I have a special guest today who has just released her Young Adult novel, Every Little Piece. I’ve already read the book and loved it. I loved it so much, I ignored my writing just so I could keep reading Kate’s book. So naturally I was thrilled when she said she would write a guest post. Take it away Kate . . . .
****
As writers, we’ve all heard over and over to follow the rules. They help us when we’re writing our first manuscript…or second and third.
Rules such as don’t ever describe a character by having him/her look in a mirror, start with action but not so into the action that readers are confused, and follow story structure.
Rules are good.
I suggest following them. Most of the time.
There’s also a time to experiment. I had finished one project, and I needed something new and different. When I sat down to write Every Little Piece, I had a vague idea of where the story was going. I wanted an event and then a before and after. I wanted to show two people in a relationship dealing with their past.
For the first time in a long time, I didn’t have a solid outline. I told myself that I was willing to write thirty thousand words just for the sake of backstory. I didn’t worry about turning points.
I just wrote the story.
Of course, I had reshaping, revising, rewriting to complete after. I cut scenes. I refined the writing. I fleshed out turning points that came naturally.
But I let go of everything when writing this story. Sometimes it’s good to follow those rules. It’s good to follow perfect story structure.
But sometimes, it’s good just to let go of everything and just write the story from your heart.
Blurb:
Secrets never stay in the past.
The night before high school graduation changes everything. Lies are told. Mistakes are made. Secrets tucked away. Lives are changed in the span of a few hours.
A year later, Haley is still reeling, numb with the constant ache of guilt. She's in a place she never expected to be: lost without her friends and Seth. Until he enters her life again, dredging up everything she's trying to forget. Everything about that night.
Seth returns to his hometown determined to share his truth, his side of the story. He desperately needs to make things right with Haley, even if it means losing her forever. Because the truth will ruin any chance of her ever loving him again.
Except neither of them are prepared for the shock of what really happened the night before graduation.
Goodreads~ Amazon~ Barnes and Noble
There’s still time to sign up for the Every Little Piece Book Blitz Tour with Xpresso Tours starting May 6th!
Thanks so much Stina for your support and letting me take over your blog!
Kate Ashton @kateashton01 is the author of the contemporary mature YA Every Little Piece. She writes about relationships and love, heartbreak and healing. And everything in between.
Justine Dell has just released her latest book and is here to chat about writing from the gender opposite to what you were born. A topic I’m always excited to read about. Thanks, JD!
* * *
There are lots of girls out there writing from a guy’s perspective. And there are lots of guys writing from a girl’s perspective. So there are plenty of examples of where it works.
On the flip side, I'm sure there are some examples of where it doesn't/wouldn't work.
YA, MG, Picture Books, General Fiction, Sci-Fi, Thriller, etc, etc, can all be written from either a man or a woman--no matter who the MC is.
Romance is the only genre where this question is...well, questioned. Let's face it—men don't really know what women want. HOWEVER, there have been some very successful MALE romance writers (most of which wrote under a female pen name because of gender bias). Leigh Greenwood, Gill Sanderson, Sylvain Reynard…are just a few.
There is a lot of room for people to argue this point one way or another. I, however, don't base anything on gender. This world is diverse, WE are diverse. So instead of wondering if a boy/girl could write a good perspective from the opposite sex, ask yourself:
CAN YOU WRITE ANY PERSPECTIVE WELL?
If you're a girl, can you write a girl? At any age? If you're a guy, can you write a convincing guy? At any age? So the same is asked if you are writing from a different perspective.
Can you be convincing in any perspective? You're a writer, you're creative, you develop people from scratch. It's not a gender issue—it’s a creative issue.
CAN YOU BE CREATIVE?
You've written characters who are professional race car drivers, chefs, killers, tech freaks, etc. I'm pretty sure you aren't any of those people. Well, I hope you aren't a killer.
Back on point... if you did write characters that are nothing like you how did you write those convincingly? You researched, right? So now the question is:
CAN YOU BE AUTHENTIC?
Your gender doesn't matter. Your mind does.
And in the end, if you are still second guessing yourself, do MORE research. Or have someone who knows about it read it. Let me know if you are able to catch Jeff Gordon on the racetrack or Charles Mason during visiting hours. But seriously, if you are worried about writing from a different gender POV, have that gender read it to see what think. Or research it. And read it. Lots of reading helps.
Do you peeps have any good examples of male writing female and vice versa? Do you have any specific examples (of your own struggles/successes) you'd like to share?
~JD
BLURB:
At the age of thirty, with two failed marriages and a tanking writing career, Samantha Moore deals with the world with the only tool she had left: anger. And she’s tired of it. When her grandmother's near-death sends her rushing back home to Vermont, she hopes for the chance to overcome the rage ruling her life.
Once she’s home, Lance Cummings becomes a constant source of indigestion. Lance is a single father who learned first-hand the devastating effects of a damaging relationship. He sees through Samantha’s nasty temper—straight to her cry for help. He wants to help her, but he also wants to know why Samantha ran from him—and their future—twelve years before.
Taking care of her Grams, dealing with an alcoholic brother, and getting Lance to remove his annoyingly attractive nose from her business is draining on Samantha. And she’s only got three weeks to finish her stagnated novel or her publisher will drop her. No pressure. To top it off, pretending to hate the man she actually loves makes each day in Vermont harder than the last. Especially when Lance turns up the heat.
BIO:
Justine lives in the Midwest, happily catering to her family, which consists of a horse-obsessed teenage daughter, four dogs, and a husband who is too good to be true. She's never moved from her hometown, but hopes to grow old in a much warmer climate.
During the day she works a normal job with college students who try their best to keep her young. They've done a good job thus far. At night, said teenage daughter and her horse require mounds of love and attention. The weekends belong solely to her and her writing. That's when she morphs into a sticky bug, unable to leave the confines of her computer chair.
She started writing four years ago after seeing a movie that set off a chain reaction she couldn't have stopped if she'd wanted. It's not a hobby for her; it's an obsession. One she loves and one she loves to share. Her debut book, Recaptured Dreams and her newest release, All-American Girl, are available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever book are sold.
