Old People Writing for Teens, IV

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Kewii

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Thanks, Sage. That's helpful. Hopefully my kids really take to this unit. The girls probably will, seeing as they love Pretty Little Liars so much.
 

southbel

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Has anyone made reference to a game, show, movie, or book? Like not say it out right, but if someone were to read your book and played the game/saw the movie or show/read the book, too, the reader would get it?
Well, I make a reference to Tiffany's in mine but it was pretty obvious with the whole tiffany blue box and white bow description. But I didn't want to deal with any complications of actually using the name of the brand.
 

parumpdragon

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Has anyone made reference to a game, show, movie, or book? Like not say it out right, but if someone were to read your book and played the game/saw the movie or show/read the book, too, the reader would get it?

Yes, I used a reference to/for the Wizard of Oz in one of my books near the ending. Subtly though, so as not to infringe upon anything/the other book. ;)
 

ellio

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Has anyone made reference to a game, show, movie, or book? Like not say it out right, but if someone were to read your book and played the game/saw the movie or show/read the book, too, the reader would get it?

I do this a lot with things like phones or social network sites or computer games. If it's a movie or show or book I'm referencing I usually just out right say what it is though.

It may just be me but it grates on me a little bit when I know what an author is describing but they're purposely not saying what it is - snaps me out of the flow for a split second.
 

cryaegm

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I do this a lot with things like phones or social network sites or computer games. If it's a movie or show or book I'm referencing I usually just out right say what it is though.

It may just be me but it grates on me a little bit when I know what an author is describing but they're purposely not saying what it is - snaps me out of the flow for a split second.

My first WIP, I do describe things because my MC doesn't know what a tablet is or what a cell phone is. All she can do is describe it. She's been isolated in the woods for most of her life.

What I'm referring to with the question, in my WIP Beneath the Clouds, I'm referencing a game by saying Zeta Ceti as my character's favorite star in the Cetus constellation. Zeta Ceti is Baten Kaitos, but I don't call it that. Instead, I put the Arabic spelling.

Anyone who played the game would get it, but those who never have, it wouldn't do any harm. :tongue
 

Sage

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A book I just read made a lot of specific and general references to books, movies, shows, and music. In the sense that she was talking directly about reading/watching/listening to them. Some she named. Some she described. It drove me nuts when she chose to describe instead of name.
 

Bing Z

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My book is also full of references, lots of song titles quoted (some hits, some classics); lots of fashion (brands) references when talking about Park Ave Princess chars. Some yelp/NYMag-4/5-star restaurants named. Only one indirect movie scene has been quoted.

QUIZ: Can you name the movie referenced in this scene set on 1/1/2010?

"How’s the movie?” I said.
“I love it,” [20s girl] said [excitedly].
“It’s strange,” [late 30s woman] said. “I think it’s bad. But it’s so bad I find it funny and kind of like it.”
I chuckled with her. “I think it’s okay but worse than the books. A lot.”
 

Stuck In Kansas

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You guys! Gah! I'm a pop culture junkie. Of course my books are loaded with the stuff. But my pubber's terrified of lawsuits. For Gawd's sake, I couldn't even call a car a "mustang." Kinda' messes up a lotta' my comical moments, too. I had the lead female splay her keys in her hand and say "snickt." Well, hell, they made me change it to the point where the gag didn't even work anymore. Really? Is "snickt" trademarked?
 

ellio

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I have profound (not really) questions that don't warrant threads but do warrant me having to ask them to save going over them in my mind at 2:05am (the time it is as I type this)

I have a girl called Felix in my book and she's pretty important but I'm worried a boys name on a girl will be annoying/confusing to read, what do you think?

She's just such a Felix so I'm reluctant to change or even give her a more gender neutral nickname like Fee.

Also she's 19 and the sorta-kinda love interest of my 16 year old MC (who turns 17 in chapter 11 of 14). I'm worrying this age gap is too big with the girl being the one that's older?

They don't end up together but my MC spends most of the book pining after her and they kiss once but then he steals all her money so that's pretty much as far as it goes.
 

cryaegm

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I have profound (not really) questions that don't warrant threads but do warrant me having to ask them to save going over them in my mind at 2:05am (the time it is as I type this)

I have a girl called Felix in my book and she's pretty important but I'm worried a boys name on a girl will be annoying/confusing to read, what do you think?

She's just such a Felix so I'm reluctant to change or even give her a more gender neutral nickname like Fee.

Also she's 19 and the sorta-kinda love interest of my 16 year old MC (who turns 17 in chapter 11 of 14). I'm worrying this age gap is too big with the girl being the one that's older?

