Old People Writing for Teens, IV

[Smiley0501]

LOL Parametric! Us, wise?

And yes there was a mass murder and they stole a plane and attacked a Yeerk base fo'sho. You're talking to the girl who wrote a 10 page paper for college on how violence in literature for children is okay (it teaches them, does not shield them)/Animorphs.

Bishop - Star Trek? *high fives* Minus the fact that I am a Star Wars girl all the way.

[Aslera]

I've hit 36,000 of an expected 100,000 on this fantasy, which means I've passed the 27,000 mark that has always kneed me in the groin and left me unable to continue in past drafts.

Also, I got an interview for a job. So you know, employment after my current job ends in 2 weeks would be nice

[FMAnderson]

I got a crazy number of hits on my site from this site last week, but only on a specific post... Someone had to link to it or talk about it, but I have no idea where...

I feel like people were talking about me behind my back.

Ahhhh... the lack of confidence of the previously bullied!

[Stuck In Kansas]

Um. Dark confession time. And if you guys ever tell my blustery, beer-faced buddies, we'll have to have a stern talk.

I may be the only 50 year old male who enjoyed Sailor Moon! I know, right? But, my daughter was at the right age, I was sick as hell of "Barney" and the other American tripe made for kids, I had to seek out new venues. 'Cause with kids, it's all about the repetition. And you know something? They had some pretty killer arcs and good characterization! Writers can actually learn a lot from manga and anime.

Sage: I'm curious as to why you changed your adult novel into YA. Currently, I've an idea for a zombie/love story tale (yeah, it sounds trite), but I can't determine whether to make it YA or adult. With adult, I can let my horror freak flag fly...yet...if I were to make it YA, it would be much more poignant.

Smiley: The horror film fest went well. "Shadow Creature" was ABSOLUTELY terrible. The way I likes my bad horror films. SO much more fun than ten mainstream comedies churned together.

I'm finding it interesting about y'all's (Kansas, keep in mind) secret penchant for writing erotic fan-fic. Let's hear about more dark fan-fic secrets!

[Smiley0501]

Kansas- Speaking of how great manga/anime is for writers: have you seen Death Note? (LOL I promise I am a nice girl...I just tend to like/write crazy things)*

RE: horror films. I can't even deal with the bad cheesy ones. My BFF is a die hard horror fanatic and I'm like crying/hiding behind pillows and blankets, etc. I'd take 10 comedies over horror any day.




*I swear I like rainbows and unicorns!

[Sage]

Originally Posted by Stuck In Kansas

I may be the only 50 year old male who enjoyed Sailor Moon! I know, right? But, my daughter was at the right age, I was sick as hell of "Barney" and the other American tripe made for kids, I had to seek out new venues. 'Cause with kids, it's all about the repetition. And you know something? They had some pretty killer arcs and good characterization! Writers can actually learn a lot from manga and anime.

Oh, no, I can tell you from many SFF/anime conventions' worth of experience that you are far from the only 50-year-old male to enjoy SM or any other shojo anime either.

Originally Posted by Stuck In Kansas

Sage: I'm curious as to why you changed your adult novel into YA. Currently, I've an idea for a zombie/love story tale (yeah, it sounds trite), but I can't determine whether to make it YA or adult. With adult, I can let my horror freak flag fly...yet...if I were to make it YA, it would be much more poignant.

I had some betas tell me the voice would work just as well for YA. And then I entered the New Adult contest and was told from my query and first few pages that it sounded YA, so they referred me to a YA agent, and I sent it and she was like, "Hey, this character is 26!" which, ya know, I could've told them

But I thought about it and decided to change it to YA. It was far after the angel trend was over, and even the reaper trend was on it's way out (although those books have just come out). I got requests, but one of the agents totally caught that it was originally an adult novel, so I guess I just can't win with that one.

[Stuck In Kansas]

Smiley: Haven't seen Death Note. I actually don't know too much about anime/manga, but from what I've witnessed...the Japanese do not underestimate their target audience, assume they're intelligent and can take a complex, continuing arc. Truthfully? Sailor Moon was my first experience (well, Pokemon, but that don't count!) and I thought COOL!