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Omnific
Book Trailer
My Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Don’t forget that I am giving away a copy of the ebook at each blog tour stop. I will also giveaway an AAG postcard and Vermont Maple Candy (together). Please let me know if you want to enter to win from Stina’s blog. I am also hosting my own giveaway for the tour.
I would like to welcome David Farland to my blog today. He often teaches writing workshops, and has trained a number of people who went on to become international bestselling authors—people like Brandon Sanderson in fantasy, Brandon Mull in middle-grade fiction, and Stephenie Meyer in young adult fiction. In addition to being an author of adult fantasy, he has just released his YA fantasy novel, Nightingale (blurb at the end of post).
###
Here’s an exercise that I use to help teach authors how to handle an opening scene.
1) Especially at the beginning of a tale, use “resonators” to better tie into your audience's subconscious. "Resonators" are often words that identify your piece as belonging to a particular genre, such as fantasy, romance, or horror. They are part of the secret language that is used within a particular genre to give the writing more power by referring to previous works written in that genre. 2) Avoid the use of “to be” verbs in the opening of your tale. In particular, if you describe an inanimate object, try to do it using only active verbs. It is all right to use metaphors and similes to create motion. For example, “hoary pines guarded the hillside, while an ancient rock brooded at its top.” 3) Appeal to all of the senses--sight (don’t just describe the colors of things or their shapes, but also their textures), sound, smell, taste, touch (hot/cold/wet/dry/ firmness/softness). A great rule of thumb is that if you want to bring a thing to life, really get the reader to focus on it, you need to describe it at least three times, preferably using different senses so that you don’t become repetitious. 4) Create a sense of physical motion in your description. There are several ways to do this. For example, you can have physical motion as mentioned in point two. But you can also have motion nearby. For example, if I were to continue describing the hill, I might place crows flying up from the pines, or a stiff wind that makes the boughs sway. 5) Add a sense of temporal motion in your description. For example, in describing a car you might describe how it has changed over time—from the moment that it was bought new in the showroom, to what it looks like now, to what it might look in another twenty years. 6) Add emotive motion to your description. Describe precisely what your protagonist feels about the place or thing that he is seeing, but pay particular attention to how that emotion changes. It is all right to use internal dialog. 7) Use precise language. That means that if you are describing a person, consider using his name. If you want your reader to envision a pine forest, let them know that it is a pine forest, not just a forest, lest they imagine oaks or palms.
Here is a sample of the opening description from my novel Nightingale (available as an enhanced novel on the iPad, complete with its own illustrations, soundtrack, animations, and author interviews). I didn’t try to use all of the tips listed above, just enough to bring the scene to life. Never make yourself a slave to all good advice:
Sommer Bastian had fled her safe house in North Carolina, and now nowhere was safe.
She raced through a thick forest, gasping in the humid air. Sweat drenched her, crawling down her forehead, stinging her eyes. Dogs barked a quarter mile behind, the deep-voices of mastiffs. Her vision reeled from fatigue, and she struggled to make out a path in the shadows.
Fireflies rose from the grass ahead, lugging their burden of light, lanterns in shades of emerald and citrine that pushed back against the gathering night. Eighty thousand stars wheeled through otherwise empty heavens. Without even a sliver of moon or the glow of a remote village, the stars did not shine so much as throb.
She could run no faster. With every stride, Sommer stretched her legs to the full. A mastiff keened, not far back now. It was almost upon her.
Her pursuers were faster than any human, and stronger than she. At nineteen, Sommer was in the prime of her life, but that made no difference. A desperate plan was taking form in her mind.
The dogs were trained to kill. But she knew that even a trained dog can’t attack someone who surrenders. Nature won’t allow it. And when a dog surrenders completely, it does so by offering its throat.
That would be her last resort—to lie on her back and give her throat to these killers, so that she could draw them in close.
She raced for her life. To her right, a buck snorted in the darkness and bounded away, invisible in the night. She hoped that its pounding would attract the dogs, and they did fall silent in confusion, but soon snarled and doubled their speed.
The brush grew thick ahead—blackberries and morning glory crisscrossing the deer trail. She heard dogs lunging behind her; one barked. They were nearly on her.
Sommer’s foot caught on something hard—a tough tree root—and she went sprawling. A dog growled and leapt. Sommer rolled to her back and arched her neck, offering her throat.
Three dogs quickly surrounded her, ominous black shadows that growled and barked, baring their fangs, sharp splinters of white. They were huge, these mastiffs, with spiked collars at their throats, and leather masks over their faces. Their hooded eyes seemed to be empty sockets in their skulls.
They bounded back and forth in their excitement, shadowy dancers, searching for an excuse to kill.
I can still get away, Sommer thought, raising a hand to the air, as if to block her throat. By instinct she extended her sizraels—oblong suction cups that now began to surface near the tip of each thumb and finger. Each finger held one, an oval callus that kept stretching, growing.
Though she wasn’t touching any of the dogs, at ten feet they were close enough for her to attack.
She reached out with her mind, tried to calm herself as she focused, and electricity crackled at the tips of her fingers. Tiny blue lights blossomed and floated in the air near her fingers like dandelion down. The lights were soft and pulsing, no brighter than the static raised when she stroked a silk sheet in the hours before a summer storm.
She entered the mastiffs’ minds and began to search. They were supposed to hold her until the hunters came, maul her if she tried to escape. Their masters had trained the dogs well.
But a dog’s memories were not like human memories, thick and substantial.
Sommer drew all of the memories to the surface—hundreds of hours of training, all bundled into a tangle—and snapped them, as if passing her hand through a spider’s web.
Immediately all three mastiffs began to look around nervously. One lay down at her feet and whimpered, as if afraid she might be angry.
“Good dogs,” Sommer whispered, tears of relief rising to her eyes. “Good!” She rolled to her knees, felt her stomach muscles bunch and quaver. She prepared to run.
“Where do you think you’re going?” a deep voice asked.
There are more dangerous things than mastiffs, Sommer knew. Of all the creatures in the world, the man who spoke now was at the top of the list.
Grand Prize Winner of the Hollywood Book Festival, placed first in all genres, all categories.
Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year!
Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards.
Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness. Others sing to summon it. . . .
Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high-school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."
But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.
In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing."
"Superb worldbuilding, strong characters, and Dave's characteristic excellent prose. --Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Facebook Nightingale Website
When Justine Dell announced the release of her book, Recaptured Dreams, I asked if she could write about her experience working with a publicist. Something we all hope to get to do one day. Thanks, Justine, for sharing your insights with us.
***
Right after my book was accepted at Omnific, before I even got my editorial letter, I was thrown into the waiting arms of my publicist, who I would learn would be my guide through the publishing process and would direct me into the world of getting the word out about my book.
Phew, I thought. No big deal. But then came the lists. I mean like LONG lists about things I needed to do--accounts I needed to set up (Shelfari, Feedburner, Goodreads, Library things, Twitter, Facebook author page, book page, a book website, a blog just to name a few). Because I had most of them, I flew through them. I was pretty well prepared in the social networking department, but I would feel sorry for anyone who wasn't. Thank goodness I was prepared for that!
Traci (that's my publicist!) also guided me through the process of developing my book trailer and cover. Omnific did all the hard work, mind you, but I did get the chance to put my two cents in! It was Traci who keep the communication between them and me open and happy! Traci also helped with my official book blurb, my author bio, my press release, etc. She's also helping with my online and on-sight book launch party.
As we got closer and closer to the publishing date, Traci and I started to work out the details for a blog tour. Now again, because I had such a strong social networking presence, I was able to set up over a month's worth of stops on my own with my own blogger friends. Traci set up book reviews by romance bloggers. Together, Traci and I decided to give away a free ebook at each stop (22 in all), and I designed the bookmarks and offered them up as another prize. Basically, it was a lot of brainstorming between Traci and I. I would have an idea, she would have one, and we'd put it together so it would work for *me*. Together we set up the blog tour, the reviews, the month long giveaway on my blog, Goodreads giveaway, etc. She's great. If I need something or have a question, she's right there.
The main idea is to get word out the about your book. And your publicist helps you arrange that. (And bloggers rules...remember that!)
What you need to expect from your publicist is someone who will help you organize yourself (if you're not organized, which thankfully I am!) and bounce around ideas that would work to market your book. In the beginning it's a lot of leg work, setting up those accounts and stuff, getting YOU, the author out into the world, and then it's time to get your book out there, too. The main thing you need to have ready is an open mind. No one formula works for every person, so you have to be thinking about things you would like to see. Did you write a book about aliens? Maybe you would have a twitter twitpic contest of the reader who comes up with the best costume #aliensrule. You see? Your imagination has just as much in this as your publisher. You work together.
Now even though I had a lot of connections and did some stuff on my own, it's important to point out that my publisher, Ominific can do a variety of things. It depends on the author. Sometimes they exclusively use book bloggers to get the word out. Sometimes the word gets out early and then people approach them. My publicist is a big proponent of giving the book away because for all the marketing, the best thing IS the book. Once people read it, you'll get fans. And word of mouth is a powerful thing. Omnific can set up twitter chats, twitter contest, conference appearances and all sorts of stuff. It really depends on your book...and you.
Working with a publicist is the most amazing thing there is. But it's also a lot of hard work :-)
Has anyone else worked with a publicist? Any words of wisdom you would like to share with us?
As part of her blog tour for her YA thriller Fireseed One, Catherine Stine is here to talk about plotting and hooks. And best yet, she used The Hunger Games (which I just finished re-reading) to emphasize her points.
<<<3
Today, I’m guest posting on plotting and hooks. As well as writing fiction, I teach creative writing, specifically teen fiction. My students tell me I’m good at explaining plot, so here goes. Plots should be constructed like an exciting symphony—compelling and nuanced—with movements in varying tempos, from presto (rapid) to vivace (lively) to adagio (slow, regal) and so on. All of this, held aloft by a tight thread of tension.
A plot put simply, is a road map for where your story will go. A gold standard plotline starts with an inciting incident that launches the story forward with great energy and angst, for instance in the Hunger Games when Katniss is paired with Peeta, a childhood acquaintance she must kill to win the tournament. This is followed by rising and falling action where the protagonist struggles in her quest, each time inching ahead, but also suffering setbacks (As when Katniss loses an ally or weapon). Put big obstacles in front of your characters that create chaos. This will force your protag to come up with better strategies, a tweaked battle plan.
Three is a charm in plot points as well as in fairy tale. Think of the three pigs’ attempts to build a wolf-proof house. Two tries is not enough, four too many, and five drags a plot down into quicksand. This plotline would look like a three-humped camel, with each hump taller than the last.
At the third down slope, the hero or heroine has an apparent defeat, a black moment, when all seems lost. But the character is determined, and though he or she is exhausted, at wit’s end, the need to overcome is more important than anything, so said person will brush herself off and make that final push, to at least some point of success. Perhaps this person doesn’t get exactly what she wants, that’s okay. She gets something. For instance, Katniss does survive, although she now fears future retribution. This is the point at which your readers can finally catch their breath and cheer. But a writer dare not linger here long! The end must quickly follow the dénouement. Also, make your characters’ conflicts intertwine with the plot. In doing so, make then face their worst fears. For instance, if character A’s worst fear is of heights, force Character A to face his worst fear when he has to rescue Character B from the peak of an icy mountain!
Now, onto hooks. Hooks are musically mood-oriented—furioso (furied), lacrimoso (sad), agitato (agitated). They are chapter-end punctuations and should make your reader have a burning need to turn that page to see what happens next. Of course, you should be building organically to that moment throughout the chapter. Don’t end every chapter in the same mood. Redundancy is an author’s enemy. End one chapter on a sad hook, another on a fearful one. Here are some of my Fireseed One hooks, to give you specifics: 1. “Tell me your name.” More than scaring me, she disgusts me. “Meg,” she spits out. “That’s whale crap,” Audun says. His Hip Pod is out, and he’s scrolling down on it. “I just looked you up. Your name’s Marisa Baron.” (Disgust and discovery hook—a big lie exposed) 2. Something else hits my chest, which jerks me back. It burns like fire. My legs buckle and I pitch over. (Danger and injury hook) 3. After almost an hour of this annoyance, the ocean floor produces pay dirt. Like discovering pearls in barnacled muscles, at least forty more code disks peek up from the sludge. Audun and I cheer. I can’t help reverting to my six year-old self. We’ve excavated exquisite pirate treasure! (joyous hook, to be followed by more trouble)
One more plotting tool: create a visual plot line with colors and shapes to signal characters and events. Let’s say, every time the villain enters a scene you draw a red angry-face, or every time lovers share a scene sketch in a pink heart. This is also a great way to literally see plot holes. Good luck with your plots and hooks!
