A YA heroine does not have to pick up a weapon nor wear men's clothing to be equal to her male counterparts.

So many writers come to class with one question dominant in their mind, 'How do I make a living from this?' It's a fair enough question and one I always try to answer well- but it saddens me that it so often overshadows the more relevant questions of 'why am I writing' and 'what am I saying' and 'how do I keep it honest.

A YA heroine does not have to pick up a weapon nor wear men's clothing to be equal to her male counterparts.