They don't end up together but my MC spends most of the book pining after her and they kiss once but then he steals all her money so that's pretty much as far as it goes.

I don't see a problem with the name Felix or the MC's crush. If he's just pining after her and they kiss once, it doesn't look like a big deal.
 

Bing Z

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You guys! Gah! I'm a pop culture junkie. Of course my books are loaded with the stuff. But my pubber's terrified of lawsuits. For Gawd's sake, I couldn't even call a car a "mustang." Kinda' messes up a lotta' my comical moments, too. I had the lead female splay her keys in her hand and say "snickt." Well, hell, they made me change it to the point where the gag didn't even work anymore. Really? Is "snickt" trademarked?

No clue about snickt, relating to coke? Mustang... what's the context? Did your char step on the brake of the mustang and it accelerates? How about try Corvette? Maybe they don't do Ford (contractual reason)?

I have a girl called Felix in my book and she's pretty important but I'm worried a boys name on a girl will be annoying/confusing to read, what do you think?

She's just such a Felix so I'm reluctant to change or even give her a more gender neutral nickname like Fee.

Also she's 19 and the sorta-kinda love interest of my 16 year old MC (who turns 17 in chapter 11 of 14). I'm worrying this age gap is too big with the girl being the one that's older?

I actually kinda like the name Felix for a girl. The important thing for me as a reader is to establish clearly she is a she the moment she is introduced, not the next page, not the next scene. Right there. (Unless, of course, if it's a mystery.)

3-year gap at sixteen can be a huge gap considering the younger is a dude. 2-year at seventeen is okay I think. Will they only meet in private? I'd envision he might get jeered at if he's always hanging around with a "much" older girl. Also give her some characteristics he doesn't see among his own peers, or convenience?
 

cryaegm

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So my web diagram outline is great. However, I want to do it on the computer so I have a copy on here as well and not have to go digging through my notes to look for a certain page. Excel/LibreOffice Calc seems to be the best bet. And I can still do the diagram; it's just more post-it notes looking instead of boxes.

And yeah, I know scrivener does that, but I'm too cheap. :tongue

ETA: Right now at least.
 

JKRowley

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You know, I got a groupon or something a day or two ago offering Scrivener at half price. I should've jumped at the chance.

I am ok with Felix for a girl. Fee reminds me of a Phish song. The age span bothers me because of legal issues of statutory rape (if they happen to be romantic).

Gah, my last chapter turns out to be a huge hangup. I don't know how to end this thing on the perfect note. I am thinking about leaving it unwritten (or half written X 2) until I revise.

Jill
 

Stuck In Kansas

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Felix is an AWESOME name for a female, Ellio. Please keep it. (Although the age span is a little creepy. Such a big difference at that age).

YOU GUYS! Okay, I've spent a lotta' time lately "promoting." Do you really think it helps? I mean, I'm only reaching other writers more or less (not that I don't love you guys! I do!), but it seems sorta' pointless after a while. It's writers talking to other writers, trying to sell books. Sigh. How the heck do you reach teens, anyway? Honestly, I don't care so much about sales as rather reaching my intended target market with my message. If I can help one teen, it's all worth it. My Amazon reviews are good, but I suspect it's 95% writers. Or bored old folks.
 

Kewii

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Hey guys.

Agreed on Felix for a girl. I actually thought it was a girl's name for a second before I clued in :)

So now for something completely different. I'm home early from school today because someone called in a bomb threat.

Yup.

That happened.
 

J.S.F.

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Felix for a girl is fine. When I was younger, I had a girlfriend named Sydney in university. I used to call her 'Syd' as a nickname, and when she called my house (yes, I lived at home with my folks at that time) my mother once overheard me saying "Love you, too, Syd" and she almost had a stroke! However, I digress.

Haven't been in this section for a while. I've been doing the promotion thing for my YA novel, Death Bytes (courtesy of ExtasyBooks.com), like Dorothy and Stuck in Kansas have been doing for their works, and these days, you gotta promote. It ain't easy. Just get on the YA forums a la Yahoo and write your thoughts in.

I suspect that my next two novels which will come out next year will be harder to push, mainly because they are mainly for the LG crowd. (Yeah, this coming from a straight guy!). Twisted is a genderswitch novel with lesbian overtones, but a couple of betas I've subbed it to liked it, and about ten lesbian writing buddies of mine looked at Lindsay versus the Marauders and loved it! Go figure.

