YA Outside the Lines

This month at YA Outside the Lines, we’re talking about character, presumably in the context of writing. Alas, I'm not interested in teaching — or even talking about — writing. Writing is just something I do. But I have a few thoughts about character. I won't go into politics (you're welcome), but the subject of character reminds me of the movie The American President , in which Michael Douglas plays President Andrew Shepherd. Although I love the whole movie (ooh! must rewatch! but I should maybe finish this blog first!), there's a scene at the end of the movie in which Andrew Shepherd is speaking at a press conference, and he suddenly hits one out of the park: "For the last couple of months, Senator Rumson has suggested that being president of this country was, to a certain extent, about character... I've been here three years and three days, and I can tell you without hesitation: Being president of this country is *entirely* about character."