Road Trip Wednesday

Road Trip Wednesday is a ‘Blog Carnival,’ where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question that begs to be answered. In the comments, you can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the prompt on your own blog and leave a link -- or, if you prefer, you can include your answer in the comments.

This Week's Topic: What themes, settings, motifs, scenes, or other elements do you find recurring in your work?

So, here goes. . .

When I take a critical look back at things I've written over the years, beginning with those first crayon "books" in elementary school to my current works in progress, I find that I often chose to write about characters that consider themselves rebels or loners (I'm sure psychologists would have a field day with THAT one). But I LOVE a good misfit. In fact, the manuscript I'm currently slaving away to get publish-ready is all about three high school outcasts working together to become the newest members of Team Evil Overlord (aka. superheroes in villain clothing). And they might just be the best three characters I ever wrote.

I also really like teamwork to accomplish a group objective. Like completing a heist or taking down the school bully. I enjoy sticking the three kids most likely to get picked last in gym class and forcing them to rally together to save the day. My story is about using the special talents we bring to the table, the ones that get us labeled "nerd" or "geek", to make a group of individuals stronger, smarter and more unified. As Jack - my main character - states, "The rebel, the brainiac, and the loner. . . we make quite a team."

But at the end of the day, I usually write about misfits finding their 'place'. They work together, they become heroes, but ultimately, they find a home together. And THAT is what I love to write about.