--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Becoming a YA author was actually a very…" description: "\"Becoming a YA author was actually a very lucky accident. When I wrote the 'Queen of Everything,' I thought it was a book for adults.\" — Deb Caletti" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/deb-caletti-697_accident_becoming-a-ya-author-was-actually-a-very_3094105.png" --- # Becoming a YA author was actually a very lucky accident… ![“Becoming a YA author was actually a very lucky accident. When I wrote the 'Queen of Everything,' I thought it was a book for adults.” quote by Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/deb-caletti-697_accident_becoming-a-ya-author-was-actually-a-very_3094105.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/deb-caletti-697_accident_becoming-a-ya-author-was-actually-a-very_3094105.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a4/deb-caletti-697_accident_becoming-a-ya-author-was-actually-a-very_3094105.png) > “Becoming a YA author was actually a very lucky accident. When I wrote the 'Queen of Everything,' I thought it was a book for adults.” [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unexpected success can arise from misjudging your audience, leading to new opportunities. **In simple terms:** Lucky accidents can launch a career. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected outcomes. Themes career luck misjudgment creativity Mood optimistic reflective Type inspirational personal When to use this quote - writing a YA novel - rebranding a manuscript - marketing to new demographics - learning from market feedback Key Concepts serendipity audience perception genre crossover Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn a misstep into a breakthrough? - What strategies help adapt a work for a new audience? A Different Perspective Success may be fragile if not strategically managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accident/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queen/) ## Related quotes > [When I was 19 and at drama school, a couple of friends and I decided to drive from Guildford through France, down to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ball/when-i-was-19-and-at-drama-school-a-couple-of-friends-and-i-decided/) [Michael Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ball/) > [Initially, I wanted to write middle grade. YA scared me: there's a lot of responsibility in being a YA author. It's so important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/initially-i-wanted-to-write-middle-grade-ya-scared-me-there-s-a-lot/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [The YA author community is generally pretty friendly, and they care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomi-adeyemi/the-ya-author-community-is-generally-pretty-friendly-and-they-care/) [Tomi Adeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomi-adeyemi/) > [I've been asked this question so many times, do you feel you need to write a book for adults? No, I don't need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-ve-been-asked-this-question-so-many-times-do-you-feel-you-need-to/) [J. K. 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Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I think kids want the same thing from a book that adults want - a fast-paced story, characters worth caring about, humor, surprises, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-think-kids-want-the-same-thing-from-a-book-that-adults-want-a-fast/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I think it's a mistake to think, 'Am I going to write a young adult book, or do I desperately want to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-it-s-a-mistake-to-think-am-i-going-to-write-a-young-adult/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [When I wrote 'Marley & Me,' I had a clear audience in mind. And it did not include children. I wrote my book for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grogan/when-i-wrote-marley-me-i-had-a-clear-audience-in-mind-and-it-did-not/) [John Grogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grogan/) > [Over and over again women and men ... come to me saying, I don't know enough to write a book for adults, and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mabel-robinson/over-and-over-again-women-and-men-come-to-me-saying-i-don-t-know/) Mabel Robinson > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) ## More by Deb Caletti > [“More, much more, will happen after this. Things involving maps and books and true love and tragedy, tragedy like you wouldn't believe. But fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/more-much-more-will-happen-after-this-things-involving-maps-and-books/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“Hannah and Kayla are talking without saying anything. Their conversation goes like this: Hannah: Uh-huh. Kayla: It was like, ugh! Hannah: I know. Kayla:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/hannah-and-kayla-are-talking-without-saying-anything-their/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Another person is, at the heart of it, unknowable. And if you cannot know a person enough to always guess what they’re capable of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/another-person-is-at-the-heart-of-it-unknowable-and-if-you-cannot/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [That's what people do who love you. They put their arms around you and love you when you're not so lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/that-s-what-people-do-who-love-you-they-put-their-arms-around-you-and/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If fate is a shape-shifter, then loves is too. It can be, anyway, in its most dangerous form. It´s your best day and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-fate-is-a-shape-shifter-then-loves-is-too-it-can-be-anyway-in-its/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [If you don't participate, you're just taking up oxygen. (Bunny) Life is a banquet. Approach it with hunger. (Chuck)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/if-you-don-t-participate-you-re-just-taking-up-oxygen-bunny-life-is-a/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“You wanted more from people sometimes. And sometimes,you wanted more from yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/you-wanted-more-from-people-sometimes-and-sometimes-you-wanted-more/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Because that’s how it works after something terrible has happened. You know this is true if something terrible has ever happened to you. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/because-that-s-how-it-works-after-something-terrible-has-happened-you/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“Good guy. There was efficiency to male language. Those two words were what guys said about other guys that they really respected. Guys they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/good-guy-there-was-efficiency-to-male-language-those-two-words-were/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“In a world of insanity, nothing is sacred. It's an insane world, nothing is sacred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/in-a-world-of-insanity-nothing-is-sacred-it-s-an-insane-world-nothing/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“And because he was nice in the beginning did not mean he was a good man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/and-because-he-was-nice-in-the-beginning-did-not-mean-he-was-a-good/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“I like those very realistic paintings that look like photographs, or novels that are so much like actual life that you feel understood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-like-those-very-realistic-paintings-that-look-like-photographs-or/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [This is what happens when nice people are pushed too far. We give too many chances, and so when we've finally had enough, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/this-is-what-happens-when-nice-people-are-pushed-too-far-we-give-too/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [“I confess I had a Child of Divorce Reunion Fantasy Number One Thousand, where I for a moment imagined my father finding out that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/i-confess-i-had-a-child-of-divorce-reunion-fantasy-number-one/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [so what brings you to the doctor today?" "hmm, im afraid i have the chronic desire to save people" "i know about that. i've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/so-what-brings-you-to-the-doctor-today-hmm-im-afraid-i-have-the/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) [Explore all 404 Deb Caletti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) ## More Accident quotes > [Fame, we may understand, is no sure test of merit, but only a probability of such: it is an accident, not a property, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/fame-we-may-understand-is-no-sure-test-of-merit-but-only-a/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [“The accident in your rearview mirror already happened. The one in front of you is still preventable. Pay attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nakia-r-laushaul/the-accident-in-your-rearview-mirror-already-happened-the-one-in/) [Nakia R. Laushaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nakia-r-laushaul/) > [People dont get married by accident and they dont get divorced by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-dont-get-married-by-accident-and-they-dont-get-divorced-by/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [My father had Parkinson's, though he actually died following a bicycle accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/my-father-had-parkinson-s-though-he-actually-died-following-a-bicycle/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The spirit in the body is like wine in a glass; when it spills, it seeps into air and earth and light….It’s a mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-michaels/the-spirit-in-the-body-is-like-wine-in-a-glass-when-it-spills-it/) [Anne Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-michaels/) > [accident ruled every corner of the universe except the chambers of the human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-guterson/accident-ruled-every-corner-of-the-universe-except-the-chambers-of/) [David Guterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-guterson/) > [There is a French expression that says: to be exposed to an accident, to cross a street without looking at the cars means exposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-virilio/there-is-a-french-expression-that-says-to-be-exposed-to-an-accident/) [Paul Virilio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-virilio/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [High birth is an accident, not a virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/high-birth-is-an-accident-not-a-virtue/) [Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/) > [“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-just-got-out-of-the-hospital-i-was-in-a-speed-reading-accident-i/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [However, I met with a horrible accident while riding my bike in Sangla Valley. 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