The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna 270 | Jenny Han (The Summer I Turned Pretty): Writing Love, Longing & Coming of Age
Nov 6, 2025
Jenny Han, a New York Times bestselling author and showrunner, dives into the intricacies of adapting young adult fiction for the screen. She discusses balancing the demands of showrunning with the solitary nature of novel writing. From managing fandom expectations to crafting authentic emotions, Jenny shares her insights on writing love stories and first experiences. She also reveals the joys of visual storytelling and the significance of character growth, especially in her series about coming-of-age and self-discovery.
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Novels Require Solitary Depth
- Jenny Han says novel writing requires a solitary, deep trance-like headspace unlike TV writing.
- She contrasts novel ownership with TV's collaborative, managerial demands where many hands shape the story.
Own Every Detail As The Novelist
- Treat yourself as the director-producer when writing a novel and control every sensory detail on the page.
- Use your editor's notes selectively and keep final creative choices yours.
Author Skills Eased Social Media Shift
- Jenny already managed an author-audience relationship before film thanks to doing her own book marketing.
- That experience helped her navigate the huge social-media response after films and shows reached millions.
