I decided that, if I were to write a teen series, I'd want to set it in a place that was familiar to me - Manhattan, where I'd grown up - and I'd model the characters on myself and my friends. Cecily von Ziegesar characterdecidefamiliar Change image and share on social
I remember, in my senior year, one of my teachers taking me aside and saying: 'You look really tired.' This was when I was being a bad kid and she knew that something was wrong. Cecily von Ziegesar badkidknow Change image and share on social
I'm just a crazy person. I mean, I really didn't have any trouble coming up with weird ways for people to die. I think I'm just very twisted! Cecily von Ziegesar comecrazydie Change image and share on social
I always resented books that tried to teach a lesson, where the characters are too good: They don't swear, they tell their mothers everything. Cecily von Ziegesar bookcharactergood Change image and share on social
When I meet other parents and they're more 'mumsy' than I am - you know, I don't want to be 'mumsy,' but I'm like, 'Were you always like that or... what happened?' Cecily von Ziegesar happenmeetmumsy Change image and share on social
I guess I was popular in high school. Cecily von Ziegesar guesshighpopular Change image and share on social
I feel like 'Gossip Girl' isn't really 'Gossip Girl' anymore when they're away at school because they don't go to NYU; they go to, like, Yale and Brown. New York City is just as much a character as anyone else in the books, and I was really sort of reluctant to show them off in their separate college worlds. Cecily von Ziegesar anymorebookbrown share on social
Even now, I change my style and clothes from one day to the next, but during high school I blended in. I think a lot of people are that way. I guess that's why I can write about an array of characters. Cecily von Ziegesar arrayblendchange share on social
I certainly didn't say while writing 'Gossip Girl,' 'Oh this is going to be big!' It was really like, 'Oh god, everyone's gong to hate these people! They're so bratty!' But I actually think what is so appealing about them is the humor in them. Cecily von Ziegesar appealbigbratty share on social
I'd never really babysat. I feel like I'm Blair, or 'Gossip Girl.' A teenager, basically - and now suddenly I'm a mom? Cecily von Ziegesar babysatbasicallyblair Change image and share on social