Hey everyone!   And welcome back to Answer Day, part 2!  Let's get right to it, shall we?

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charlie says: is GG4 going to be over winter break and the rest of Cammie's junior year?

Yes!

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Megan says: How much does it generally cost to write a book?

In terms of out-of-pocket expenses it’s practically free.  Paper.  Pens.  Access to a computer.  All stuff that most people can get their hands on with little effort.  The real cost is in time.  It can take thousands of hours and even more heartache.

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Raine says: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

I would love to visit Australia (I know there are a lot of Gallagher Girls down there!) and hope to do that sometime in my life.  I’m also toying with the idea of a trip to Scandinavia.  And Greece.  And Brazil.  And…  Well, you get the picture.

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Taylor says: Would you ever do a “spin-off” Gallagher girls series? (like talk about when Joe Solomon, Rachel, Aunt Abby and Cammie’s Dad were new spies?)

I don't have any plans to do that at this time, but I would never say never.

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Many people asked: You never said who won the election in GG3!

Actually…I did.  It’s in there if you read closely.

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Megan says:  Do you make up the plot for your books as you go, or did you always see things coming?

I do a little of both.  Big picture things I know in advance, details not so much.  For example, I knew that LYKY would end with Cammie’s final exam.  The fact that someone was going to drive a forklift through a wall during the exam was as much a surprise to me as it hopefully was for you.

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Beth says: What’s your favorite part of the book-writing process?

The writing process is full of highs and lows and they come at all phases, but the part that is the most consistently fun is probably the beginning—right when you have a shiny, new idea that hasn’t broken your heart or kept you up nights or made you pull your hair out yet.

That’s actually something that’s hard about writing because the new ideas are always coming, and it’s always tempting to abandon the books that aren’t pure fun anymore for the shiny new toys.  It’s tempting, but you really only get ahead in this business by finishing books and that means resisting the temptation to abandon ship with the going gets tough.

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Erin, the redhead says:  What’s the biggest misconception about being an author?

Oooh, tough one.  Honestly, there seem to be quite a few misconceptions out there.  Here are just a few: 1. That all writers are rich.  2. Conversely, that all writers are poor.  3.  That getting published is the hard part (actually, staying published is infinitely more difficult). 4. That it’s glamorous.  5. That it’s easy.

But the more I think about it, I’d have to say the single-biggest misconception is that people believe authors have way, way, way, way more power/control than we actually have.

With the notable exception of maybe three authors in the world (JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, and maybe James Patterson) we don’t control where we go on tour, or what the covers of our books look like, and we absolutely, positively do not have the power to “make” our books into movies.

Don’t get me wrong, most of us wish we had the kind of power to control those things…

But we don’t.

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Andye says:  As a mom of a young teen, I really appreciate that your books aren’t loaded with “questionable” language and sexual content. Is this a conscious effort on your part?

Not really—that’s just the way I write, I guess.  (Even my “adult” books are cleaner than many YAs.)  There are times when I’m conscious of the fact that many younger teens and tweens read my books, but that’s more about trying to write things in a way that is friendly to younger or reluctant readers.

Ps…I am always very happy to hear that mothers and grandmothers and daughters are reading together!

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Alyssa says: If you were on Dancing with the Stars who would you want to be partnered with?

Max or Tony.  (Max, cause, dude, he’s HOT.  Tony because he seems to be the nicest.)

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Ari says: Favorite guilty pleasure?

TV.  And sweets—all kinds of sweets.

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anisa says: Why does Macey trust and open up to Cammie the most? Even before the incident in GG3 occurred she always seemed closer to Cammie.

I think that’s probably somewhat an illusion.  Because we’re in Cammie’s point of view, we see Macey with the group and we see Macey with just Cammie, but we never get to see just Macey and Bex hanging out together or just Macey and Liz.

So while Cammie and Macey are really bonding, I don’t think they’re necessarily any more bonded than Macey and Bex and Liz.

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BlueBelt says: If you could change one thing about your writing techniques and/or style what would it be?

I would be better.  And faster.  Both.

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Kimberley S says: If Zach realizes how good of a spy Cammie really is, why does he worry about her or not want her in dangerous situations?

Um….why would a boy worry about girl?  Why oh why could that be?  Hmmm.

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Jess says:  What are some perks for being an author?

Oh, there are some awesome perks!  You get to be your own boss (for the most part).  You can work in your pajamas, and you don’t have to wash your hair or put on makeup if you don’t feel like it.  You get paid to make stuff up, and you can live pretty much anywhere in the world.

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Callie says: What other jobs would you like to pursue?

I’m really interested in all types of writing.  I’d love to write a television pilot one day.  Maybe another screenplay.  Even songs appeal to me (I really love making up silly songs with my five and three-year-old nieces.)

From a non-writing standpoint I’ve always dreamed of having my own farm/ranch.  That’s definitely on the horizon somewhere if I play my cards right.

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Amanda says: Are you planning to start any new series besides Heist Society and GG?

I’m sure I will someday.  In fact, I have two different ideas for non-GG/Heist books that I would love to write in the very near future.  The problem is time.  Unfortunately, time is always a limiting factor.

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Synecdoche says: Is being a Young Adult author different from being an adult fiction author? Is there a difference in your writing methods between Young Adult and Adult fiction?

My first instinct was no—good stories are good stories.  But the more I think about this question, the more certain I am the answer is yes.  The world of children’s (and teen) publishing is inherently different from adult publishing in many ways.  State reading lists, the influence of librarians and “gatekeepers” and the overwhelming power of word-of-mouth are some of the practical business differences.  From the aspect of the writing, I think the biggest difference is good pacing.  In adult books it’s probably preferred.  In YA books, it’s pretty much mandatory.

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Well, that's it, everybody!  If your question wasn't answered, I'm sorry.  I really did all I could.  If you haven't already, look around allycarter.com and click on the Frequently Asked Questions tag here on the blog to see if your question is answered there.  (Hint: many, many, many of them are.)

Have a great week and keep on reading!

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Ally

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