"Old" People Writing for Teens V

Bing Z · Jul 28, 2014

Thanks for the support, KiwiLady. Well, I'm not giving up. I'll refine my beginning (and the rests) and will try to get lots of beta opinions on the book. I will promise sumptuous gifts if I get rich from selling the damn book ^_^

Congrats Sage for the first love.

Congrats Lisa for the story.

Welcome Southern girl. That 2 hour 2k words thing sounds brilliant. I should copy but I'm known to be undisciplined. I may end up spending 3 hours writing 400 words (I read & write awfully slow.)

BPhilip · Jul 28, 2014

JFitchett92 said:
The heatwave has been lifted with torrential rains and thunderstorms (we had 2 storms happening simultaneously in my area). Most local towns have become flooded, and the entire railway system is at a standstill.

Free day off!

It's a crisp 62 our right now, a nice reprieve from our humid 85. I hate sweating so I'm happy for the sweater weather. It makes me so inspired.

I guess it's worth a flooded town for a day off! I've wished for far worse before.

BPhilip · Jul 28, 2014

KSavoie-
The last time I spent all day reading, was a few weeks ago when I dedicated an entire day to finally finishing Allegiant. What a roller coaster of a day.

Becca-
But what do you do? I'm going to have to take time off from writing soon to start lesson planning, which is a bummer. But I also can't wait for the summer to be over (I'm probably the only person alive who wants that).

lisalulu09 · Jul 28, 2014

It's #CPmatch day on Twitter. Doing it with my new WIP AND I AM SO NERVOUS. It's ridiculous.

Stiger05 · Jul 28, 2014

I had plans to spend all yesterday writing, but then I got a migraine. So I stayed in bed in the dark instead. Meh.

Sage said:
I am now the proud owner of a Prius C!

Woo hooo! Have you named it??

Southern_girl29 said:
The reason she changes her mind is that she's scared and nervous. She's very logical so she thinks about all the consequences of her actions. She's also very rule oriented so she also feels as though she would be breaking some sort of rule by doing so. This part was the hardest for me to write.

First, welcome!! Second, I think you need to go with what feels right for the character. I have extreme OCD and am borderline Aspie (I'll just link you to the blog post I did about it, rather than go into detail here). I completely get your character. I can't stand to be touched, except by my husband and a couple different people I dated before my husband--and there are even limits to that. I mean, it literally sends me into a panic and reduces me to a ball of tears when anyone else touches me. I am also very rule oriented, and breaking those rules is really hard.

From my perspective, overcoming the hurdle of enjoying being touched by someone is huge, and sex is even more huge (I had my own rule regarding sex), so for me it would be realistic to reach that edge and then back off. Realistic as in I did that many times and (full disclosure. I'm trying to get better at this so here it goes...), it probably would have taken me years to cross that line if I hadn't been raped my freshman year of college. Once that rule was broken once, it was easier to break it again on my own terms, but still a really big deal.

Basically what I'm saying is don't worry about what other people will think about the character's decision, or what you want the character to do. Really think through what the character would actually do, and do your research on Asperger's to make sure you're capturing the character and the traits of the affliction correctly. If you think the character would make that leap, then make sure you lay the right path leading to it. I learned to accept some touching when I was around 15, but I was 22 before I was actually comfortable with it. I'm just saying, if your character goes from no touching to sex within a few months, I'm going to raise more than a few eyebrows based on my own experience.

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

Stiger05 said:
Woo hooo! Have you named it??

She will probably be named Priya, but I may change that based on what I decide about the license plate. I was always going to get ECO SAGE on a Prius, but now that most people actually call me Sage, I'm reconsidering that. My dad's Prius was the Gas Miser (GAS MZR), so I was thinking of doing a play off that (since he no longer has the Miser). And of course, there's always AFTRLYF, which is what I consider to be the first *real* novel I wrote and was named after the license plate on the MC's Prius.

wampuscat · Jul 28, 2014

lisalulu09 said:
It's #CPmatch day on Twitter. Doing it with my new WIP AND I AM SO NERVOUS. It's ridiculous.

GO FOR IT! How exciting. Actually, maybe I should go there too.

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

What's #CPmatch?

lisalulu09 · Jul 28, 2014

http://pawsfangsandsmiles.blogspot.co.uk/p/cp-matchmaker.html

JFitchett92 · Jul 28, 2014

lisalulu09 said:
Where do you live in the UK, JF? I'm in London. It's still crazy warm here...

