Sorry I haven't been blogging for the last week or so, I was bogged down with some other projects and such, but I'm BACK and I posted a proof of life video :)
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Cliches and Holidays
I'm not going to go too far into Thanksgiving because I am trying to keep this blog about writing and not about my day-to-day personal stuff, but I am still so excited about what a wonderful Thanksgiving I had, I just wanted to say that I hope you all had a day that was equally as beautiful, if not more.
It's funny because it's always easy to use holidays as milestones in our lives to think about where we were or what we were doing at that exact time the year prior or many years ago. At Thanksgiving last year, I remember telling everyone that I was almost finished writing a book. The funny thing is that as I was talking about it, I doubted in my own head whether I would ever actually finish writing it. In fact, I doubted my ability to write a novel all the way until I had finished my THIRD edit. It took that long for it to actually sink in that I had really done it. I kept thinking that after I turned each page, the rest of the pages would either be blank or not make sense or that something would be terribly wrong and that the book wouldn't actually be finished.
Finally, after reading it three times and frankly, getting kind of sick of it, I finally accepted that I had written my first book :)
Anyway, so using last year as my gauge...to go from wondering whether or not I would ever even finish it and not knowing what I would do after that to where I am now is nothing short of a miracle for me. I've completed it, polished it and most importantly, I believe in it. I'm proud to send it to agents and publishers. I'm thrilled to tell people about it. In fact, once you get me talking about it, it's hard for me to shut up about it (hard to believe from someone who was nicknamed "motormouth" that I would talk a lot about anything, I know). Last year, at Thanksgiving, I remember telling someone that my book was "nothing special" and that it was just "a regular fiction book that is ...I don't know...nothing really exciting...." In all fairness, that was before I wrote the awesome ending :) but it's just the fact that I wasn't willing to call myself a writer until now....which is a huge transformation (that will be part of my next book, or at least my memoir) and all of that is really exciting for me.
When it comes down to it, the saying "what a difference a day makes" is certainly true...but the difference that three hundred and sixty five of them can make is pretty astounding!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Weeding Out
When I first started this blog, I promised myself that I would be 100% honest with everything that I put up here. That is why I have posted my rejection letters, that is why I have vented my frustrations or shared on the days that I am feeling more optimistic...and I will continue to do that.
So, in the spirit of honesty, I haven't written anything in almost two days. That goes for this blog, which I'm sure many of you have noticed, as well as my writing outside of the blog (my novels, poetry, memoir, etc.). I had a lot of thoughts swirling inside of my head with things I wanted to write, but I just didn't feel like writing, which is extremely unusual for me.
It's not that I don't know why, either.
Writing is a tough gig. I'm going to be honest about that, too. Sure there are some people who know the right people or who possibly get lucky...not that they're not good writers, but in this business, it seems that getting your stuff in front of the right people is 90% of the battle and writing is only the other 10%. For the rest of us, though, we have to keep writing new stuff and keep whoring ourselves out to any media outlet or literary connection we can find with the hope that the right pair of eyes will see it and like it. It isn't always fun...in fact, it never really is. The only fun part is the writing...the 10%...so in all truthfulness, 90% of being a writer really isn't very fun at all.
I suppose it's just about loving the other 10% THAT much where you are fulfilled enough by it to push through the rest-- the part that is the demeaning, ego-destroying, hope and dream-crushing process that is trying to get your writing recognized. In the end, I've realized that the ones who endure are those who are writing for the love of writing...and that like most other things, this might all just be a weeding out process.
That being the case, I'm in it for the long-haul...I write because I love to write...even if I have to do something on the side...even if it's another ten years before I get published or if my writing never gets recognized, I'm never going to stop writing because that will mean I've clamped the valve that flows from my soul.
What is the take-away from this blog? I'm not sure if I was convincing myself that it is ok to keep pushing through for what you love when the going gets tough or if I was writing it for someone else out there who might be in the same position and feeling the same way...or perhaps both.
So, to that person...if you're out there...Let's make a deal...Do what you love, and so will I :)
So, in the spirit of honesty, I haven't written anything in almost two days. That goes for this blog, which I'm sure many of you have noticed, as well as my writing outside of the blog (my novels, poetry, memoir, etc.). I had a lot of thoughts swirling inside of my head with things I wanted to write, but I just didn't feel like writing, which is extremely unusual for me.
It's not that I don't know why, either.
Writing is a tough gig. I'm going to be honest about that, too. Sure there are some people who know the right people or who possibly get lucky...not that they're not good writers, but in this business, it seems that getting your stuff in front of the right people is 90% of the battle and writing is only the other 10%. For the rest of us, though, we have to keep writing new stuff and keep whoring ourselves out to any media outlet or literary connection we can find with the hope that the right pair of eyes will see it and like it. It isn't always fun...in fact, it never really is. The only fun part is the writing...the 10%...so in all truthfulness, 90% of being a writer really isn't very fun at all.
