--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se…" description: "\"I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se. But every time I thought of a story, it featured characters 15, 16, 17.\" — Sara Zarr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sara-zarr-2184_character_i-didn-t-decide-to-write-ya-per-se-but-e_1978679.png" --- # I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se. But every time I… ![“I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se. But every time I thought of a story, it featured characters 15, 16, 17.” quote by Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sara-zarr-2184_character_i-didn-t-decide-to-write-ya-per-se-but-e_1978679.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sara-zarr-2184_character_i-didn-t-decide-to-write-ya-per-se-but-e_1978679.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebb/sara-zarr-2184_character_i-didn-t-decide-to-write-ya-per-se-but-e_1978679.png) > “I didn't 'decide' to write YA, per se. But every time I thought of a story, it featured characters 15, 16, 17.” [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author writes primarily for teenage characters because her ideas naturally gravitate toward that age group, not from a deliberate market choice. **In simple terms:** She writes for teens because the stories fit them, not because she planned it. Key Takeaway Embrace the natural audience of your ideas. Themes creativity audience authenticity Mood reflective thoughtful Type advice personal insight When to use this quote - story brainstorming - character development - targeted marketing - genre selection Key Concepts young adult literature authorial voice Questions to Reflect On - Do your stories naturally suit a specific age group? - How can you expand your audience without losing authenticity? A Different Perspective The focus on teens may limit broader appeal or pigeonhole the author. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Characters 15](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters-15-3365697/) [Decide Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decide-write-365858/) [Didn Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-decide-1050998/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Thought Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-story-533379/) [Write Ya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-ya-3365696/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I've always wanted to be a part of that experience of writing to an audience that is just starting to fall in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mlynowski/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-that-experience-of-writing-to-an/) [Sarah Mlynowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mlynowski/) > [That's just part of being in 'X-Men.' There's, like, 20 main characters, and 15 of them are household names, so obviously you're happy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-stanford/that-s-just-part-of-being-in-x-men-there-s-like-20-main-characters/) [Aaron Stanford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-stanford/) > [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [I don't want to tell what the songs are about for me, because then people can't decide for themselves, which is why I write;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-fallon/i-don-t-want-to-tell-what-the-songs-are-about-for-me-because-then/) [Brian Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-fallon/) > [Why do writers, say, give up a job in economics and decide to write poetry? Or, why do they give up a job in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/why-do-writers-say-give-up-a-job-in-economics-and-decide-to-write/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [“Go and catch a falling star, Get with child a mandrake root, Tell me where all past years are, Or who cleft the Devil’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-wynne-jones/go-and-catch-a-falling-star-get-with-child-a-mandrake-root-tell-me-2/) [Diana Wynne Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-wynne-jones/) > [“And of course, if you ever do decide to write anything else, even if you don’t want to publish it, I’d love to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/and-of-course-if-you-ever-do-decide-to-write-anything-else-even-if/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I didn't decide to be a character actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-character-actress/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [I didn't decide to become a musician until the age of 15, which is quite late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/i-didn-t-decide-to-become-a-musician-until-the-age-of-15-which-is/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [There may be a point where I may decide to write an autobiography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-stephenson/there-may-be-a-point-where-i-may-decide-to-write-an-autobiography/) [Pamela Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-stephenson/) > [“if you ever do decide to write anything else, even if you don’t want to publish it, I’d love to read it. Frankly, I’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/if-you-ever-do-decide-to-write-anything-else-even-if-you-don-t-want/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [If you happen to capture my imagination for some reason and I decide to write about you and you don't like what I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/if-you-happen-to-capture-my-imagination-for-some-reason-and-i-decide/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-actor-because-my-plan-was-to/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) > [“Your life is like a book you decide what to write on it or erase from it; But you might not be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/topsy-gift/your-life-is-like-a-book-you-decide-what-to-write-on-it-or-erase-from/) [Topsy Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/topsy-gift/) > [When I decide to write a story, I don't think too much about what I want it to be, I just let things come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asghar-farhadi/when-i-decide-to-write-a-story-i-don-t-think-too-much-about-what-i/) [Asghar Farhadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asghar-farhadi/) ## More by Sara Zarr > [My books have been translated into various languages and sold in other countries, but I never have any contact with the foreign publishers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/my-books-have-been-translated-into-various-languages-and-sold-in/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Is this okay with you, Jenna? For him to stay here?" "Yeah," I said. "It's good. You have no idea what it takes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/is-this-okay-with-you-jenna-for-him-to-stay-here-yeah-i-said-it-s/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [Remember that no matter where I am or what I'm doing I've got a special place inside me that's all for you. It's been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/remember-that-no-matter-where-i-am-or-what-i-m-doing-i-ve-got-a/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“I don't understand, Jenna, why you couldn't give him a ride home?" 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I watched him walk out – he didn’t say good-bye, he didn’t even look back. It scared me, how easy it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/and-he-left-i-watched-him-walk-out-he-didn-t-say-good-bye-he-didn-t/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I tend to describe recurring themes as being part of a writer's DNA - something so deeply embedded in us that even we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-tend-to-describe-recurring-themes-as-being-part-of-a-writer-s-dna/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [I do have a little bit more confidence in - or at least familiarity with - my process. For example, when it feels like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/i-do-have-a-little-bit-more-confidence-in-or-at-least-familiarity/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [The world was full of beauty. She wanted to grab hold of it and take it down into her bones. Yet always it seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-zarr/the-world-was-full-of-beauty-she-wanted-to-grab-hold-of-it-and-take/) [Sara Zarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-zarr/) > [“Does all this have anything to do with Cameron coming back?" "Basically." She didn't put any letters down. Our game had effectively stopped. 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You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. 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