Old People Writing for Teens, IV

Hey guys, hope you've all been successful this week with your writing. I'm still in revisions. They're due next week, and I'll feel a lot better once I'm done.

I've also just got off a chat with my publicist, and I'm so excited because I'll most likely be getting two cover blurbs from published authors (one a USA Today best seller)!!! I'm so excited about this. I'm also going to be signing books at BEA next year, plus some book store signings that week since I'll be in NY then anyway.

Also going to buy my own domain for my website. I hope I don't screw anything up.

Sorry if I'm squeeing and incoherent. I just love it when things come together.

@JSSchley: I agree. I don't need millions or best selling status either (though I wouldn't turn them down) - a book that stands the test of time is an awesome accomplishment.

Congrats, Dorothy!

Congrats, Dorothy!!

I'm just popping my head in to say hello! It's been a terrible writing week and I've been slammed at work so I haven't had much time for AW. Is it the weekend yet?

Oh, I should not be having sequel thoughts when YA Novel #1 is not edited to my satisfaction. But I seem to be having them anyway. Stupid sexy sequel.

Sage said:

Blurbs are so exciting, Dorothy!

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Yeah! I'm pretty excited.

That means we have to hang out at BEA!!!


On sad news... My freshman year (of college) roommate's mother just passed away from a long battle from cancer. I hate that I heard through FB. Her mom was a school librarian and although my former roomie had a rocky relationship, I can't imagine what K is going through right now w/her dad and brother.

Will probably be off the boards for a bit...

((Smiley)). I am very close to my college roommate's family, and would be devastated by such news. Blessings to her family and you being such a good person to be there for her.

Dorothy, you must be over the moon with all that good news on publicity! You have a signing to go to, sister, in NYC!

Stiger, tomorrow is Friday. That is pretty much the weekend this week with the weird holiday.

JSSchley, that is a high bar. To be loved by a child is quite a gift, and to be timeless because of our printed words, a miracle. It is what intoxicates me about this business. All I want is to be is a book in the library......forever.

Sage, you are the hardest working writer I know! You wrote three queries in one night? Wowzers. I am wishing you good luck and great responses

Thanks guys, I'm not close to her anymore or her family but I remember fondly how kind her mom was and that she was so funny when I came to her for advice (she's a school librarian and I think I want to go into that field). Strong woman. Had cancer when Freshman Roomie was 8 and now again when Former Roomie was 19-22. She was lucky enough to see her daughter walk across the stage 2 months ago @graduation.

Also - Sage I posted comments on your TM query! And 3 queries in 1 night? You go, girl!!!

Smiley0501 said:

That means we have to hang out at BEA!!!

Yay!

On sad news... My freshman year (of college) roommate's mother just passed away from a long battle from cancer. I hate that I heard through FB. Her mom was a school librarian and although my former roomie had a rocky relationship, I can't imagine what K is going through right now w/her dad and brother.

Will probably be off the boards for a bit...

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Sorry to hear that.

Sage said:

I wrote three queries last night. One for TM, one for TwP, and one for a Trouble book I haven't written. I just posted TM in QLH, and now I shall hide until morning to see if I get responses, lol.

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Good luck, Sage!

JKRowley said:

Dorothy, you must be over the moon with all that good news on publicity! You have a signing to go to, sister, in NYC!

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I'm pretty ecstatic, yeah! ^_^

Dorothy - do you have a cover yet? I'm pretty excited you'll be signing at BEA - that is a BIG DEAL

How the hey is everyone?

I'm finding it fascinating how everyone writes.

Outlines? In my humble and amateurish experience, I find it limiting. I like to keep things loosey-goosey. I usually start with a cool idea and/or characters. The characters, I'll write down their names and a few of their traits to keep me on the straight and narrow. I usually have a few suspense set-pieces in mind, don't need to write 'em down. Then I just turn everything loose and sorta' wing my way through it. I do like to jot down notes (on post-it's, like Sage!) about scenes that I want to write one to two weeks ahead of time. Gives me a sense of comfort. Because we all know, we writers are a fearful bunch! Other than that, if the characters aren't leading me, then I feel it's not working. When the characters dictate my direction (like a crazy brain-worming GPS system), writing goes well.

Oh! All my young adult manuscripts are murder mysteries. I think it's important to KNOW who the killer is before you set fingers to laptop. However, I have saved certain characters from the death-chamber before, because they grow on me.