I suppose it's just about loving the other 10% THAT much where you are fulfilled enough by it to push through the rest-- the part that is the demeaning, ego-destroying, hope and dream-crushing process that is trying to get your writing recognized. In the end, I've realized that the ones who endure are those who are writing for the love of writing...and that like most other things, this might all just be a weeding out process.
That being the case, I'm in it for the long-haul...I write because I love to write...even if I have to do something on the side...even if it's another ten years before I get published or if my writing never gets recognized, I'm never going to stop writing because that will mean I've clamped the valve that flows from my soul.
What is the take-away from this blog? I'm not sure if I was convincing myself that it is ok to keep pushing through for what you love when the going gets tough or if I was writing it for someone else out there who might be in the same position and feeling the same way...or perhaps both.
So, to that person...if you're out there...Let's make a deal...Do what you love, and so will I :)
Thursday, November 17, 2011
No News Is...Just No News!
So, I've been keeping myself pretty busy lately, but every once in awhile, someone will ask me if I've heard back from the agent who has an exclusive on my book yet.
Of course, I will update right away when I do hear something. That being the case, the fact that I haven't posted anything about it is neither good nor bad, it simply just is :)
When I sent out my first round of queries awhile back, I waited on pins and needles after someone requested material. I was literally nauseous every time I saw an email from an agent because I was so worried about what they were going to say.
I can't say I don't know what has happened between then and now, because I do, but this time around is a completely different experience. I want it just as badly...if not more, but that desire is manifesting itself differently in terms of the energy. The only way to really articulate it is to say that where before I had the nausea and anxiety, which were negative energy, now I am just excited and somehow strangely calm about all of it, which is a much more positive energy.
I believe that my book is going to land in the right hands and if this agent is reading it and liking it, that is wonderful! If, on the other hand, she is reading it and not enjoying it, I doubt she'd be very excited about pitching it to publishers, first of all, and second of all, me getting nauseous about it isn't going to make her change her mind.
...and that is sort of where I'm at. So...for those of you who had been asking if I'd heard back yet, there is your (long-winded) answer... BUT I promise you that I will post news as soon as I have any! :)
Of course, I will update right away when I do hear something. That being the case, the fact that I haven't posted anything about it is neither good nor bad, it simply just is :)
When I sent out my first round of queries awhile back, I waited on pins and needles after someone requested material. I was literally nauseous every time I saw an email from an agent because I was so worried about what they were going to say.
I can't say I don't know what has happened between then and now, because I do, but this time around is a completely different experience. I want it just as badly...if not more, but that desire is manifesting itself differently in terms of the energy. The only way to really articulate it is to say that where before I had the nausea and anxiety, which were negative energy, now I am just excited and somehow strangely calm about all of it, which is a much more positive energy.
I believe that my book is going to land in the right hands and if this agent is reading it and liking it, that is wonderful! If, on the other hand, she is reading it and not enjoying it, I doubt she'd be very excited about pitching it to publishers, first of all, and second of all, me getting nauseous about it isn't going to make her change her mind.
...and that is sort of where I'm at. So...for those of you who had been asking if I'd heard back yet, there is your (long-winded) answer... BUT I promise you that I will post news as soon as I have any! :)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
POE-try
Well, since I wrote that Edgar Allen Poe post last night, I've been obsessing about poetry. I've been reading through old poems that I wrote ages ago, I've been writing new ones and I've been looking through old notebooks with half-written poems that I never finished.
Poetry was what really made me fall in love with writing. In fact, I didn't start really committing myself to writing novels until I decided I probably couldn't make a career out of writing poetry. Although, even my first novel is threaded with poetry. That is actually the linchpin in the book. The whole plot swings along a pendulum of poetry and depending on what the mysterious poet is doing in the book, the plot adjusts accordingly...and that is all I can say because the agent still has an exclusive for another few weeks, so I'll leave it at that for that book, but in short, I love poetry.
As I was writing my first book, I actually wrote it around the poetry. The reader doesn't even really notice the poems in there, they kind of seem like an afterthought...an important afterthought, but as I was writing it, I wrote the poems before I wrote the chapters...and then the plot formed around that. I think I might make that my little trademark because I do love writing poetry so much, I can't imagine just writing novels and falling away from the poetry aspect of writing.
Wouldn't that be cool? To always write books with some sort of poetic aspect laced through, where the reader might not even know they're reading poetry?
Again, hats off to my idol Stevie Nicks for incorporating the most beautiful poetic prose into some of the most wonderful songs the billboard charts have ever seen and people who ordinarily wouldn't have, enjoyed poetry without even knowing it.
I'm considering posting some of my poetry up here, but for some reason, that's a big step for me :) Not even my blog entries, which in their own way are a form of journaling are as cathartic as my poetry...those are about as personal as it gets...but the good thing is that most of them are pretty cryptic. I learned from the best!
