“A careful and honest writer does not need to worry about style. As you become proficient in the use of language, your style will emerge, just as you yourself will emerge, and when this happens you will find it increasingly easy to break through the barriers that separate you from other minds, other hearts – which is, of course, the purpose of writing, as well as its principal reward.”
~ excerpt from The Elements of StylebyStrunk &White
*Image courtesy of Gregory Szarkiewicz at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Do you agree with this quote?
What is the difference between writing style and writing voice?
My Young Adult novel is working through the various steps to reach the Release Date finish line.
The main edits are completed. The cover art is done and approved. My manuscript is now in the hands of Managing Editorial for copy-editing, layout, and proofing. After that it will head to typesetting. So much goes into the creation of a book!
In between the days I watch and wait for these steps and the days I work on edits to my second book of the series, I’ve been racking my brain, trying to come up with a title for the second book.
No, Calmer Girls Two does not appeal. Either does Calmer Girls – the Sequel. I like a book title that has a double meaning – like Calmer Girls – or a title that borrows a phrase or a line from another work. That could even include inspiration from a line in a song, a poem, or a nursery rhyme. Think: Along Came a Spider, or Norwegian Wood. I also like titles that are taken from a line or quote inside the book, as many authors have done. Think: To Kill A Mockingbird, or The Silence of the Lambs.
There is advice out there now that suggests you should name your book while keeping in mind keywords, SEO, categories and literary genres, all a part of improving its visibility in the digital marketplace.
As much as I still prefer reading Print books as opposed to eBooks, I know I am writing for a largely younger group of readers who love their eReaders and almost exclusively read all their books that way. Keeping that in mind will be beneficial for the upcoming marketing stage as well.
In my research surfing, I happened upon a wonderful post by author Anne R. Allen that may help me find a title. If you’re a writer, you may find it helpful as well. Check it out below:
In the middle of the afternoon yesterday, I received a welcome and gratifying email. My editor sent me – minus a few finishing touches – the cover art for my upcoming YA novel, Calmer Girls.
I. LOVE. IT. Since then, to say I am getting more excited about my book’s upcoming release is an understatement. As one of the teenagers in my book might say: “this sh*t just got real!”
In keeping with what is now on my mind 24/7, I’m sharing one of the writer blogs I follow. Jane Friedman is a writing coach with a wealth of useful tips and advice on building an author platform and getting published. In the post below, she interviews Hannah Goodman, a proud advocate and author of the Young Adult genre.
Just a quick note tonight, friends, to let you know I will be away for two weeks starting this weekend.
I’m not sure if I’ll have the time to blog before I come home again, but I do know I will enjoy this break to renew and refresh, soak up some summer fun around the province, and look for new inspiration.
I finally received my editor’s developmental review of my manuscript this past week, and am pleased to say most of the changes are not actual changes, but additions to what I have, so my laptop will go with me.
But you know what? That isn’t work because, to me, it is a labour of love.
I used to think I was a bit of a dork for liking Young Adult literature, even though my years as a young adult are long gone.
Not so anymore. Although some may be too shy to admit to it or call it a guilty pleasure, YA fiction has a huge fan base among grownups; in fact, a recent study states that 55% of its readers are actually adults. And while I also choose from a variety of other genres and often crave the more literary and classic offerings as well, I particularly enjoy writing Young Adult fiction, as two of my upcoming novels will attest.
Why do I and so many others love reading YA novels? I don’t believe it implies immaturity, but rather suggests a more “young at heart” sensibility of the reader. And I am careful about not lumping all of them together; as in every genre there is great writing and not-so-great writing. With that in mind, here is what I find appealing about most of the YA and coming-of-age literature I have read:
It draws you in and hooks you on the first page.
It is usually light on the exposition and heavy on the action and dialogue.
The drama isn’t contrived. The teenage years, with all of its growing pains, can be filled with turmoil. Ordinary situations often feel emotional, and even catastrophic.
Teens are well-known to be impetuous and curious, therefore their actions are often unexpected. This opens up all sorts of drama which may include acting on violence, sexuality, and other previously uncharacteristic behaviours.
We’ve all been there, so we can identify with many of the common conflicts that arise. Other times, we might enjoy reading YA as an escape into wish-fulfillment: a way of righting the wrongs in our own experience.
Still not convinced to give Young Adult a try? Peruse these quotes taken from bestselling YA fiction:
What do you think of the Young Adult genre?
Do you have any favourite YA quotes to share?
Allow me to set the scene. It was late at night, exactly a month ago yesterday. Paul and I arrived home from dinner and a fun evening at our friends’ house, and as we usually do, sat down to watch a little TV before going to bed. Yawning, I opened my iPad and absently checked Facebook, then my email.
And there it was:
a contract offer from a publisher for my coming-of-age novel, Calmer Girls.
I sat there, staring at the screen, stunned for a moment.
Wha-a-a?