Thanks, Stina, this was fun.
Fireseed One is available as an ebook for $2.99 from Amazon, B&N, iTunes and Sony Reader. The collectible illustrated paperback is $7.99 at Amazon and B&N.
About the Author
Catherine Stine’s Fireseed One launched in December to 5-star reviews. Her first YA, Refugees, earned a New York Public Library Best Book and a featured review and interview in Booklist. Middle grade novels include The End of the Race and A Girl’s Best Friend. She’s also a professional illustrator, teacher, and she does manuscript consultations. For this service, contact her at kitsy84557 (at) gmail (dot) com with EVAL in the headline.
About Fireseed One: What if only your very worst enemy could help you save the world? Fireseed One, a YA thriller, is set in a near-future world with soaring heat, toxic waters, tricked-out amphibious vehicles, ice-themed dance clubs and fish that grow up on vines. Varik Teitur inherits a vast sea farm after the mysterious drowning of his marine biologist father. When Marisa Baron, a beautiful and shrewd terrorist, who knows way too much about Varik's father's work, tries to steal seed disks from the world's food bank, Varik is forced to put his dreams of becoming a doctor on hold and venture with her, into a hot zone teeming with treacherous nomads and a Fireseed cult who worships his dead father, in order to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. Illustrated by the author. Fans of Divergent and Feed will likely enjoy this novel; also, those who like a dash of romance with their page-turners.
Please consider LIKING the Fireseed One Facebook page on your way out, and take a look at the other fun Fireseed One tour stops here, from February 20 through March 19th!
Where you can find Catherine and Fireseed One on the web:
To celebrate the release of her Novella Dies Irae, I asked author Christine Fonseca if she would talk about one of her strengths: using setting to set the mood. Not only does she do a great job with this in her story (which I'm currently reading), she wrote an AWESOME post on the topic.
<<<3
Thanks, Stina, for hosting a leg of the blog tour for DIES IRAE. I am excited to be here today talking about setting. As most of you may know, I love writing dark and creepy stories. Whether they are gothic, romance, or psychological, one thing unites my stories—they’re dark.
One of the ways I achieve the “dark” tone to my stories is through the use of setting.
I view setting as a “character” of sorts—something that can enhance and enrich the story; the vehicle by which character emotions and plot themes can be revealed or embellished.
Specifically speaking, setting is comprised of the following elements of a story:
* Location – WHEN is the story set? * Time – WHEN is the story set, both in terms of era and time of day * Climate – WHAT is the season and/or the weather like during your story
Correctly identifying these things, as well as describing them in ways that work towards the overall tone and mood of the book can help an author create a memorable experience for the reader.
So, how do I do that? How do I use setting in that way? For me, it is always about placing myself in the scene and looking around. Using my five senses, what do I see, hear, smell? And how do these details help to create or push the emotional content of the story? Then I filter that experience into words.
Now, this is not always an easy thing to do. Most of the time, I put too much or too little into the story. My early drafts are often filled with purple prose, some passive language, and too many sensory references that I then need to rework. But eventually, after I’ve reworked and rewritten a scene, after I’ve taken the time to judiciously put in setting references without dragging down the plot, I come up with a scene that is powerful and rich.
Take this tiny excerpt from DIES IRAE:
“The mouth of the cave is complete in its darkness. A cold wind wafts up from the earth’s depths, carrying the scent of death. “Yep, this has got to be it,” I whisper.
Mikayel draws his sword and walks in. The descent is steep and narrow, giving way to an even floor littered with rocks and bones. Too many bones.
Everything is quiet. Stalactites line the cave’s ceiling like teeth meant to consume us. Small crevices recede into the walls.
And still, everything is quiet.”
My goal in this tiny snippet was to establish the setting in such a way as to build the tension the character is feeling. You will have to be the judge as to whether or not that was accomplished, but I would like to think it was.
Setting is a powerful tool in a writer’s arsenal. Sadly, it is one that is not always utilized. Is it one you are comfortable using?
For me, becoming more adept at using setting to establish tone and mood, as well as mirror the emotions, has been one of the best, most useful skills I’ve learned—a skill I am constantly working to develop through writing exercises that include practicing writing different descriptions of places, all to evoke specific feelings or moods.
Try this:
Pick a familiar setting—a beach or mountain landscape for example. Write a detailed description of that place. Now, make it scary and write that description. Make it romantic. Make it foreboding. Keep rewriting the basic description within different emotional contexts. The more you practice this, the more natural incorporating setting will become.
I recently read Demons at Deadnight by Alyssa and Eileen Kirk. The best part about the book (which is great, btw) were the six hot teenage guys. But it wasn’t their hot bods that made me fall in love with them, it was their banter. They cracked me up every time. So, for part of the Demons at Deadnight blog tour, Alyssa and Eileen wrote a guest post (at my begging) on writing awesome banter. They’ve also included tips on writing dialogue based on gender differences.
Make sure you check out the end of the post for information about their giveaway. I have one of the secret words you’ll need for a chance to win a Kindle Fire. Plus, I’m giving away a copy (paperback or ebook) of their novel Demons at Deadnight. If you want to be entered for the book giveaway, let me know in the comments and include your email address. It’s open internationally. The giveaway will close Wednesday, February 15th at 11:59 pm EST.
<<<3
One thing we haven’t a shortage of in Demons at Deadnight is banter. We adore it. Dialog is a great way to show rather than tell who your character is. And with six hot male leads—that’s right, six—we use their dialog, word choice, sentence structure, and speech pattern to establish and distinguish character, as well as deliver necessary information.
