Sydney asked Shannon Messenger:

In Keeper of the Lost Cities, was it hard to make Sophie understand that she's an elf? Because I love writing, and I'm writing a story similar to that at home for fun (Person finds out they have magical powers and goes to school for people who also do), and I'm having trouble making the person understand while still showing that this is obviously hard for them to believe. Have any tips?

Shannon Messenger It's always difficult to "make" Sophie do or understand anything, because I don't want her to read like she's a puppet just doing what I tell her to. I want her to read like a real person with her own thoughts and wants and feelings. Her own way of processing and reacting and responding. So for me, the trick with every scene I write is to start by simply asking myself, "what would Sophie do?" and putting lots of thought into the answer. Half the time, the things I realize she would do/say/feel/understand are very different than how I want/expect things to go--but trusting that and going with it always makes the book better in the long run.

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