Okay. I know what y'all are thinkin'. I'M NOT A PERVERT! When Sage said I'm not the only SM lovin' 50-year old out there, I automatically thought I don't want me in the neighborhood. Signs of the times and paranoia. I watched it with my then-young (now, apparently, porn-watching) daughter and enjoyed the story-telling. And I've read about Japan's businessmen's...obsession(?)...with schoolgirls.

Okay! Let's get back to business!

Smiley, back to you again: Sorry, girl, but unicorns aren't real. And I assassinated Santa Claus last year. I know, I know...the truth is not always delicate to hear. It's called "tough love. (And I think I need to watch horror flicks with your BFF)." Besides Mel, who WAS the only other horror film fan here?

Sage: When you switched it up from adult to YA, was it that easy? I'm trying to dabble in both worlds and find it WAY different and not that interchangable without rewriting the entire gig.

Show of hands. Who thinks I should write my zombie book (I know, everyone's writing one these days, but I gotta' good Kansas killer kick to it) as adult or YA? I'm at y'all's mercy.

[Stuck In Kansas]

Hey, you guys have just inspired me by saying absolutely nothing! Brilliant! (I kid, of course). Actually, what happened was I hit my head on a book-shelf and either have a concussion or a light-bulb flickering above me. Haven't decided which, yet. Let me wipe the blood away...

Okay. Zombie book. If I go YA, it's gonna' be a poignant and (I would hope, moving) love story. If I go adult, it's gonna' be a blood-bath, balls to the wall (vulgarity! Apologies!) horror tale.

I thought to myself (selves, actually, because I'm seeing double), why not try both? See what happens?

Now, it seems like a really cool idea. Tomorrow? I might wake up (in the hospital) and realize how dumb it is and I'd get way burnt out on the same subject matter, characters, plot, etc. for two books. Still...my spidey senses are tingling! (Or am I lapsing into a coma?).

[Smiley0501]

Kansas: Speaking of YA zombie books (go write it!)- Have you read C0urtney $ummer$' TH1S 1S N0T A T3ST. It is a zombie YA. I think you'd enjoy it.

As for anime/manga, I don't watch much of it either. *shifts eyes* I swear. I got into 2 shows because a friend recommended them (okay, and I ended up enjoying them). And then 1 anime I got into bc a boy I liked in HS watched it (didn't really like that one).

And omg I think your daughter and I must be the same age because when I was younger, Pokemon/Sailor Moon was all the rage.

I really do think you should write your zombie story. You could always test it out with an adult character and then also write it in the voice of a YA character. Just a suggestion. Test which one you like best or you "hear" the most of & go with it.

[Stuck In Kansas]

Thanks for the advice, Smiley! And, um, thanks for "aging" me. You kids today...grumble, grumble.

Thanks for the rec on THIS IS NOT A TEST! I'll check it out. Lookin' forward to it.

Seems really weird to even comtemplate a YA Zombie book. But I think I'm a'gonnna' do it.

[JKRowley]

Sailor Moon! I missed that stage, but always loved that name.

Smiley, I love how untechnoligical you are. (Yeah, I know that isn't a word). I heard on NPR today that we have absorbed a bunch of new technology in the last ten years (ereaders, smart phones, Facebook, iCloud, etc....) Things we never dreamed of before. One of the downfalls is "time sickness," and I have noticed time gets away from me on any of these devices.

It is cool to me to avoid them, although I have an ereader. I don't have a Mac, but did download some books to Kindle for the PC. I was able to transfer them to an actual Kindle when I bought one.

Goodreads question, how do you become a Goodreads author? They don't automatically do that when the book hits the market, do they?

[lisalulu09]

Hello!

[Smiley0501]

LOL Yeah, Jill, all my friends make fun of me: "You're the biggest reader out of all of us and *you* don't have an e-reader?" (I also don't have an iPhone. I do have a Macbook. And a phone that was $15.)

I think w/Goodreads, you have to find someone who is a GR Librarian and have them add it for you? I'm not too sure how that works...

Lisa!