Context plays a big part in how the dialog works but we’ve tried to provide examples that are still effective without a lot of knowledge of the rest of the story. Here, the Hex Boys are in the midst of discussing the organization they work for.
*** “Wait. Who’s she again?” Blake said.
Matthias sighed. “Don’t you ever pay attention? She heads up the Divinicus task force.” Blake looked blank.
“Sophina Cacciatori.” Matthias continued. “She taught some conferences in Europe?”
Logan spoke up. “You described her as the curvy, hot, Italian brunette with—”
“Great legs!” Blake finished with a broad grin.
*** Hopefully you learned:
- Sophina Cacciatori: A big deal in a worldwide organization and so important Blake should know her name instantly.
- Matthias: finds Blake’s cavalier attitude and lack of knowledge irritating. Is more serious and responsible. Has a hard time relating to Blake.
- Blake: Playful. Unconcerned with the administrative aspects of their job. Bit of a horn dog.
- Logan: Informed. Great listener. Knows Blake inside and out.
Characters with fundamental differences create conflict which is always fun. Use the moment to reveal information about your character and information relevant to the plot.
Here, Aurora is just coming out of unconsciousness and since it’s first person, what she’s thinking is actually part of the banter.
*** “How’s that my fault?” Matthias said.
“You’re the only one mean enough to make her think we’re kidnappers and killers.” I’d never heard Logan so passionate.
“We are killers,” Matthias said.
Bad news.
“Not girls. We don’t kill girls.”
Good news.
“She’s no girl.”
Insulting news?
“What? Of course she’s a girl.”
“Want me to check?”
“Shut up, Blake,” the rest of them chorused.
*** The short version? Matthias = jerk. Logan = protective, gentleman. And even though they work for the same organization, they see their roles very differently. Then Blake = girl crazy and the rest of the boys, all too familiar with his antics, shut him down.
Gender Differences in Dialogue
Here’s a great tip from the many conferences we’ve been to. In terms of gender, guys tend to speak concise. To the point. Concentrate on facts. Lack of extraneous verbiage. Shorter sentences.
Girls, on the other hand, like to use more words, and construct longer sentences which contain supplementary descriptive prose and express a vivid interpretation of their feelings and emotions, their experiences and the environment surrounding them.
See the difference? So after you’ve written a guy’s dialog, go back and cut. And cut again.
However, we have a Hex Boy who is extremely verbose. Why? Because his character is…not mainstream. He’s an oddball. Not your typical guy, so it works.
The same information will be delivered differently by each character, so when you have something you need to say to move the plot along, pick the character who’s going to express it in the most riveting manner. And if the character is conflicted about the information they have to verbalize, all the better. For example, the shy one has to talk about sexuality, or the cynical one has to talk about love. You get the idea.
Make every word count, have fun, and bottom line, know your character inside and out, then let them do the talking!
Stina, thanks so much for having us today. It’s always a pleasure to dialog with you!
<<<3
Kindle Fire Giveaway Info
To enter to win the Kindle Fire you need to know the secret phrase given out one word at a time by each blog tour host. Put the words together in sequential order and you'll eventually have the secret phrase! Right now you can Tweet and Follow on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page to get points but starting March 9 (at the end of the tour) you can enter the complete phrase on the AEKIRK Blog Tour Page and earn BIG entry points! Your Kindle Fire will also include your choice of a DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT Skin. Either from the cover, or a Hex Boy group shot or individual "Team" skin of your favorite Hex Hunk!
The secret word from my blog is: ADDICTIVE (Yes, those Hex Boys are very addictive)
To view the entire list of blogs on this tour, click the banner at the top of the post!
I’d like to welcome back S.J Kincaid, author of the upcoming YA dystopian novel for boys, Insignia.
If you missed part one of her post on writing action scene, click here and here. Her analysis is based on the book Watership Down. I watched the movie as a kid, and cried. A lot. (Not a great movie to watch if you have pet rabbits).
<<<3
TIMING The entire clash between Bigwig and Woundwort is spliced between the other aspects of the larger battle going on, but the entire outcome hinges on what happens between these two rabbits. It doesn’t drag on too long, it doesn’t eclipse everything else going on. Instead, we get to experience a tiny triumph before the much larger triumph later in the battle when General Woundwort encounters his greatest surprise of all (but I’ve spoiled enough).
ON THAT NOTE… I can’t go into much more depth about this, because it’s been ages since I’ve read Watership Down, but I remember the Bigwig/Woundwort skirmish vividly. IMO, that’s the mark of a powerful scene—the fact that I remember it after all this time.
The most important thing to take away from this is that I truly believe emotion matters the most, when it comes to writing a decent action scene. That’s what makes a fight scene interesting, and it’s what gives the reader a stake in its outcome. The rest, the technical stuff (the mechanics of throwing punches, of laying down sentences, of word choice), that’s just window-dressing. It’s merely the vehicle for expressing the larger, emotional idea of what’s going on in the scene. Consider the special effects of a movie: yes, they look cool, but if the movie only consists of special effects, what do we care? This is why the clumsy sword battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is so riveting, and the sophisticated, dazzling swordplay between Darth Maul and the two Jedi in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, is so completely lame in comparison. It’s all about what the audience feels. Same principle applies to writing. The trick of an action scene is above all to convince a reader to care. The reader’s emotional engagement in the scene will do the bulk of the work for you.
This is why I often dread writing action scenes. There is so much to consider, so much to put in place beforehand, and it is incredibly easy to throw in an explosion and superficially make the plot more interesting, without bringing a reader along for the ride emotionally. When you do pull of a fight scene, though? When you read your own writing and realize you’ve hit those points you were aiming for? That’s one of the most satisfying things in the world. If you’re an aspiring writer, I’m sure you’ve experienced this yourself. So although I dread writing them, I know if I can pull them off, the payoff will make the writing worth it.
<<<3
Thanks S.J. Kincaid for you awesome posts on writing action scenes. Here’s the blub to the book my son and I can’t wait to read. It’s due out July 10th from Katherine Tegen Books (Harpercollins).