Now. Research is problematic for me. When it blends with what you have in mind (I experienced this in my first tale. Everything came together like a well-constructed, hand-carved wooden puzzle), there's nothing more mind-blowing. I researched witchcraft and something just fell into place regarding my lead character and locale. When it doesn't fit? I've a hard time not being "MR. GIGANTIC EXPOSITION" and feel a need to show everything I've learned.

I know. I need refinement. I'm never going to be the writer I want to be. Maybe that's a good thing? Dunno.

Finally, the chopping block. My first book has been accepted. Yet, I can't help going through it one more time before it meets the editor. Frankly, I'm sick of it. But, I digress. A very wise writer I just met told me self-editing is crucial and you have to be merciless. I ain't talking about cutting out unnecessary words (guilty, as charged). She's trying to teach me to chop out fatty scenes. Now, that's hard. Especially since this is my first book, my "first-born (and any parent who tells you they love you all the same, is a LIAR!)." An adult thriller I wrote two years ago? No problem cutting the chaff. It's sorta' a bastard, anyway.

Bottom line? Man! I've got a lot to learn yet about writing. Now that I realize this, I couldn't be happier (and intimidated).

How DO you add things to your signature, anyway?

Tex, The Witch Boy -- electronically flinging its way towards you in January.

Hey Sik

Stuck In Kansas said:

How the hey is everyone?

I'm finding it fascinating how everyone writes.

Outlines? In my humble and amateurish experience, I find it limiting. I like to keep things loosey-goosey. I usually start with a cool idea and/or characters. The characters, I'll write down their names and a few of their traits to keep me on the straight and narrow. I usually have a few suspense set-pieces in mind, don't need to write 'em down. Then I just turn everything loose and sorta' wing my way through it. I do like to jot down notes (on post-it's, like Sage!) about scenes that I want to write one to two weeks ahead of time. Gives me a sense of comfort. Because we all know, we writers are a fearful bunch! Other than that, if the characters aren't leading me, then I feel it's not working. When the characters dictate my direction (like a crazy brain-worming GPS system), writing goes well. This is EXACTLY me. Except that I don't use post-its but I put it in a special writer's notebook I keep.

Finally, the chopping block. My first book has been accepted. Yet, I can't help going through it one more time before it meets the editor. Frankly, I'm sick of it. But, I digress. A very wise writer I just met told me self-editing is crucial and you have to be merciless. I ain't talking about cutting out unnecessary words (guilty, as charged). She's trying to teach me to chop out fatty scenes. Now, that's hard. Especially since this is my first book, my "first-born (and any parent who tells you they love you all the same, is a LIAR!)." An adult thriller I wrote two years ago? No problem cutting the chaff. It's sorta' a bastard, anyway. This is true for me, too. So hard sometimes to let go of a scene I love, but I have done it. It hurts, but then when you see the story as a whole, you just realize that it works so much better. But it's still hard EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

Bottom line? Man! I've got a lot to learn yet about writing. Now that I realize this, I couldn't be happier (and intimidated). I love knowing I don't know shite. LOL Srsly, I love discovering new things about writing (and about my writing/style). It's a fascinating journey!

How DO you add things to your signature, anyway? If you look in the upper right hand corner and click on Private Messages under your Welcome, Stuck In Kansas box, then you will see a long menu on the left side called Your Control Panel. Under Settings and Options you click on Edit Signature and there you go. But you are limited to how much you can put in there so you may have to play around with it a bit.

Tex, The Witch Boy -- electronically flinging its way towards you in January.

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Thanks Melly!

Let's see if I can handle adding a siggy here (you gotta' understand, I come from a heritage where my mom used to call me at work and ask me how to operate the VCR. I was technologically significant...10 years ago).

It IS a fascinating journey, isn't it? I learned a couple years ago (when I first started writing), you can't get a big head. I had a short lived bout. Didn't last long. My wife slapped humility into me. I know I'm a novice. I have SO much to learn about writing. Actually? Yeah, that part is exciting, as opposed to all the promotion and that blatherall.

Keep watching the horror flicks, Melly! Your YA horror novel sounds intriguing! I don't think there're too many straight-up books like that out there. I'll be on board once you get it out there.

Sigh. How DO you add your sig? (Remember...VCR's and stuff...)