BPhilip said:
It's a crisp 62 our right now, a nice reprieve from our humid 85. I hate sweating so I'm happy for the sweater weather. It makes me so inspired.

I guess it's worth a flooded town for a day off! I've wished for far worse before.

I live in the south, along the coast. As far as I'm aware, the worst of the damage was between Bognor Regis and Brighton (and I'm right in the middle). It's become super cool down here now, gentle breezes and grey skies, traditional british weather.

I don't do well when the temperature is above 20C, I'm winterborn.

Sage said:
She will probably be named Priya, but I may change that based on what I decide about the license plate. I was always going to get ECO SAGE on a Prius, but now that most people actually call me Sage, I'm reconsidering that. My dad's Prius was the Gas Miser (GAS MZR), so I was thinking of doing a play off that (since he no longer has the Miser). And of course, there's always AFTRLYF, which is what I consider to be the first *real* novel I wrote and was named after the license plate on the MC's Prius.

I like the ECO SAGE idea ^_^ Although I think with a license plate like that, you'd need a chibi version of yourself stuck beside it

*thinks about how cute Chibi Sage would look*

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

lisalulu09 said:
http://pawsfangsandsmiles.blogspot.co.uk/p/cp-matchmaker.html

Is it weird that I want to tweet aPB just to use the abbreviations?

JFitchett92 said:
I like the ECO SAGE idea ^_^ Although I think with a license plate like that, you'd need a chibi version of yourself stuck beside it

*thinks about how cute Chibi Sage would look*

Much cuter than normal Sage

Hapax Legomenon · Jul 28, 2014

I think someone said Dorothy Must Die was produced by a book mill or something? Does anybody remember which one?

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

James Frey's.

Hapax Legomenon · Jul 28, 2014

All right. I was interested in Half Bad and for some reason I thought it was Full Fathom Five but I don't think it is.

KSavoie · Jul 28, 2014

I thought Half Bad was Full Fathom Five too. Hmm.

BPhilip - Spent all day reading Allegiant? Not worth it in my opinion. I don't feel like the ending of that book was justified. But, just one person's opinion! =]

I'm over half way done with revisions in my WIP! I realized I now need more beta's to send it to... Time to start digging at my writer friends!

Hapax Legomenon · Jul 28, 2014

I think it might be the concept and the cover art seem like they're in such the same vein as Dorothy Must Die and others on the list? But I guess that doesn't really mean anything, because looking at the known FFF list there's a pretty diverse set of covers and titles.

Southern_girl29 · Jul 28, 2014

Stiger05 said:
I had plans to spend all yesterday writing, but then I got a migraine. So I stayed in bed in the dark instead. Meh.

Woo hooo! Have you named it??

First, welcome!! Second, I think you need to go with what feels right for the character. I have extreme OCD and am borderline Aspie (I'll just link you to the blog post I did about it, rather than go into detail here). I completely get your character. I can't stand to be touched, except by my husband and a couple different people I dated before my husband--and there are even limits to that. I mean, it literally sends me into a panic and reduces me to a ball of tears when anyone else touches me. I am also very rule oriented, and breaking those rules is really hard.

From my perspective, overcoming the hurdle of enjoying being touched by someone is huge, and sex is even more huge (I had my own rule regarding sex), so for me it would be realistic to reach that edge and then back off. Realistic as in I did that many times and (full disclosure. I'm trying to get better at this so here it goes...), it probably would have taken me years to cross that line if I hadn't been raped my freshman year of college. Once that rule was broken once, it was easier to break it again on my own terms, but still a really big deal.

Basically what I'm saying is don't worry about what other people will think about the character's decision, or what you want the character to do. Really think through what the character would actually do, and do your research on Asperger's to make sure you're capturing the character and the traits of the affliction correctly. If you think the character would make that leap, then make sure you lay the right path leading to it. I learned to accept some touching when I was around 15, but I was 22 before I was actually comfortable with it. I'm just saying, if your character goes from no touching to sex within a few months, I'm going to raise more than a few eyebrows based on my own experience.

STiger,
I had a long post typed up, but it got lost somehow. Anyway, I loved what you wrote on your blog. I agree about mental health and physical health. I am a mental health social worker and work with the mentally ill all day, so it isn't fair to them or anyone that a stigma is attached to it.

