H is for Hello...

Today is brought to you by the letter H! I was sitting here, trying to think what began with H that I could write about. Heffalumps didn't work. Neither did Hogwarts. Or Hoopskirts.

So I'm going to write about hellos. The first time you meet someone usually sticks in your mind. You get a visual impression, you see what they're wearing you hear their voice. It gives you an instant judgement of them, good or bad.

This is also true of characters in YA novels. The first time we are introduced to a new character should mean something. We should learn something about both characters from their interaction, something that you wouldn't learn just looking at them.

One of my favorite examples of this is in Kody Keplinger's The DUFF. Bianca, our main girl goes to a club and we're introduced to Wesley, a douche-y rich guy who goes to school with her. He basically comes up to her and says that in order to hook up with one of her hot friends, he's going to be nice to her. Because she's the DUFF. (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Bianca, justifiably offended, throws her cherry coke in his face. And then kisses him. No one is more surprised by this than she is.  This little scene shows us so much about who Bianca is, and who Wesley is. And it shows that their story is going to be really, really interesting. And it is. *sigh* I love that book.