The Writer's Journey

Hello Lovlies,

I've never really talked much about my querying process, but I was interviewed the other day on here by fellow writer, Beth Fred, which got me thinking. I've been striving toward my goal of getting an agent and published for quite some time on and off. At least since spring of 2009. Wow. Spring of 2009. Granted in between that time I've graduated high school, visited colleges, gone to college,  and have managed to get about 4-5 internships under my belt. Now, I'm a second semester junior--probably a senior credit hour-wise by now.

But it is interesting to see where I've ended up since then. Was I really ready to get published at the age of seventeen? Probably not. Was I really ready for all the rejection I faced? At first no. Now, when one comes shooting into my inbox I think, "Pass me a Milano cookie and let's shoot off two more queries." Let's face it, this is a business of thick skin. Build it up and wear it proud. I've made plenty of mistakes--like thinking my work of YA genre fiction was literary HAH. My professors would laugh me out of the room if I EVER mentioned that. Even querying agents with a ridiculously LONG query. Luckily mine is about 3 paragraphs now. Short, sweet, and to the point. In fact, I think I'm a pretty darn good query writer. (Or so I think lol)

My point is we're all going to make mistakes along the way. We're all going to find our moment to shine. The writer's journey is all about finding your place in the literary world. I just have to say--the publishing industry as a whole has been awesome. Am I happy I discovered it? Yes--I don't have the words. To everyone on Twitter, YALitChat, and just about every writer's blog out there. We're here. We're listening to your words. And I for one hope for only the best for all of you.

For those who are always striving. Always pushing forward even after rejection. Don't worry. You'll make it as long as you never give up.

So I raise a glass of apple cider (not yet 21) to my fellow writers who through everything--the hardships and the struggles--are STILL here and still trying. Now, THAT's something to be proud of.

Let's make 2012 our YEAR!

Lotsa love guys,

Liz <3

Cat's Don't Dance's OUR TIME HAS COME says it better than I ever could.

 

Review of Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

Well, I figured I'd kick off the New Year with one of my resolutions: revamp the blog and include book reviews. Here is my very first review and I will follow a 1-5 scale rating. 1 being the worst and 5 being *sqee* utterly amazing OMG I'm in love. Simple, no?

Review of Ripple by Mandy Hubbard

Synopsis from Good Reads:

Lexi is cursed with a dark secret. The water calls to her, draws her in, forces her to sing her deadly song to unsuspecting victims. If she succumbs, she kills. If she doesn't, the pain is unbearable. To keep herself and those she cares about safe, she shuts herself off, refusing to make friends or fall in love-again. Because the last time she fell in love with a boy, he ended up dead.

Then Lexi finds herself torn. Against her better judgement, she's opening up agian, falling in love with someone new when she knows she shouldn't. But when she's offered the chance to finally live a normal life, she learns that the price she must pay to be free or her curse is giving him up.

My Take:

Honestly, this is the first book I've read about a Siren. It's also one of the first that intrigued me enough to pick it up. An interesting tale on how a teenage Siren has murdered the boy she loved and two years later is paying for it through her self-inflicted outcast status. Mandy Hubbard's style reminds me so much of chic-lit, similar to Meg Cabot and Sophie Kinsella's styles. It's light, although this work is one of her darker novels. It still holds true to the teenage voice.

One issue with the novel was the fact that her love interest wasn't as fleshed out as I would have hoped, while some of Lexi's decisions just didn't ring true. The story was entertaining. I finished it in two days on a trip to Disney World, but will I remember this novel this time next year? Probably not. The characters just didn't make me fall in love with them, like I would for a great series like Tamora Pierce's The Lioness Quartet. Sometimes it felt as though the pacing was a little too fast and the reader could have done with a little slowing down to flesh out the other characters that had entered Lexi's life. I wanted more to matter and it just didn't. That is not to say that this isn't a fun and entertaining read. The fast pace does keep and hold one's attention, so there is no dying halfway through wondering where the plot has gone. Hubbard throws you in head first and hopes you can swim. All in all, not a bad read.