IT'S WORLD WAR III. THE ENEMY IS WINNING. WHAT IF THE GOVERNMENT'S SECRET WEAPON IS YOU?
More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.
Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?
Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of humanity and technology.
I’d like to welcome back S.J Kincaid, author of the upcoming YA dystopian novel for boys, Insignia.
If you missed part one of her post on writing action scene, click here. Her analysis is based on the book Watership Down.
<<<3
BIGWIG AND WOUNDWORT, AND THEIR VERY PERSONAL HISTORY: Bigwig infiltrated General Woundwort's frightening warren. Woundwort was impressed by his size and his ferocity, so he imbued Bigwig with some measure of authority. When Bigwig helped a number of rabbits escape Efrafra, and his loyalty to Woundwort was revealed as a ruse, this was more than a heist-- it was a personal betrayal of Woundwort. When Woundwort and his rabbits close in on Watership Down, he's determined above all to exact revenge on the traitorous Bigwig. There is serious bad blood between these two rabbits.
THE STAKES OF THIS BATTLE: By the time Bigwig faces down Woundwort, the very survival of Watership Down is at stake. They are in the middle of a battle for their very existence. Their free warren is the last bulwark against Woundwort's fascist, rabbity empire, and the entire battle comes down to whether Bigwig can hold a critical tunnel for his side. Bigwig believes even his dead body will block the run long enough to save the day-- as long as he doesn't let the larger General Woundwort shove him backward out of the tunnel. These are the highest stakes you'll ever get here.
CLEVERNESS/SURPRISES DURING THE FIGHT: I can't recall off the top of my head whether the reader is in on this or not, but Bigwig knows Woundwort is too large to take in an open fight. So he plants himself in a critical tunnel, where Woundwort won't have room to navigate, and buries himself in the dirt. Woundwort starts down the tunnel, certain he's about to win the day, and then out springs Bigwig, taking the clever General by surprise. Clever tactics are employed, surprises are there, and these all hold my attention as a reader.
HIGH EMOTIONS: There are many instances of this in the battle. This fight is the climax in the Bigwig/Woundwort relationship. Woundwort, more fearsome, cannot overcome Bigwig, who fights out of sheer conviction. Bigwig is determined to die if he must, and Woundwort's bloodlust shifts to a dawning realization he may not win a battle against a rabbit as determined and ferocious as Bigwig, even if he is larger and stronger than Bigwig by far.
There are other small aspects that are extremely well done. In one moment, Woundwort, faced with the first true challenge of his life, demands to know why Bigwig won't just surrender. He offers him his life. Bigwig refuses and informs him 'his chief rabbit' has ordered him to hold this tunnel. This is when we get one of the most satisfying moments of the book: the invincible General Woundwort feels a moment of true fear. We find out he’s always assumed Bigwig was chief rabbit of his warren, and now he envisions a 'terrible chief rabbit' lurking in the tunnels somewhere who is larger and stronger than Bigwig. (We, the readers, know that the chief rabbit, Hazel, is smaller than Bigwig, and has a lame foot, to boot. In fact, General Woundwort had already seen him, and dismissed him without a second thought as insignificant. That's why it's fun to be in on a secret.) Until now, we have only seen Woundwort as a terrible tyrant feared by all. In this particularly striking moment, we get to see Woundwort experience his first true doubt, and it’s wonderful to read.
These emotions throughout the battle, the moments large and small, keep a reader hanging on every word.
<<<3
Part three (the final part) will be posted on Monday.
If you want to know about writing action scenes, who better to ask than an author of action-packed YA stories for boys. I’m excited to welcome S.J. Kincaid. Her YA dystopian novel Insignia (Harpercollins) is due out July 10. My son and I can’t wait to read it!
<<<3
Thanks for letting me guest post, Stina!
Okay, the truth is, I dread writing action scenes. Given the sheer number of action scenes I included in INSIGNIA, this assertion may strike those who have read the story as odd, but it's true. As my manuscripts approach those moments I need to have violent clashes, I always feel a terrible reluctance to proceed, like I'm about to head to the dentist or attack a sink overflowing with dishes.
I dread writing them because the best action scenes must be set up a long time before the action actually takes place, and there are a lot more considerations to keep in mind than just the technical aspects of throwing punches, or the coolness of giant explosions.
I'm going to focus here on an action scene I think is absolutely awesome: the climactic fight between Bigwig and General Woundwort in the middle of the final battle of WATERSHIP DOWN, by Richard Adams. There are some awesome moments in the battle between other characters, but I'm just going to zoom in on these two.
BASICS: Any writers querying agents have probably read the conventional wisdom: "Never start a novel with a fight scene." Why is this? Because we don't know the characters, we don't know the antagonists, we don't know the stakes, so we're not sure why we care about this fight. This same line of reasoning explains why we do care when we encounter fight scenes: because we know the protagonist, we know the antagonist, we know the stakes. With that said, let me go into why the fight sequence of Watership Down is awesome.
BIGWIG, THE GOOD GUY: By the time of this battle scene, the reader is firmly attached to Bigwig. He starts off as an off-and-on antagonistic character to Hazel (the main character), and Fiver (his brother), but they've formed a solid bond of trust by now, and through that bond, we’ve bonded with Bigwig. Bigwig's immense size and strength render him a critical source of support for Hazel, who is now chief rabbit of the new warren, Watership Down. He's also exhibited his humanity (er, rabbit-anity?) on several occasions, most notably when rescuing a tortured rabbit, Blackavar, from the grasp of General Woundwort, and when befriending the seagull, Kehaar. We want Bigwig to live, and we’ve seen enough deaths of other rabbits to realize it is not a given that he’ll survive.
GENERAL WOUNDWORT, THE ENEMY: From the moment of General Woundwort's introduction, it's clear he's the largest, most frightening rabbit in existence. He's the leader of an almost fascist network of warrens, he survived on his own in the wild (unheard of), his sheer size is staggering, and even the closest thing the Watership Down rabbits have to a WMD (the seagull Kehaar), is batted contemptuously aside by this fearsome rabbit. By the time Bigwig and General Woundwort are ready for their huge brawl, we've learned to fear this rabbit through the other rabbits who know of him. This is a worthy enemy for Bigwig.
