Opening

[AllyWoof]

What is the best way to oepn a YA novel?

[Little Red Barn]

What is the best way to oepn a YA novel?

Hey writer, stick around and some experts will answer that..Wow look you got your 50 posts! Whoo Hoo, now I think you get to pick your own avatar...Congrats!

[Little Red Barn]

I think its important to have a good hook at the beginning of any novel to grab the reader.

[AllyWoof]

That could be a bad thing. It means I spend way too much time on here. What do you mean by experts?

[aliajohnson]

I write romance so I can't help with specific YA ideas, but I've been told that no matter the genre the begining of book needs to grab. Have you tried just thinking of one sentence, something that really grabs you, and working out from there? A single thought or a small piece of action?

[Little Red Barn]

That could be a bad thing. It means I spend way too much time on here. What do you mean by experts?

There are a lot of people on here that really know about different genres...I do childrens books and others..not real good with YA

[AllyWoof]

I do childrens books, also.

[Little Red Barn]

I do childrens books, also.

You do? Thats great....I love them even though I'm a grown up...oh well, Disney made all his movies originally for grown ups:)

[AllyWoof]

Even Pinokio?

[Little Red Barn]

Even Pinokio?

Yes, very much so! Whats your favorite?

[Cassidy]

i write YA too. and personally i don't think there is one best way.

i'd suggest looking at your favorite books, YA or adult, and paying attention to how they open. odds are, there'll be a whole mix of different ways of opening. or maybe not-- maybe you'll find that you tend to like books with really catchy first sentences, or books that open with action, or something else.

i often don't figure out where the story begins or how to open it until after i finish the first draft. so i tend not to worry to much about openings until that point.

[Little Red Barn]

What is the best way to oepn a YA novel?

Writer I am going to study this for you tonite and will have some good answers for you tomorrow, hugs kimmi

[AllyWoof]

I was awakened this morning because of a nightmare, but that was sort of a good thing. Having a bad dream helped me think of a great opening. Having her somewhat relive some of the previous aaction in her sub consious mind, but waking up and then having to go on with the story. I've read several books in the YA genre open this way, and I always enjoyed that.

[Little Red Barn]

I was awakened this morning because of a nightmare, but that was sort of a good thing. Having a bad dream helped me think of a great opening. Having her somewhat relive some of the previous aaction in her sub consious mind, but waking up and then having to go on with the story. I've read several books in the YA genre open this way, and I always enjoyed that.

Morning writer,
Sorry about your nightmare:Hug2: .
I am glad you have some ideas!
The YA is a good section to begin...
The opening of Harry Potter...what grabs you there...
Also I had a chance to think on this.
You have a love for dogs...right?

[Jimmer]

A good opening scene will engage the reader. It should make the reader want more. Action is one way to achieve that goal but, by itself, rarely enough. For example, if someone gets hit by a bus on page one it's sad and maybe even shocking but if we don't know anything about the victim we remain distant and with minimal concern. If the person is a beautiful young woman pushing a baby carriage, we may be nudged a little more toward learning more about the tragedy. If thousands of hundred dollar bills flutters out of the carriage and away in the breeze as the woman bleeds to death on the pavement, now we've got a real reason to turn the page. Why did this woman have so much money in a baby carriage?

Anyway, the point is, make the reader care about your story or your characters in the opening lines. Give them a reason to engage and commit. A "hook" is really a reason to care. Your job is to invent one and introduce it as quickly as possible.

This is as true for young adult as it is for adult novels.

[AllyWoof]

Yeah I am sorry about my nightmare too. I think I need to quit watching those reality0based shows about people getting attacked lol Yes I love dogs. In fact my favorite disney movie is Lady and the Tramp, especially the meatballs scene lol.

[Little Red Barn]

Yeah I am sorry about my nightmare too. I think I need to quit watching those reality0based shows about people getting attacked lol Yes I love dogs. In fact my favorite disney movie is Lady and the Tramp, especially the meatballs scene lol.

Ok Great..lets get started, for a little then I have work to do ok?

[AllyWoof]

Sure.

[Little Red Barn]

Sure.

Ah Lady and the Tramp...a true Disney classic, that I love as well.

Have you ever read Winn Dixie?

[AllyWoof]

You mean Because of Winn Dixie?

[Little Red Barn]

You mean Because of Winn Dixie?

Did you read the book and what did you think of the opening?

[AllyWoof]

I didn't even know it was a book. I have seen the movie about a million times.

[Little Red Barn]

So you are looking for an opening...Well lets see..
You have a great love for Dogs...
You need an outline....
Maybe a dry erase board...So you can write out your ideas on.
Why don't you have a writing exercise today and play around w/ an opening?
Start with a paragraph.

Winn Dixie is a wonderful YA book! Could you get it and read it...I think you would love it!

[AllyWoof]

What kind of writing excersize? Are they within AWWC?

[Little Red Barn]

What kind of writing excersize? Are they within AWWC?
Well you want an opening for a book...
So you want to take it step by step...
Your first step will be the opening paragraph..
Do you have any ideas for an opening?

[Little Red Barn]

Writer, you'll need to stay in your thread if you want me to try and help you...OK sweetie?

[AllyWoof]

Sorry. I thought you'd gone.

[Little Red Barn]

Sorry. I thought you'd gone.

No I type slow..what do you want to write about..write down your ideas first.

[AllyWoof]

Uh. Maybe opeing with a scene like somethings going on, but being jerked awake befpre something serious can happen.