My rating:

3.75/5

Putting Together a Book Trailer

Hello Lovelies!

It has been quite some time since I've posted. Ironically, I've been blogging the last 10 weeks for a marketing research company. Technically, their new website is about to come up, but they have 9 of my posts ready and in the queue for when the blog finally launches. I'll be posting when the time comes!

Today though, I figured I'd talk about putting together a book trailer. As some of you know I've been helping out Stacey Darlington, author of Athena's Curse, with publicity efforts, and of course, her official book trailer. The beauty of a book trailer is the fact that there is either limited or no animation. Instead, it relies on the mood created by the music and images chosen for the piece.

Step 1. Decide the mood you wish to convey. Eerie? Adventurous? Romantic? Terrifying?

Step 2. Decide aesthetically how to convey this mood. For example, would cartoons work? Black and white illustrations with sparse colors, like what I used for Stacey? Or would photoshopped images and photos create a better impression and aide you with the mood you wish to convey? It's really a matter of preference. Also consider what is easier and readily available to you.

Step 3. Do you have a program that you can build this trailer on? Or know someone who does? Figure out what it is capable of before you jump in. Mac has iMovie, not too sure what Windows has.

Step 4. Create a storyboard. This can be as elaborate as a giant poster or as simple as a few thumbnail (miniature) sketches that contain the general idea you want on each slide/scene.

Step 5. This step goes hand-in-hand with Step 4. Consider the copy (words) to go along with each frame. Remember keep this short and minimal. You know those tag lines and elevator pitches we use whenever we go to a conference? Keep it to that length.

Step 6. Once that has been decided, get started on those pictures/drawings/illustrations or what have you.

Step 7. Choosing the music. This step can really be done at any point in the process. Some prefer to know what kind of music they are using beforehand so that they know what works as they created the images. Others, like myself, wait towards the end once we have the idea on paper. Remember to choose royalty free music or music you or a friend composes themselves. Here are a couple sites my tech-savvy cousin recommended I try:

http://incompetech.com/

http://freepd.com/

Step 8. The last step is putting it all together using a simple program. My advice: If you don't have a lot of knowledge keep things as simple and clean as possible. Simplicity can oftentimes have a greater impact than those trying to clutter a screen with extraneous details. Trust me. Keep it simple.

Below is the trailer for Athena's Curse. Hope you guys like it!

New Internship

Hello all!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! Finals begin this week. I'm not too happy, BUT at least I only have about two...I think. I'm so happy to announce that I have a new internship starting May 4th at TresKoi Public Relations. I will be a Publicity Assistant. Yes, I have a title...makes me giddy! At my old internship, Beloved, I was a Creative Coordinator. You want to make an intern feel special--give them a title!

I just popped in to announce that--hopefully I will be learning a lot more when it comes to social media although I learned a great deal at Beloved and am slowly implementing that knowledge into my own Twitter.

On a side note I'm reading Firelight! It's been so long since I've sat down with a good book. (I have been listening to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series on road trips home & Tamora Pierce's Wolf Speaker)

I should be reviewing Firelight sometime in the coming week...between studying. Beautiful cover I might add--yes I judge a book by its cover--probably the artist side of me.

Anyways,

Happy Writing/PRing/Advertising? (I need a new fairwell...)

MG Tidbits

Hello all,

After some prodding for more reading material *Ahem Mary**Cough Cough** I've decided to try to update more frequently. Perhaps once a week? But I'd also love to know what kind of topics interest you all the most?

Anyways, lately I've been reading a lot of great MG manuscripts and I felt that perhaps a few "what makes MG middle grade" tidbits would be worth reading. Obviously, these are just my opinions I've formed after reading some MG manuscripts for an agent.

1. Word count doesn't seem to matter very much as long as it doesn't top 60k. Just about every MG manuscript I've read has been less than 60k. Hell, I just read one in verse that was 12k, yet its target audience was Upper Middle grade. Focus on writing a great story. Worry about word count later...though I'd say for this genre--short is best.