If you’re looking to spice up your writing, check out today’s QueryTracker.net blog post on rhetorical devices. They’re my new best friend. You’ll be surprised at how many you already know.
And now for my guest blogger, Marie Rose Dufour. Drum roll please . . . .
<<<3
Contract! Yes! Whoo-hoo! Open the champagne, baby, because someone liked your work enough to offer you a contract. Week, months, and sometimes years of work is now going to be validated in print. My husband and I celebrated on the waterfront, toasting to my hard work for this book over.
Not! What I didn’t realize at the time was that writing the actual book was the easy part. The hard part came afterwards and it’s called promo, promo, promo. In this economy, more and more publishing houses are relying on the author to promote their own books.
So here are some tips on promoting your book:
• Create a budget (I know this sounds unreal but real advertising costs money. If you are a first time author, it’s all about getting your name out there.)
• Create a “promo folder” on your computer with a jpeg of your book cover, blurb, excerpt, head shot, and purchase links. (Having everything in one folder is a timesaving in case someone last minute asks you to blog, or interview you. You just pull up the file.)
• Make sure you are “social networking” (Facebook, My Space, Twitter). You want to use these for some free advertising.
• Design promotional items (A big thing in the romance circles right now is trading cards. I hear they are big at conferences. Think of these as your business cards.) (Yes. I love using these as bookmarks.)
• Arrange to do guest blogs! (Just what I’m doing now. And I’d like to thank Stina from the bottom of my heart for hosting me today.)
I hope someone finds these tips helpful. It was wonderful guest blogging here today. Please leave a comment and e-mail address and I will pick a person to win a copy of Fated Mates. Enjoy!
Book Blurb: We know that we are no longer alone in the universe. Descendants of Earthly ancestors have returned to find the other halves of themselves, their destined mates. Dragon, a scarred Serralian warrior drawn to the planet of his ancestors, never believed the Goddess had a mate for him but no matter what he believes, he’s unable to resist the pull of the planet deep within in soul.
Liz, a curvy teacher who escaped an abusive marriage three years earlier is afraid to take another chance on love. Tired of being a bystander in her own love life, she participates in an ancient ritual to identify Serralian mates. Taking that chance changes her life forever. Can these two people overcome their pasts to become each other’s true Fated Mates?
Author blurb: Marie Rose Dufour is a first time (and hopefully not the last time) author. She writes erotica for Secret Cravings Publishing. Her first book, Fated Mates was released last month. She lives in Rhode Island, USA with two very curious cats and a husband who swears he’s the inspiration for all of her heroes. Her book is available through her publisher and Amazon.
If you haven’t heard, Heather McCorkle’s book, The Secrets of Spruce Knoll, is now available. I love love love the cover and can’t wait to read the book (it’s on my iPod).
I asked Heather to share with us some of her favorite writing tips.
<<<3
Thank you for having me over Stina! As you know, I love helping writers in any way I can and I'm thrilled to share my writing tips in hopes that they may help others. I'll jump right in.
#1. In the beginning set small daily goals for as many days a week as you feel you can handle. Do your best to stick to them, whether they are a sentence a day, a paragraph, or a few pages. Small accomplishments help keep me motivated and moving forward.
#2. Give yourself permission to write a first draft that is truly rough. No one but you should ever see the first draft anyway so go for it, let it all out and don't be afraid of how good or bad it is. You can fix it later, that's what editing is for!
#3. This is a big one because it is what stops a lot of people from ever finishing: Write straight through the first draft. You will change so much once it's written that who knows what you'll keep or cut. This advice has helped propel me forward when I would have stalled out and quit writing a book altogether.
#4. When it's time to edit try to read through it as though you're an acquiring editor or an agent who is looking for a reason to reject it. Look for character arcs, story arcs, plot twists, plot holes, grammar, sentence structure, voice, and flow. Break it down into a few different editing passes over the entire manuscript. Yes you'll end up reading it until you can almost recite it, but it will be better for it if you can focus on one issue per read through.
#5. Share you work with others! Join a critique group and/or find a beta reader or two. If this makes you nervous think of it this way, the critiques you get will help develop the tough skin you're going to need to be able to approach agents, and it will make your novel better. A secret tip I'll throw in with this one: Read your novel aloud. It will shock you how much more you'll catch by doing this!
~Heather
Book blurb: It’s hard enough being a teenager under normal circumstances; imagine being orphaned, sent to live with an unfamiliar aunt—and learning that there really is magic in the world. Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with her aunt. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands.
Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Now, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad.
As Eren and Aiden’s relationship blooms, so too does a mystery in Spruce Knoll. The town holds many secrets—and many enemies. It soon becomes apparent that the untimely death of Eren’s parents-and Aidens-was no accident and that her life might be in danger, too. Only time will tell if Eren has the power to protect the people she has come to love.
I asked super busy author Elana Johnson if she was interested in sharing a writing tip. Obviously the answer is yes (otherwise I wouldn’t have mentioned it to you). *grins*
<<<3
Okay, so I know there’s a lot of conflicting advice out there. You should outline! You’ll never be able to write a coherent book without a 30-page outline!
Or maybe you’ve read Don’t outline! It stifles the creative energy!
I’ve even read Outline a little bit, but then allow yourself to deviate from that outline. And The Three-Act Structure is the only way to produce books. And If you don’t know everything about your character, you’ll never be able to write a believable book.
I’ve been reading industry blogs for years. I think I’ve read it all. I used to work myself into a panic because I didn’t outline. I didn’t allow myself creative freedom. I didn’t use character sheets. And it paralyzed me. I couldn’t write.
Because I thought I didn’t know how.
But the truth is this: You should write in whatever way works for you. Need an outline? Write and use an outline? Need a character profile? Create one. Use it. Love it. Refer to it.
Don’t need those things? No problem. Write the way you want, the way you’ve found works best for you. If you don’t know what works best for you, you just need to keep writing. The more you write, the easier you’ll be able to see what methods work for you—and which ones don’t.