[Little Red Barn]

Uh. Maybe opeing with a scene like somethings going on, but being jerked awake befpre something serious can happen.

Ok...good so you have an idea. Correct?

[AllyWoof]

yeah I have an idea.

[AllyWoof]

basically, my head rewrote my entire plot. grrrrrrrr i hste when that happens

[Little Red Barn]

yeah I have an idea.

Ok thats wonderful...sounds a little like an opening dream? Why don't you play around with that today...write out a paragraph and start working on that...Course you'll need to rest a little;)

[Little Red Barn]

Writer, I need to go for awhile...
Will you work on your opening paragraph today?
If you wander around here I would recommend staying in the YA since that is what you want to learn about.
Have a nice day and get some rest, hugs kimmi

[AllyWoof]

Okay. I may hop over to the writing excersize forum for a while.

[AllyWoof]

[SIZE=2]Speeding down the dimly lit highway, Cindy Winslow hummed along to the old Beatles song playing on the radio. Out of the corner of her eye, she catches a glimpse of her father, Randy smiling broadly. “I see you,” he said chuckling.
Suddenly, Randy let out a blood curdling scream. An instant later, everything faded to black.

Does this give to much information right away? Or are you courious?

[Little Red Barn]

[size=2]Speeding down the dimly lit highway, Cindy Winslow hummed along to the old Beatles song playing on the radio. Out of the corner of her eye, she catches a glimpse of her father, Randy smiling broadly. “I see you,” he said chuckling.
Suddenly, Randy let out a blood curdling scream. An instant later, everything faded to black.

Does this give to much information right away? Or are you courious?

Oh writer....I like this very much!
Did you just come up with that off the top of your head?

Yes it makes me curious for more :)

[AllyWoof]

Basically. That and the combination of a dream sewuents I read in a Sweet Valley Hi book as a teenager. Although the way I am writing this "catches" needs to be changed to caught. Now I have one thing to say. Food!!!!!!!!

[Little Red Barn]

Basically. That and the combination of a dream sewuents I read in a Sweet Valley Hi book as a teenager. Although the way I am writing this "catches" needs to be changed to caught. Now I have one thing to say. Food!!!!!!!!

Ok kiddo, go get you some food! I'm glad your are visting the other board!

[AllyWoof]

All I need to do now is learn to edit, right?

[Little Red Barn]

All I need to do now is learn to edit, right?

Hi sweetie, I am back!

[Little Red Barn]

Ok did you get a good paragraph written?

[Little Red Barn]

Writer, If you wrote a paragraph, now you can hop over to Share Your Work forum.
Now tell them to be gentle first before your paragraph, okay sweetie?

[AllyWoof]

Don't ypu need a key to get in?

[Little Red Barn]

Don't ypu need a key to get in?
No sweetie , just find the forum on Share Your Work. Look under SEARCH!

[Little Red Barn]

Wait a minute sweetie I think there is a password...Go to users guide on Share Your Work, or the NEWBIE SECTION. ok?

[AllyWoof]

The passward is listed(so why the heck is there one?)

[Bufty]

To protect the work of those who submit. Humans can read the password but roving Google bots can't. Get it? Got it? Good, now type in the password and off you go.

The passward is listed(so why the heck is there one?)

[AllyWoof]

I already did. Now go read the couple of paragraphs and tell me what you think so that I can move on.

[Little Red Barn]

The passward is listed(so why the heck is there one?)
S'ok now just follow their instructions and remember Writer....the people will only try to be helping you there...Everyone wants to see you write:) So they'll give very good advice!

[Little Red Barn]

I already did. Now go read the couple of paragraphs and tell me what you think so that I can move on.

On my way...Stay there for your advice for awhile and keep checking back sweetie...

[Moon Daughter]

What is the best way to oepn a YA novel?

I'm sure there are tons of ways to open up a book that will grab the reader's attention. My first YA fantasy novel that I wrote I actually killed someone in the very first few paragraphs. Hmmmm, I wonder if that would grab someone's attention :Shrug:

[AllyWoof]

Not in a YA novel. That might be too mature.

[KimJo]

It might be too mature for some readers, but a lot depends on what level YA the book is targeted for (YA covers anywhere from age 12 to early 20s, according to some sources I've seen) and on how the character dies and how graphic the scene is.

[AllyWoof]

Sorry. My error.

[KimJo]

You weren't in error, Writerdog :) For some levels of YA, it would definitely be too mature an opening. It's just that for others, it could be acceptable.

[AllyWoof]

I am very confused.

[KimJo]

Some YA books are intended for the lower end of the age range, ages 12-14 or 12-15. Some are intended for older teens, ages 15 or so to 18. There are even some that are targeted to ages 18-21 or 22. For the younger group, a death in a book, especially if that death is a murder or suicide, would be very disturbing and therefore might be unacceptable to a publisher. But for the older groups, who are more mature and better able to handle that kind of thing, almost anything goes, and that kind of death probably wouldn't be a problem from a publisher's point of view.

This is based on what I know about writing YA, including stuff I've read on this board and some other writer's boards; if I'm way off base, I'm sure someone will correct me :)

[Ad Astra]

I admit to being a fool for humorous conversations in the openings. :D

Tara

[AllyWoof]

I admit to being a fool for humorous conversations in the openings. :D

Tara What do you mean?

[Ad Astra]

That is, when two of the characters and talking about something very strange.

Tara

[Sage]

You'd like one of my novels, where two characters are discussing why one of their souls is or is not an "invisible shade of green."

[AllyWoof]

That is interesting.