22. A Successful Story is a Believable One
In our always changing society, it can be challenging to stay up-to-date with the actions of your characters, the mottos they stand by, and your dialogue usage. This is especially valid for folks who write young adult novels, or teen fiction stories, and are old enough to be their character’s grandparent.
Researching in newspapers, blogs, and present day sources is the best way to make sure your story is realistic to your young reader’s eye. Talk to kids who are around your main character’s age. Observe their speech, popular slang words (for example, “rad” and “groovy” are a bit out of date…) and interests. A successful story is a believable story.
