teenager-y, or too slang-y or putting too much technology or trends in there. I try to stay pretty trend-neutral. I try not to mention too many current bands or current TV shows.
I probably write best in my office, which is an extra bedroom in my house.
I find coming up with a title the hardest part of writing a novel.
For me, writing for younger audiences and writing for adults uses two different halves of my brain.
I like to run in a new place to help me find my way around.
My sister and I visited Iceland in 2001, and I incorporated it into 'Pretty Little Liars.'
I really like reading about how families work together.
I did steal socks, but I got caught... don't shoplift, anyone - don't do it! You're just gonna get caught.
'The Glass Castle' by Jeannette Walls is the quintessential dysfunctional family.
Secrets are very intriguing - I always think that's an interesting theme.
I kept a journal when I was a teenager, so I definitely look back on those to see how I dealt with friends and cliques and getting picked on, or boyfriend breakups.
I do a lot of revising on paper. Sometimes I think I should just write longhand - what I type reads very different once I print it out.
I primarily read fiction, and I read a good many wonderful books while writing 'The Visibles.'
Judy Blume especially sort of broke the boundaries of what is appropriate and what should be written about - what teenagers are actually doing.
My family often travels to New York City during the holidays, and that's always a good time.
Seeing 'Pretty Little Liars' fans adapt and create their own stories is both exciting and flattering, and I think what Amazon Publishing is offering through Kindle Worlds is a great way to reward their ingenuity.
I love books about dysfunctional families.
I was just over high school, and I was kind of artsy.
With teenagers, the emotions are higher and things are more dramatic. That doesn't mean adults don't also act like children in their own way.
I am a big outliner. For my adult book, 'The Visibles,' I did not outline, and it took me two years to write because I just didn't outline, and I had no path.
I do a lot of brainstorming with my editors.
Sometimes I hear a voice - sometimes it's the voice of someone I know. And sometimes that leads to a character, which leads to a story.
I've written short stories from male perspectives before, and I've never had a problem with it as long as I've understood the character's emotions and motivations.
I was not tormented in any way; I was never even bullied. I had a nice teenage life.
If my characters travel somewhere, I generally write about a place I know to give the scenes more authenticity.
I think I'll stick with psychological thrillers.
People might look great on the outside but they all have something that they're dealing with.