2. Shorter manuscripts actually make, at least my self and the agent I read for, a bit happier...only because when having 5 or 6 manuscripts on your plate a short one seems refreshing. Also, from blogs I've read, it makes an agent more likely to request it.

3.MG is NOT writing about one's childhood with an adult's wisdom and perspective already in place, in fact any novel who's protagonist is a child, yet the story is told from the perspective of an adult looking back is in fact an ADULT novel.

4. Upper MG readers are at the point in their lives when they are pushing away from Mommy and Daddy. Trying to find the individual lurking beneath the surface. They do NOT like being talked down to. Protagonists mirror this want to be an individual and break free. This is the age where Mom and Dad are nothing but embarrassing...so interlaced words within the story that try to teach a child a lesson will MAKE them put the book down. Let's face it, it sounds preachy.

5. Hard and fast rule for both MG and YA NEVER talk down to the reader. They are much smarter than adults give them credit for.

Young Love

Hey guys I'm sorry I haven't been posting. I promise its not me giving up on the blog. It has just been a bit rough the last two weeks. My boyfriend and I broke up after almost two years...makes writing just difficult, but the experience could be useful in my writing later on..who knows. I'm trying to find some sort of positive in this situation.

Anyway on to some advice about Young Love in YA novels.

Sometimes an adult author writing for the YA genre can forget just how painful young love can be. Sure they've been through it before, but they may have forgotten the intensity. Remember young adults are feeling everything for the first time. Love is a new concept. The intense feelings and emotions that overwhelm a young adult can even scare them. The want to always be with that person and see them is new. Some handle it better than others while others can get obsessive. I've seen the stalker types at my old high school! Remember your first love and even your second. Note the differences. Young love for a freshman in high school is entirely different from the love a freshman in college feels. Make note of this.

Remember your first love in middle school or high school. How different that felt from the full blown thing in college? With each year and grade level love can intensify as young adults start to feel older. A freshman in high school thinks of marriage and college as some faraway concept. A senior in high school has college looming over them along w. many of its responsibilities. Obviously depending on your character and novel sex can come into play as the years progress in high school. Many different things can create deeper bonds between YA's so go hang out by the local high school and watch the couples.

You'll see the skanky/horny ones that make out until the last possible second. The shy ones who only hold hands, the older, mature couples who remind you of when you were younger. etc. Note the differences and remember there are different kinds of love and couples that all occur in different stages in high school. Experience and age play a big role. One 17 year old can be completely in love with their boyfriend and sleeping with him, while her best friend could still not have even had a boyfriend or her first kiss.

Know your character and assess what they have already experienced. Young adult love is different for everyone.

Teen Slang in Books

Hey guys,

First of all, sorry I haven't been on lately. I just have been busy, I guess. The New Year didn't exactly turn out as planned but I do hope you all had a better time! Wish you all happiness in 2010! :D

Anyway, so for those tempted to give writing for the YA genre a try stop and please please don't forget about voice. A character's voice should sound authentic. Constantly trying to use slang is just...well annoying.
EX: "Oh my god! Dude, no freaking way! It's like totally rocking, for sure!"

That's just way too much slang for a teen to believe. (Although, I'll admit. I have used, "Dude, no freaking way!" but only for really shocking things... :]
Remember that slang can easily go out of style as quickly as it came. Anyone remember buying your kids those $50 Razor scooters? They are about $10 bucks now and a fad that came and went quickly. That is how slang is so try to refrain from littering your manuscript with slang even teenagers can't decipher.

Also using slang from your childhood=rejection. Teens will put the book down. I know I would.

Too much slang in general sounds cheesy and annoying so use it sparingly. You're usually pretty safe with "dude", but make sure to take into account who your character is. Sorry a preppy girl would never say dude. Rocker chic...hell yes. Get it? Keep the slang to a minimum if you want a shot in the genre.

Happy Writing

Classics Turned Into Comics?

