SARA SHEPARD: Writing What You Love & Creating Captivating Villains

Sara Shepard is the author of the popular NYT bestselling series "Pretty Little Liars" and "The Lying Game". She takes us behind the scenes of her newest book, "Follow Me", the second book in "The Amateurs" series. We unpack how ghostwriting can help hone your craft and develop your own novel, and how ghostwriting created opportunities for Sara to develop the “Pretty Little Liars” book series with Alloy Entertainment. For “Pretty Little Liars” fans, we dive into detail about the book series and Sara’s thoughts on the TV series adaptation. Further into our conversation, we talk about coping with imposter syndrome as a writer,  ways to overcome writer’s block and unlock new plot lines, how outlining can help you keep track of complicated plot lines during your writing process, and how to manage the pressure of strict deadlines. We also talk about how to protect your emotions when writing about dark and intense scenes or characters, how to create a villain readers won’t forget, and how to write action scenes that will captivate your readers. We discuss the importance of community and support when you are going through a hardship and the importance of giving back and showing gratitude to your fans and support. Say 'Hi' to Sara on Twitter! Check out the books and resources mentioned in her episode by clicking here! Happy listening! Xo, Yin PS. Do you know anyone who would love our conversation? Please share this episode to help spread the word! --- If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support! You can click here to go directly to our iTunes page! --- Meet fellow members in our community and check in about your WIP, and join in on other bookish talks and 88 Cups of Tea related things! You can really feel the love and support in our Facebook community. You also get the opportunity to submit your questions for upcoming guests on the show. Click here to join our private Facebook group! IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to have a clear profile picture of yourself. If not, send over links to either your Twitter or Instagram. Fill out the 3 questions that pop up as soon as you join. To protect our group's safe space, these steps help us weed out any spam/fake profiles/creepers. Can't wait to meet you! --- Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here! ---  “Don’t worry about getting it perfect.”  -Sara Shepard (Click to tweet) “As a writer, you have to put yourself in your character’s shoes and understand what they are feeling and the temptations that go with that.” -Sara Shepard (Click to tweet) “There are ups and downs and sometimes what you are doing is really popular and sometimes it’s not. It’s ok when it’s not. You still write what you love and still do what you love to do.”  -Sara Shepard (Click to tweet) --- WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN TODAY'S EPISODE:  How Sara’s career explorations lead her to becoming a published author and novelist How ghostwriting can help hone your craft and develop your own novel  How to understand and cope with imposter syndrome as a writer How Sara and Alloy Entertainment developed the concept for her series “Pretty Little Liars”  How to manage the pressure of strict deadlines  Sara’s thoughts on the TV series adaptation  of “Pretty Little Liars”  Ways to overcome writer’s block and unlock new plot lines  How outlining can help you keep track of complicated plot lines during your writing process  The importance of understanding that your story’s first draft may transform into a completely new story  A look into the world of Sara’s new series called “The Amateurs” How to protect your emotions when writing about dark and intense scenes or characters  How to create a villain readers won’t forget How to write action scenes that will captivate your readers The importance of community and support when you are going through a hardship  The importance of giving back and showing gratitude to your fans and supporters