Crap (sorry for the vulgarity!)! My signature did show up!

But it has an inappropriate apostrophe. I HATE those guys.

Thanks for the advice, Sage and Melly!

Although I believe I'm the oldest kid in the pool (can't let go of those water wings just yet), I also feel I'm the "greenest" writer amongst y'all. So much to learn.

But, you know something? I wrote in a vacuum for two years. This is the first time I've dared venture out and "talk" to other writers. I learn from you guys. Keep up the on-going tutorial! It's educational and I realize, finally, I'm not alone in my hopes and fears.

Sage! I've said it before, but your cover artwork is stellar! Very evocative. I can only hope my publisher comes up with something half that good.

I wish I had something to link to. I don't. I'm still struggling with the look, theme, etc. of my blog, but it hasn't fired up yet. I also don't want to burn people out with premature early promotion. Geeze, I hate the idea of self-promotion...one of the reasons I bailed on Corporate America (!). I've never been good at trumpeting my own horn. And I'm humble. Kansas, remember?

When I do get something up and running, I'll post it here. Thus far, my publisher hasn't put up squat about me. That's okay. Probably not ready for it yet, really.

Okay! So hot here in Kansas, I've gotta' water down the roof, hose down the dog and toss a couple'a steaks on the sidewalk!

Kansas!

I think you could still blog (I'd follow!) and you don't necessarily have to blog right away with your book. Maybe do a stats post? Like how many queries you sent, rejection numbers, offer to publish...I always like those but just my suggestion.

What is your book about? I love the title!

Hi Smiley!

Yay! I've got one blog reader!

My book started out as a "what if" scenario. I knew that young adult books were huge, but from what I'd read and noticed, there weren't many (any?) books geared towards teen boys. I thought, you know, I would've loved a book to touch me in my high school years, something not geared towards football players, ultra-handsome prom kings, the works.

So, from that spark, the book was born. And the ultimate theme turned about to be about bullying. But, I realized I had to turn it into something relatively entertaining, so I made it a murder mystery with a light paranormal wrapping to further entice.

It's pretty damn much an autobiography. All the bullying events are real. Anything needed updating? My daughter!

The title? Just wanted to mess with people's expectations about a witch character. It was the most iconic name I grasped outta' the air at the time. It stuck.

Okay, I can't blog about my journey to publishing. My first submittal was accepted. I know it sounds impressive, but now? I'm looking back and realizing how damn lucky I was to get accepted. The writing's pretty ripe. I also lucked into a great publisher (apparently one of the only ones) willing to help out new authors. ("Muse-It-Up," folks. They BELIEVE in raw talent.).

Okay, this sounded like it should've been my first blog!

Smiley0501 said:

Dorothy - do you have a cover yet? I'm pretty excited you'll be signing at BEA - that is a BIG DEAL

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Yes, I have a cover, but it hasn't been revealed yet. It was originally scheduled to reveal in December/January, but I just found out they might do a mass reveal for a bunch of Month9Books debuts in a few weeks! I'll definitely let you know.

Well, hell, Smiley. I became so excited over the fact I'm going to have one potential blog-reader, I forgot to tell you what the book was about!

In a nutshell: Tex (a Kansas high school sophomore--insecure, socially and physically awkward, bright, big-hearted, sensitive, funny, troublesomely smart-assed--me! Except, um, I'm not a teenage witch), discovers he's a witch. He deals with this revelation along with the daily horrors of high school--bullying, dodgeball, mandatory gym showers, sadistic gym coaches, not fitting into any cliques, and a terrifying, possible romance. Parents are also a big deal. If they're not dead, they're MIA or incapacitated (I know...it's a LOT. But, please keep in mind, this is mostly a true story).

Meanwhile, someone's killing the bullies at Clearwell High. Due to past encounters with a murdered bully, Tex comes under suspicion from the heinous vice principal and a determined homicide detective.

With the help of his small, yet loyal group of outcast friends and a new, surprising mentor, Tex finds himself forced to use his new powers to unveil the murderer, before they become targeted.

Whew. It's a lot, I know.

Dorothy, I'm looking forward to your book. Your tease about the cover--and the cool title--is already piquing my interest.

Wow, Kansas, sounds good. Have you ever read W!tch Eye$ by $c0tt Trac3y? It is also about a teen guy who is a witch (different storyline though). I think you'd enjoy it.