Lately, I've been thinking about the books I love and the staying power they have.
There is something to be said of the quality of writing of these books. For example, every girl has read Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and Pride and Prejudice. Of course, there are numerous other great books for girls, but these three are staples in a girl's reading development.
And it made me ask, "Why are these books so wonderful? Why have they lasted centuries?"
So far, all I have come up with is...these books have a true voice. A true small-town voice that captures the importance of family and personal struggles with learning to be strong and independent.
The characters in these stories may not ALL be relatable, but there is some magical quality in each one that presses on the heartbeat of girls everywhere. Think about it...who can deny that they want to be just a little bit like Jo March, the spunky, vivacious, modern girl of her time; or Anne Shirley, the imaginative, free-spirited girl; or even Elizabeth Bennet, the head-strong, independent girl confined by her circumstances, who manages to catch the eye of a most stern gentleman?
It is a question for authors like me. How to bring to life a character, made up purely from your brain and who possesses part of your heart, so that your pen and words capture the attention of your readers and woos them age after age.
hmmm...now, how to do it...
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