I had queried this publisher with a partial months ago. Subsequently, they had expressed an interest, requesting the full manuscript for review. This occurred with another publisher a while back, who ultimately passed on it. As more months flew by, the cautious hope I had held dwindled, and not being the most patient gal, I assumed they were going to reject it as well.
But they didn’t.
Yes! It’s happening. They actually like my book!
I received the contract. After giving it due diligence and negotiating several changes that were important to me, I signed.
My dream was coming true.
Yay!!!
My new publisher is an independent, traditional press, and I’m already getting great vibes from them. They are an enthusiastic team, and they seem to be very dedicated to bringing my work to life.
Colour me superstitious, but I would like to keep all other details under wraps for the time being, until I am further along in the process. But I will reveal now that it is a two-book deal: they want first rights to the sequel as well. 🙂
So I am looking ahead to a busy future. While I begin work at the end of the month with my new editor on any revisions or tweaks for the first book, I will also be working on my own to tackle edits on the second. After that, there will be cover artwork and design, and the development and launch of my new author website.
To my fellow writers: have you been contracted by a publishing company yet?
How did you feel when you got the news?
Or have you gone the self-pub route instead?
Has Friday the 13th ever turned out lucky for you?
Please share your experience with me and my readers.
One Wild Word is an excellent blog and a trove of information for developing wordsmiths and published authors alike. Cousins Carol Despeaux and Carly Sandifer both have MFA degrees and writing careers, yet still find time to offer tips covering all things literary. Their advice is proving helpful to my writing applications, and could do the same for you. In their own words:
About Us Are you looking for a jolt of inspiration, a new way of approaching your writing practice? Maybe you’re stuck on a scene or looking for a way to describe the nuance of a character. Sometimes all it takes is one wild word to make a poem sing or a sentence fly. In that spirit, we’ve created this blog in hopes you’ll find a dose of wild writing mojo to fuel your next sentence.
I’ve chosen the post below, as it is one of my favourites:
Where did November go, people? Don’t get me wrong, I am happy – but a little surprised – that December is already here. You see, I’ve been busy: for the first time, I have successfully completed the National NovelWritingMonthChallenge, and I did it two days before the end-of-the-month deadline.
Was it difficult to write 50 thousand words in 28 days, you may ask?
What do you think?
After sitting still for so long, it was wonderful to have the freedom to get up and move around again. But I have to confess: I felt a tad wobbly at first.
This is how I walked Friday evening when I finished:
Arthritis? What arthritis?
Joking aside, I am super happy I took on the challenge, and would recommend Nanowrimo to anyone who wants to see results in a short period of time. It is an effective way to kick procrastination and writer’s block to the curb, especially if you have a writing buddy who is as determined as you are. Wendy kept me accountable, and we both finished with days to spare.
So now I have a first draft of the Calmer Girls sequel, minus a couple of concluding chapters that I will finish this month. Those chapters, along with the additions that will go in when I begin editing in January, should bring the word count up to 70 thousand plus.
The Nano website suggested I treat myself to a T-shirt showing off their logo, but I did better than that. Being BlackFriday, I got Santa to order me a new camera online for Christmas, saving himself over $200 in the process.
This is me now:
A new camera for my blog! Yes!!!
Did you take part in Nanowrimo this year?
Have you ever challenged yourself with a creative deadline and won?
Hi, everyone. I thought I’d pass along a quick update today about my novel and what has happened lately in my life as an author.
I am encouraged by the reception Calmer Girls has gotten in the publishing world. In particular, I am now patiently waiting on those who have expressed interest in my query, synopsis and sample chapters, and who subsequently requested the full manuscript for review. (Yay!)
Of course, my optimism is tempered with caution and awareness of the reality that these are only first steps. The road to getting traditionally published is a long, slow and arduous one for many new authors, and I am no exception. I read yesterday of a successful novelist who endured TWENTY-NINE rejections before his first book was picked up. And it ultimately made it to the New York Times best-seller list!
So now while my manuscript is out of my hands, I continue on with the sequel. In that area I have made progress, but not as much as I would like due to life getting in the way (Funny how that always seems to happen!).
designed by Elizabeth Doyle
For this reason, I am considering taking part in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo as it is called. This is a yearly internet event that takes place in November, not only nationally but all over the world. The object is to write 50,000 words of a first draft in 30 days, which means participants write an average of 1667 words a day.
Awesome? Terrifying? Doable? Impossible? You tell me.
Will this be you?…or this?
If I do indeed sign up, some of my activities will no doubt have to be curtailed or relegated to the back burner. My Friday Bouquet will be suspended for the time being, and my other blog posts will be brief. I won’t be able to read others’ blogs as much as I am used to. But I shall return, my lovelies!
What do you think of such a project?Are you taking part in NaNoWriMo this year? If you are, tell me all about it below. We can give each other moral support. 🙂
I love writing–always have–so this blog will cover writing topics, with brief forays into other things. If you know writers, we’re intrigued by everything around us. Life is full of characters, plot lines, unique settings, and we want to experience it all.
Here’s a recent post that I found valuable and you might too:
Jennifer's Journal 