Natalie Nelson is the main protagonist. She is a sixth grader, who has written her own novel. Natalie’s main qualities are her sense of right and wrong, her compassion, and her writing skills. Natalie’s main conflicts are her struggles with her confidence and with feeling overwhelmed by the process of getting her book published.

Natalie “had always been a writer” (8), and she has a love for literature. When Natalie was younger, she “loved it when her mom or dad read to her” (8-9). After her father’s death, Natalie gradually became a writer in addition to her reading passion. Natalie feels a sense of connection with her late father through her reading and writing. After his death, Natalie set up her own writing station with “her dad’s old red desk chair and […] his old Macintosh computer” (12), so she could feel close to her father.

Natalie’s strong writing skills allow her to create her book, The Cheater. Natalie is initially proud of her work, but when her best friend Zoe suggests they try to get it published, Natalie begins to worry about the quality of her writing. She wonders if her writing is “something a real editor would want to look at” (30) and frequently doubts herself as she and Zoe dive deeper into the world of publishing.