[lisalulu09]

I have a Kindle, but...

BOOKS. THE SMELL. THE FEEL. EVERYTHING. OMG THE LOVES.

[Sage]

Originally Posted by Stuck In Kansas

Okay. I know what y'all are thinkin'. I'M NOT A PERVERT! When Sage said I'm not the only SM lovin' 50-year old out there, I automatically thought I don't want me in the neighborhood. Signs of the times and paranoia. I watched it with my then-young (now, apparently, porn-watching) daughter and enjoyed the story-telling. And I've read about Japan's businessmen's...obsession(?)...with schoolgirls.

Oh, no,I'm talking legitimate anime fans here. Guys who run conventions and never give me a pervert vibe. Roomie's dad is very into shojo anime. Because it's adorable, not because of skeevy-ness.

Originally Posted by Stuck In Kansas

Sage: When you switched it up from adult to YA, was it that easy? I'm trying to dabble in both worlds and find it WAY different and not that interchangable without rewriting the entire gig.

It was easier than it probably should have been. I didn't seem to do it very well, lol. One of the complaints was that some of the issues (focus on the MC's job, for example) were more adult than teen.

Originally Posted by JKRowley

Goodreads question, how do you become a Goodreads author? They don't automatically do that when the book hits the market, do they?

You can add your book as soon as you have an ISBN, and then I think I messaged them that the book was mine so they would connect my account to the book (I think that info is all there in some section about being an author).

[motley_muse]

Hi y'all, can I join this club?

I'm an old people. Writing for young folk.

[lisalulu09]

Trying to think of a plot/title for the Valentine's Day book in the CC series is hard...

They'll all be:

Charlie's Christmas Wish
Charlie's Valentine ...
Charlie's Easter ...
Charlie's Halloween ... (WILL HAVE GHOSTS!)

[Dorothy]

So my cover reveal is up: http://bookalicious.org/2012/07/two-...-and-giveaway/

I'm really excited about it!

[Stiger05]

Originally Posted by lisalulu09

I have a Kindle, but...

BOOKS. THE SMELL. THE FEEL. EVERYTHING. OMG THE LOVES.

Ditto.

I devoted my Saturday afternoon to writing and worked out some snags. Now I have to fix my climax. For some reason, the climax, specifically the final confrontation between the protag and antag, is always the hardest for me to write.

How is everyone else doing this morning?

[lisalulu09]

It's pretty!

TV, BBQ, then Invincible stuff!

[bertrigby]

...whistles

[Stiger05]

Whatever! I love it! The colors are great, and the shadowy reaper on the top step is fantastic! I don't get an 80s vibe from it. So many covers today are static, with the character just standing somewhere, but with yours I get a sense of action, and movement.

[Dorothy]

*wipes tears away*

Thanks, everyone. You're the best. *group hug*

[Sage]

Originally Posted by Dorothy

<snipped>

What makes a way someone's standing a year? Ridiculous. The cover looks great. Also, yay cover!

Originally Posted by lisalulu09

I have a Kindle, but...

BOOKS. THE SMELL. THE FEEL. EVERYTHING. OMG THE LOVES.

I love real books, but I have to admit I get very spoiled by the Kindle. If you multi-task like me (reading while eating, reading while doing certain tasks at work), the page turn at a press of a button is really handy. It's nice to switch to my iPhone if I unexpectedly get a moment to read (I always have my iPhone on me, not so books or Kindles), I like the font and I can adjust the size to my preferences. The one I have doesn't have a lit screen, but I have a book light that sits in the cover and is way easier to use than any clip-on book light I've ever had for physical books.

I go through phases between physical books and Kindle, but I'm on a Kindle phase right now.

Originally Posted by motley_muse

Hi y'all, can I join this club?

I'm an old people. Writing for young folk.

motley!

What kind of YA do you write?

[lisalulu09]

Sage! Just the person I wanted (you write kidlit too, so yeah...)

What's your view of romance in MG? What sort does it have to be? And how could it work in terms of an adventure series?

(the last question is because i like to bounce ideas around)

the bbq needs to hurry up.