I was reading a Publishers Weekly article about Classic books like Pride and Prejudice, Macbeth, and Beowulf being turned into comics in order to "promote literacy". I wonder, is this helpful to those reluctant readers? In all honesty I have yet to read any of these novels. Although, next semester I will be reading Beowulf in English Lit class, but I'll admit I'm curious and the thought of reading a classic in comic form sounds appealing. I'll also admit that I've never considered classics as leisure reading...probably a bad thing since I'm a writer. Any one have an opinion on the subject?

What Young Adult's Want

This is a must read post by the 8th grade daughter of author Allison Brennan. This is the kind of post that you should bookmark and save whenever you are about to start a new YA project or just want to see how your current project compares to what your audience really wants.

If you really want to know how your target audience feels then click here.

Awesome job Kelly Brennan!

School Building

Hey guys,

I posted this workshop a while back at Key Publications Network. I'm head of the (YAWR) Young Adult Writers Rock group. Group heads were coming up with workshops and since I have finals and haven't been able to post very interesting things lately I figured that this workshop on "school building" could prove beneficial and perhaps even fun :]

School Building Workshop

Let’s face it. Every young adult is going through a learning stage. Whether it’s in middle school, high school, wizarding school, or just learning from the elder in a tribe.

The beauty of YA books is that they can be in any genre so there are many variations in how schooling can be portrayed. If it is just a YA romance..it may be drama filled at a high school. If it’s a YA fantasy then a school may not exist in that time period. A young adult may be under the instruction of just one person for one particular subject.

Think about the world J.K. Rowling created with Harry Potter. She came up with O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s to be like finals and the SAT’s. We have all these different genres why not create a genre-specific school. Take horror for example: A school for serial killers, masochists, and cannibals? How crazy freaky would that be? What would be the rules? Does it create these people or does it try to help them and turn them back into regular citizens?

For Sci-fi: What about a school for guys who need to learn how to impress girl robots because they are the only kinds of females on the planet left. (Oh! I may try that one!)

When writing a novel a common phrase to hear is “World Building” well, instead of world building, this week we will be “School Building”. Write in whatever genre you choose and create a school to fit that time. Remember, try something new; Like a school for werewolves or pixies? Just give it a shot :]

Happy Writing

Vampire Diary Cover vs. Wicked Lovely

Okay, I'm curious. Everyone keeps talking about Vampire Diaries and to be honest I always avoided it just because the lettering on the covers seemed cheesy and kiddish. I know I know, great decision making skills, but hey covers do it for me. Take for example the cover of Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. The moment I saw it I picked up the book. It sounded interesting so read it and of course loved it. But I still have no idea what the Vampire Diaries is about. The covers just never did it for me. Only now am I actually interested because it has become a t.v. series and my friend keeps recommending it. So guys. Should I go for it or not even bother with it?

Critique Groups & SCBWI

Have any of you writers found your own critique groups? Critique groups can be great or they can suck. It just depends on which one you join. :] I have been a part of an online critique group and let me tell you with their advice my writing has definitely improved. I understand plot more, POV, tension, etc. A writer is always going to need someone to read their book and a fellow writer can point out something that you yourself probably don't realize because you've been working on this one manuscript for so long that you may miss something or not understand how someone reading it for the first time would feel.

Even online you can find a critique partner who is willing to edit your entire book. If any of you are interested I'm head of the YAWR (Young Adult Writers Rock) group at www.key-publications-network.socialgo.com The site has a multitude of other genre groups as well-horror, fantasy, sci-fi, & romance to name a few.

I also understand some people are weary about joining an online group and having your baby posted online or sent in an email. That's fine. You can always try to search for a critique groups near you. Chances are a google search with the words "writers critique group" and your location may bring up some possible groups that you would be interested in.

For those interested in all things kids books, well I looked up the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and turns out they have dozens of critique groups in the state of Florida. Chances are they'll have some in your area as well. :]

I'm not sure if you have to be a member, but I've decided to go to a local meeting here in the next few weeks. I'll see how it goes.

Good luck!

