Alanna Bennett — Crafting Teen Stories In Hollywood from XO Kitty to The Education of Kia Greer cover art

Alanna Bennett — Crafting Teen Stories In Hollywood from XO Kitty to The Education of Kia Greer

Alanna Bennett — Crafting Teen Stories In Hollywood from XO Kitty to The Education of Kia Greer

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Author and screenwriter Alanna Bennett joins Sparkle On to discuss her debut novel The Education of Kia Greer, her work on Netflix's XO Kitty, and why teen stories remain some of the most powerful narratives in Hollywood. From her journalism days at BuzzFeed News to breaking into the writers' room, Alanna shares how she carved out a career telling young adult rom-com stories that center young Black women, queer characters, and the messy, beautiful crossroads of girlhood. Alanna reveals how a pandemic rewatch of Keeping Up with the Kardashians sparked the idea for The Education of Kia Greer, a novel about a 16-year-old reality TV star who dreams of a normal life. She explains how she researched narcissistic family dynamics, the dehumanization of young women in the public eye, and the specific terror of growing up famous without choosing it. This episode explores the vulnerability required to be a full-time artist, the constant negotiation between authenticity and commercial demands, and why Alanna believes that losing a job for staying true to your values is better than selling a piece of your soul. She reminds us that rejection never stops, and that the only way forward is to stop avoiding the writing and start putting yourself out there. Alanna's work proves that the stories we're most afraid to tell are often the ones that matter most. Read The Education of Kia Greer: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/739902/the-education-of-kia-greer-by-alanna-bennett/ Follow Alanna Bennett: https://www.instagram.com/alanabennett Chapters 00:00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:01:04 Finding Her Story Beat: The Young Adult Rom-Com Niche 00:02:27 Convincing Hollywood That Teen Stories Matter 00:03:59 Playing Pretend and the Power of Jenny Han Characters 00:09:34 The Twilight Between Childhood and Adulthood 00:11:41 Casting, Representation, and Fighting for Characters 00:14:01 Knowing When Not to Compromise 00:16:39 The Birth of Kia Greer: A Pandemic Rewatch and Kylie Jenner 00:19:25 Dehumanization, Celebrity Culture, and Online Discourse 00:21:55 Making It Her Own: Beyond Kardashian Fanfic 00:24:43 Researching Complex Relationships and Narcissistic Mothers 00:27:24 One Wild and Precious Life: Mary Oliver and Agency 00:29:21 The Three E's: Exploration, Expression, and Elation 00:31:54 The Rat King Metaphor: Collaboration in the Writer's Room 00:34:08 Kitty's Exploration and the Yuri Crush 00:35:17 Advice for Young Writers: There's No Exact Path 00:39:33 Overcoming Fear: The Day She Stopped Being Afraid to Write 00:43:46 Stepping Into the Light Every Day 00:45:58 What's Next and Where to Find the Book
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