Books are Chic Books are Chic with Sarah Dessen
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May 5, 2026 
Sarah Dessen, bestselling YA novelist known for contemporary coming-of-age stories, talks about her fifteenth book Change of Plans and a seven-year return to publishing. She discusses the resurgence of contemporary YA, writing for teens and adults, portraying family at a crossroads, and the shared-universe approach connecting her standalone novels.
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Writing Family Dynamics From An Adult Perspective
- Sarah described writing family scenes by imagining meeting relatives as an adult rather than being known since childhood, since Finley's mother was estranged.
- She drew on her Cape Cod summers where the adult conversation pivot marked crossing into adulthood.
Personal Timing Made Senior Year Feel Real
- Dessen wrote the first draft years earlier but observed real senior-year pressure as her daughter approached graduation, making the book feel timely.
- She connected personally to the stress of deciding college plans and the illusion you must have everything figured out at 18.
Prefer Standalone Books Over Long Sequels
- Avoid committing to long series unless you love revisiting characters; keep each book its own world.
- Dessen prefers standalone novels with Easter eggs and occasional character cameos rather than full sequels to maintain quality.