MG and YA Word Counts

I was just browsing through the archives of the Guide to Literary Agents blog and discovered this post on Word Counts for all sorts of novels and seeing how Word Counts can be an issue when it comes to YA and MG and I figured you all may enjoy a peek. Even those of you who don't write YA or MG...he has a list of different genres and word counts. I'll just give you the gist of what he said.

First off for Middle Grade(ages 8-12): 20,000-40,000- BUT if your novel is geared toward say 12 year olds and you have a 13 or 14 year old protagonist then the book should be between 32,000-40,000 instead of the low 20k.

Now YA: 55,000-69,000 he says is a great range. I know there are many writers that pull out the Harry Potter card, stating that it was over this word count. Well yes, but the first book wasn't all that long and by the time the others came out Rowling made her publisher A LOT of money.

Here is the exception. Fantasy. I can just see you fantasy writers jumping for joy. Fantasy can be longer because it involves world-building etc. But not much longer-

Be careful because extremely long novels make an agent think that a writer does not know how to edit themselves. We wouldn't want that now would we?

Also, for YA try not to go lower than 47K...and yes WAKE was 32,000k but it was an exception.

You can try to be the exception, but if you follow these rules for your first novel-you give yourself a better shot at breaking into the business. Check out his post if you want more, but I'm pretty sure I summarized the gist of it.

http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/CategoryView,category,Word%20Count.aspx

Good luck fellow writers!

Why Do We Write?

So why do we write?

Is there some driving force in our minds that just snaps on at a specific time in our lives and makes us fall in love with the written word? Why do you write for your particular genre?

I know why I write for the YA and MG genres. Usually, you write what you love to read. I love reading YA books and MG as well. Why? Because there is something different about them, something secretive. Innocent perhaps? Children are more willing to take in the story. Writing about tweens and teenagers and their struggles just feels most comfortable. When we were young these books (YA MG etc) created a whole other world for us to be a part of. I loved reading the Baby Sitters Club, Animal Ark, The Shadow Children Series, Harry Potter, and the Lioness Quartet.

Somewhere, buried beneath these intricate, funny, sad, dangerous, and loving stories was always a lesson. But these were never told in a preachy way. They were underlying themes within the book. You either got them or you didn't, but if you did, it felt as though the novel had opened your eyes just a bit more to the world.

Parents and adults complain about how violent shows, movies, and video games can be and believe children will grow up without regard for most values and human life.

Books teach us values; love, ideals, courage. As children our minds are impressionable, but when we read about characters who we can identify with and learn to understand their struggles, faults and beliefs-we learn.

You ask why I write for the the YA and MG genres. Well, its because books can save children. That's it. Simple as that.

Love Plots 2

I think I'm going to take a fellow writer's advice and stop fighting my characters on who I want to end up with whom. In her words she said to let the characters tell the story, because let's face it they are the driving force. They are why readers even care. So I guess when one declares his love for my witch girl, I'd better listen...

Thing is...who loves her the most?

Love Plots

Have any of you had trouble deciding who a character should end up with? I'm not sure whether my witch girl should end up with the mortal boy or her best friend and ex-vampire boyfriend. It's so frustrating...How do you decide?

Hello All!

Well, this is my first blog post. I suppose I should probably tell you about myself. Well, my name is Elizabeth and I am an aspiring writer. I am also a freshman in college and a Creative Writing Major. I have completed a YA fantasy novel, which I just sent off to an agent today! *SQUEAL* I'm giddy! I'm also working on a YA romance, a YA urban fantasy, and am trying my hand at a Middle Grade (MG) fantasy. :]

I'm also an artist, hence the picture at the top of my blog :] Sadly, I couldn't seem to get the format right, but I'll keep trying.

Basically, this blog will be about writing, especially for young adults (YA), anything to do with the YA genre (as in book reviews, interviews and more), and anything that pops into my head really. Comments are always appreciated. Feel free to stop by read, comment, or just chat. I'm always interested in meeting fellow writers. :]

Happy Writing!

Liz