10 Day You Challenge` Day Four: Four Books

DAY FOUR: FOUR BOOKS

The Boy Series | by Meg Cabot

Boy Next Door
Boy Meets Girl
Every Boy's Got One

I'm aware, this is kind of cheating, but whatever. The thing I love most about this series is the way that they're written. It's not a standard format. Most of the entire book is through e-mail or chat log format. MEG CABOT IS A GENIUS! The best part is, IT ALL MAKES SENSE. Even in the unusual format.

Paper Towns | by John Green

Addicted to his video blogs with his brother, I knew that I had to pick this book up. This book is phenomenal. A story of coming of age, of love, breaking laws, and adventure. It's fantastic.

Anna and the French Kiss | by Stephanie Perkins

I might be a little bias. Since it has my name in it. Stephanie Perkins' debut novel is nothing to scoff at. This book is funny with out being cheesy (though a small amount of cheese is okay), heartwarming, sweet and definitely sexy. Though, rumor has it that her companion novel to Anna, Lola and the Boy Next Door, is even better.

The Extraordinary Secrets of April, May, and June | by Robin Benway

I'm a sucker for superhero stories. Stories where a unsuspecting citizen gets magic powers. Or in this case, when a trio of sisters get magic powers. ♥

I'm not crazy, my mother had me tested...

I've never been a critique partner before.

It's a little nerve-racking to be honest.

My amazing friend Helen , sent me her story to critique. Now, I know that I need to give more critique than "Aw, Helen, that was a GREAT book!!!" because every author knows that it can only improve. As nervous as I am to be a critique partner, I'm also kind of excited. It'll be nice to feel like my opinions about a book might actually make it better.

Thankfully, I follow amazing authors who give advice on how to be a good beta. *hugs amazing authors* ilu. &hearts

As nervous as I am to try and critique my friends' novel, I'm more nervous about having them critique mine. I've never really let anyone read my stuff. Not only that, but I have yet to get past 30,000 words in one singular novel. Recently a new idea popped into my head and it's definitely in uncharted territory.

Most everything I've written is with a male main character. Which may seem odd to some people, but for me, it's kind of awesome. You see, when I was just getting into writing I would do online written role play. In these role plays there were always an abundance of female characters. So to ensure that I would have someone to talk to, I ended up making a male character. It always worked. I became so accustomed to playing male characters that its always been hard for me to detach myself from them.

Not only did written role playing introduce me to a different perspective of writing, it also made me more adept at writing in third person than in first. I've tried writing through a female perspective and it never seems to work out as well as the male. I've tried writing from first person, and I just end up thinking it's wonky.

Now comes my conundrum. You see, there are these characters that have popped into my head, they're chatty, and dorky, and everything I love in characters. But they seem to only want to talk to me when I write their story from first person. However, these characters have grapsed my interest enough that I keep trying. I end up writing in third person, then they stop talking to me (which may be a good thing when I'm at work), and don't start talking to me again until I change it to first person.

My characters are rude to me, but I love them.

(btw, I'm not crazy. Having characters talk to you is completely normal behavior.... for writers.)
Any ideas on how to cope with being outside your comfort zone? Or should I just dive head first into it?