My character counts things, too, like ceiling tiles, floor tiles or trays in the cafeteria. She doesn't do it because it's a compulsion. She does it as sort of stimming, and it calms her down. She also has some obsessions such as Harry Potter, the television show Golden Girls, Elvis music and others.

There's more but I don't have time right now to retype it all, lol. As for the touching thing, Katie doesn't hate it exactly. She just really likes her personal space and feels VERY uncomfortable when someone invades it. Another part of it is that she really isn't sure how to respond when some initiates something intimate, like putting an arm around her or holding her hand. When she and the main MMC are kissing, it's like sensory overload for her, and she becomes overwhelmed by all of it. I hope that made sense.

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

Except for the counting, you just described me.

Southern_girl29 · Jul 28, 2014

Sage said:
Except for the counting, you just described me.

She's a lot like me, too. I've been reading about Asperger's, talking with people who have it or have children with it for a while, and some of the things that have been described to me as symptoms seem like quirks. Even my friend whose son has it has said he's just a really quirky kid. She thinks if he had been born 20 years earlier, he probably wouldn't have been diagnosed with it.

There are other things about her which are more Asperger's than quirks. She doesn't understand social cues at all. Facial expressions are very difficult for her to read, so she never knows how someone is feeling. She can't understand sarcasm either. If something comes into her head, most of the time, it comes out of her mouth. She goes on and on about topics that are interesting to her and doesn't realize the person on the other end is bored. She's also extremely intelligent.

JFitchett92 · Jul 28, 2014

Sage said:
Much cuter than normal Sage

Debatable.

Southern_girl29 said:
There are other things about her which are more Asperger's than quirks. She doesn't understand social cues at all. Facial expressions are very difficult for her to read, so she never knows how someone is feeling. She can't understand sarcasm either. If something comes into her head, most of the time, it comes out of her mouth. She goes on and on about topics that are interesting to her and doesn't realize the person on the other end is bored. She's also extremely intelligent.

I have a friend who has Asperger's and I more often than not have to explain to others what you've just explained here. He's a great guy, can easily get involved in any conversation regarding any topic, but a lot of stuff just slips out. He sometimes acts impulsively too which has got him into some sticky situations before now.

I have discovered first hand what some of the negatives of these traits are. I was in a short relationship with someone who had mild Asperger's, but it struck me hard because she could never understand how I felt about the things that were just toppling out of her mouth.

I don't often read contemporary YA, but your story has me intrigued because of this particular post.

Parametric · Jul 28, 2014

I edit a client's amazing series of art thrillers about a protagonist with high-functioning autism and genius-level intelligence. It goes into a lot of depth about her autistic spectrum issues and how they alter her life. Fascinating stuff.

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

I've read a couple of YAs with MCs with Asperberger's. One was Marcelo in the Real World. The other was Harmonic Feedback.

Sage · Jul 28, 2014

Tomorrow I'll be going to my fave cafe for sure, with the intention of really tackling that last fifth of TM.

My desire to take my new baby on the 80-mile round trip drive has nothing to do with it.

endearing · Jul 28, 2014

So awesome. I should try writing and editing in a cafe. On the one hand, sometimes it feels too public for me; on the other hand, it helps me stay focused when I'm in a specific place for the specific purpose of writing and editing.

CoffeeBeans · Jul 28, 2014

Sage said:
My desire to take my new baby on the 80-mile round trip drive has nothing to do with it.

Nothing at all, obviously. I had lots of very necessary long drives to make when I got my Smart...

JFitchett92 said:
I don't do well when the temperature is above 20C, I'm winterborn.

That's like my boyfriend, who just melts in the heat. He's in Mexico for a July wedding right now... :tongue

Glad you're safe, even if the storms sound very terrible.

Congrats to all the folks with good news. I love it when I check the thread and people have positive stuff happening.

I'm still in Camp Nano mode, and I'm climbing the hill to 40K. I just got to write my MC breaking her future LI's nose, which was a gold star on the scene list since I plotted. Maybe my sense of romance is a little skewed...

"Old" People Writing for Teens V

Bing Z

illiterate primate

BPhilip

BPhilip

lisalulu09

Potterhead Gleek

Stiger05

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

wampuscat

Recovering adjective addict

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

lisalulu09

Potterhead Gleek

JFitchett92

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Hapax Legomenon

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Hapax Legomenon

KSavoie

Hapax Legomenon

Southern_girl29

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Southern_girl29

JFitchett92

Parametric

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

Sage

Supreme Guessinator

endearing

in love with Jesus

CoffeeBeans