Writing takes courage. Be brave enough to learn and use the methods that work for you. Discard the rest.
So, how do you write best?
(Elana would cringe if she saw how much pre-planning I’m doing for my YA horror novel thanks to John Truby’s book, The Anatomy of Story. My CP certainly is.)
If you haven’t checked out Elana’s book, Possession, well, why haven’t you? It’s great. I’m looking forward to the sequel next year.
Goodreads: Vi knows the Rule: Girls don't walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn...and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi's future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.
But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they're set on convincing Vi to become one of them...starting by brainwashing Zenn. Vi can't leave Zenn in the Thinkers' hands, but she's wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous--everything Zenn's not. Vi can't quite trust Jag and can't quite resist him, but she also can't give up on Zenn.
This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE IT when published authors share their writerly wisdom with aspiring writers (though I’m sure other published authors appreciate it, too).
Janet Gurtler has a YA contemporary novel coming out this month from Sourcebooks, so I asked her if she would share with us her favorite writing tips. In addition, I have a copy of Janet’s book, I’m Not Her, to give away (OMG, I so want this book, but I'm going to have to wait until my copy is shipped to me). Just let me know if you want me to enter your name, and include your email address in the comments. Sorry, this is only open to Canadian and US addresses.
Okay, Janet, my blog is now yours . . . .
I’M Not Her
“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel envy…”
Blurb: Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that’s okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn’t hold it together, who will?
<<<3
Confession. I find giving writing advice a little tough because I think every writer has their own way of creating stories. Some writers need to plot and outline and develop graphs and story boards with different color highlighters before they even begin their first drafts. Personally the thought of doing that gives me hives. If someone told me I had to do that, I would get a stomach ache and run away.
Not hard to guess then that I am a panster. Usually. The book I`m currently working on, I’ve done more outlining and plotting than others. Mostly I come up with ideas usually characters first, and then start to write. Plot as I go. My method would probably give many writers hives. So I guess that leads to my first piece of advice.
1. Try to work out what kind of writer YOU are and then be true to that. Don’t let other people tell YOU what you have to do. If you want to storyboard and plot, do that. If you want to sit down and write do THAT. But pay attention to what works for you and keep an open mind to new techniques or strategies. Take what you can use from books and other but listen to your gut. Guts are usually pretty honest with us.
2. On the other hand, be flexible with your instincts. I’ve found that some books come out different than others. Some books need hours of research, some books need more revisions and plotting. Some books are really hard to write. Some fly on the pages. Learn to trust each book’s individual process.
3. Read. Read within your genre. Try to see what other writers have done to make things work. Read for pleasure but also read with a writer’s eye. Why does something in a scene or a character resonate so well with you? How does the author use pacing etc. to heighten the reader’s experience?
4. Try to write every day. Make it a small goal if that’s what suits your lifestyle. I make it a goal to write 500 words a day. 2 pages. It doesn’t sound like much but it keeps me inside a story I’m working on. And for a 60,000 page book that’s only 120 days for a first draft. (And yes. I did have to consult a calculator to figure that out) On days when you’re in a good writing groove or involved in a particular scene and want to write more, that’s perfectly acceptable too.
5. Try not to edit as you go. It’s usually better to get that first draft on the page and go back and finish it after. That said, I usually re-read at least a few pages before I continue on so I can get my head back in the story. And I did hear one author speak who basically edited the entire thing as she went along so by the time she was finished-- it was a final copy. But in general, getting out the first draft is the most important part. Revision comes next.
6. Find someone (or someone’s) you trust to read your story before you madly send it off to an agent or an editor. I have patience issues and one of the mistakes I made (over and over) when I first started writing was being in a hurry and sending my writing off too soon. Even with an agent it’s still a good idea to get feedback from trusted beta readers before a manuscript goes off. I believe that critiques are really important from someone you trust. Another set of eyes can see things that you are too close to see.
7. This leads me to the next piece of advice. You don’t have to take every piece of advice you receive from someone critiquing your work. Someone else can give you outside perspective and help to pinpoint pacing problems or plot flaws or weaknesses. You also have to learn to trust yourself and your gut feeling about your story. Try not to let others have TOO much influence. Don’t let others re-write for you. Stay true to your own voice.
8. Use craft books and take from them what works for you. My favourite book is still Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel workbook. I love the hands on exercises and usually use the book after I’ve finished a first draft. Another book I found really great was, The Weekend Novelist by Robert J Ray and Bret Norris.
9. If you can afford it, go to conferences or workshops. If you can’t afford it, don’t stress over it. The online writing community is blooming with writing advice. Agent blogs, author blogs, editor’s blogs, they all contain a wealth of the information.
10. Nurture your inner writer. Talk to other writers. If you don’t know writers, try to find some in your community. Seek out groups like the SCWBI or try to connect on The Blue Board. Most writers are pretty passionate about the craft and man there’s nothing quite like sharing writing experiences with people who truly GET what you’re talking about. It`s hugely rewarding and great for your motivation.
Finally remember there are always exceptions to every rule. Try to remember it`s not a race and it`s not you versus another author. Each of us has our own journey, our own path to publication. Someone is always going to get an agent faster, or get a better agent, a quicker book deal or a bigger advance. There`s not one way to get to the finish line. And anyways, who even knows what the finish line is.
It`s hard, but try to enjoy your own process. In the end, the only thing we truly control is the writing. Have fun with it!
Janet lives close to the Rocky Mountains, in Calgary, Alberta with her husband and son and spends most of her days with her laptop on her lap.
I’M NOT HER is her first YA release with Sourcebooks Teen Fire. It will be followed by IF I TELL in October, 2011.
I know, I said I wasn't going to blog this week, but I really did miss you guys. My inbox has been lonely without your heartwarming comments. *wipes away tear*
Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I'm doing today's FRIDAY FIVE on Cassandra Marshall's blog. Cassandra's a fellow YA writer, a freelance editor, and an intern at a literary agency. AND until midnight tonight (Friday July 2nd), you can enter for a chance to win a substantial edit (up to 100 K). Now who wouldn't want that?
Have a great weekend! Cool Links Friday will be back next week.