Now, back to flogging, er, promoting my novel!:D

I suspect that
 

EMaree

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You guys! Gah! I'm a pop culture junkie. Of course my books are loaded with the stuff. But my pubber's terrified of lawsuits. For Gawd's sake, I couldn't even call a car a "mustang." Kinda' messes up a lotta' my comical moments, too. I had the lead female splay her keys in her hand and say "snickt." Well, hell, they made me change it to the point where the gag didn't even work anymore. Really? Is "snickt" trademarked?

Yikes. No offense to your pub, who I'm sure rock, but that would annoy me to no end. The "snickt" reference is wonderful, it's a crying shame you had to cut it.

I have profound (not really) questions that don't warrant threads but do warrant me having to ask them to save going over them in my mind at 2:05am (the time it is as I type this)

I have a girl called Felix in my book and she's pretty important but I'm worried a boys name on a girl will be annoying/confusing to read, what do you think?

She's just such a Felix so I'm reluctant to change or even give her a more gender neutral nickname like Fee.

Also she's 19 and the sorta-kinda love interest of my 16 year old MC (who turns 17 in chapter 11 of 14). I'm worrying this age gap is too big with the girl being the one that's older?

They don't end up together but my MC spends most of the book pining after her and they kiss once but then he steals all her money so that's pretty much as far as it goes.

Keep Felix! it's an awesome name, unique and memorable. :)

The age gap seems fine to me -- I get a little squicked out by age gaps if one side is 'jailbait', but 16/17 and 19 is fine.
 

Stiger05

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I'm just catching up on the discussion over the weekend, but:

I've been searching for a job for a few years now without much luck. Been babysitting my sister's kids in that time, didn't get paid much, which made it impossible to save for college. Now I'm back where I started, without a job, and this time, babysitting my other sister's kid and getting paid nothing. Now I have no money for college. I don't want to ask my parents to pay for it because then I'd feel absolutely horrible, and college costs an arm and a leg nowadays. I would love to go to college, though. Having no money to pay for something? :/ It makes it hard. And I don't qualify for loans because they'll look at my parents' credit.

ETA: This is the first time I have ever admit to this. I feel like an absolute failure, too.

:Hug2:

I know how you feel. My parents had terrible credit and no money. I had to pay my own way through college and law school. In high school I got a job at Sears and worked at two different Vet clinics. I took out a LOT of loans for school (like 100k) and was so broke I was three months behind on my bills and lived in a trailer with no heat or air. I worked three jobs in law school (Publix-ughhhh; the law library; and clerked for a firm) and I had to scrap to get those. I actually lied on my Publix application and omitted my college degree because no one would hire me. After law school I searched for a job for 9 months, substitute teaching and officiating high school volleyball for income. I finally got a job and we ended up moving cities, leading to 11 months of job searching.

It sucks, but you are NOT a failure! Job markets everywhere are tough right now.

My advice is to apply for as many scholarships as possible. Fastweb is a good resource. There are so many random things you can get money for! Also, see if you can get loans on your own without your parents. I'm not sure how old you are, but if you're under 26 it would mean your parents won't get to claim you as a dependent, but it would free up more loan money for you. My brother is a college sophomore right now and we just went through something similar with him.
 

Stiger05

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I have profound (not really) questions that don't warrant threads but do warrant me having to ask them to save going over them in my mind at 2:05am (the time it is as I type this)

I have a girl called Felix in my book and she's pretty important but I'm worried a boys name on a girl will be annoying/confusing to read, what do you think?

She's just such a Felix so I'm reluctant to change or even give her a more gender neutral nickname like Fee.

Also she's 19 and the sorta-kinda love interest of my 16 year old MC (who turns 17 in chapter 11 of 14). I'm worrying this age gap is too big with the girl being the one that's older?

They don't end up together but my MC spends most of the book pining after her and they kiss once but then he steals all her money so that's pretty much as far as it goes.

I like Felix. As for the age gap, PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER had a bit of romance between a freshman boy and a senior girl, so I think it's fine.
 

Stuck In Kansas

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Yeah, the more I think about it, the more I wanna' recant my thought about the age difference being a big deal, Ellio. For cryin' out loud, when I was 19, I dated a 16 year old girl. ('Course her mother wasn't too fond of the idea).

CRYAEGM! Listen to the ol' folks. You're NOT a failure! You're just starting. Takes time. At 52, I'm still finding my way. Chin up, girl.

EMAREE! I know, right? I hated losing that joke. But the way they wanted to change it? Didn't work at all. Apparently, my publisher had a scare with a threatened lawsuit last year and had to yank a book off the market. Now they're frightened by any mention of a brand name. Sigh. Gah! Teens are a highly brand-influenced bunch! Makes writing tough.
 
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