Poetry was what really made me fall in love with writing. In fact, I didn't start really committing myself to writing novels until I decided I probably couldn't make a career out of writing poetry. Although, even my first novel is threaded with poetry. That is actually the linchpin in the book. The whole plot swings along a pendulum of poetry and depending on what the mysterious poet is doing in the book, the plot adjusts accordingly...and that is all I can say because the agent still has an exclusive for another few weeks, so I'll leave it at that for that book, but in short, I love poetry.
As I was writing my first book, I actually wrote it around the poetry. The reader doesn't even really notice the poems in there, they kind of seem like an afterthought...an important afterthought, but as I was writing it, I wrote the poems before I wrote the chapters...and then the plot formed around that. I think I might make that my little trademark because I do love writing poetry so much, I can't imagine just writing novels and falling away from the poetry aspect of writing.
Wouldn't that be cool? To always write books with some sort of poetic aspect laced through, where the reader might not even know they're reading poetry?
Again, hats off to my idol Stevie Nicks for incorporating the most beautiful poetic prose into some of the most wonderful songs the billboard charts have ever seen and people who ordinarily wouldn't have, enjoyed poetry without even knowing it.
I'm considering posting some of my poetry up here, but for some reason, that's a big step for me :) Not even my blog entries, which in their own way are a form of journaling are as cathartic as my poetry...those are about as personal as it gets...but the good thing is that most of them are pretty cryptic. I learned from the best!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Rain and Writing
It's not very common that it rains where I live, but today happens to be one of those days.
Most people say that when it rains, they just want to curl up with a good book. It's not that I don't understand that sentiment...I do, especially if I happen to have my bookmark lodged between something that has Dean Koontz or Dennis Lehane's name on the cover. What I have a stronger inclination toward, though, especially when it rains, is to curl up WITHOUT a good book and walk away with the promise of one. In short, I LOVE writing when it rains. In fact, at this time last year, it rained like crazy and my book really took shape. I remember locking myself in my room for days at a time, sometimes just staying in my pajamas and slippers, listening to the rain outside and pounding away furiously at the keyboard as if I was one of those mad genius concert pianists.
The great thing is that for the past week, I had kind of hit a lull in my writing and as much as I don't really like the rain (I'm more of a heat person), it was exactly what I needed to kick myself into high gear and get back on track.
Will I sleep tonight? Probably not, but that is exciting to me. I will stay up and observe the lives of the characters I've created as they go through another day in the world I've created around them.
That's the coolest thing about writing...it's almost as if you get to read those "choose your own adventure" books as often as you want to (remember those from the 90's?) Since those were my favorite books as a kid, it's no wonder I get a thrill even out of writing the chapters that I simply delete or throw away. I just get to go back and choose a new adventure for my characters :) How lucky am I?
...What ever happened to those books, anyway?
Most people say that when it rains, they just want to curl up with a good book. It's not that I don't understand that sentiment...I do, especially if I happen to have my bookmark lodged between something that has Dean Koontz or Dennis Lehane's name on the cover. What I have a stronger inclination toward, though, especially when it rains, is to curl up WITHOUT a good book and walk away with the promise of one. In short, I LOVE writing when it rains. In fact, at this time last year, it rained like crazy and my book really took shape. I remember locking myself in my room for days at a time, sometimes just staying in my pajamas and slippers, listening to the rain outside and pounding away furiously at the keyboard as if I was one of those mad genius concert pianists.
The great thing is that for the past week, I had kind of hit a lull in my writing and as much as I don't really like the rain (I'm more of a heat person), it was exactly what I needed to kick myself into high gear and get back on track.
Will I sleep tonight? Probably not, but that is exciting to me. I will stay up and observe the lives of the characters I've created as they go through another day in the world I've created around them.
That's the coolest thing about writing...it's almost as if you get to read those "choose your own adventure" books as often as you want to (remember those from the 90's?) Since those were my favorite books as a kid, it's no wonder I get a thrill even out of writing the chapters that I simply delete or throw away. I just get to go back and choose a new adventure for my characters :) How lucky am I?
...What ever happened to those books, anyway?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
"Good" Traffic?
Living in California and driving the 405 on a regular basis, "traffic" is a term I never thought I'd hear with a positive spin...but WOW...I cannot believe how many hits the site got after the Stevie Nicks post! I can't take credit for that one, though. There are a lot of Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac fans and they are amazing people who did a great job about spreading the word about that post, so thank you again to all of them.
It's funny because I never really realized the power of the little keywords at the bottom of the posts until I put "Stevie Nicks" in there and then all of a sudden, WHAM, as opposed to what I felt like driving home from LA yesterday, a lot of extra traffic out of nowhere was actually a good thing :)
I guess now I know why marketers use the keywords they use and why I get emails and pop up ads for such things that...well, don't apply to me. They know what people are searching for, apparently. Don't worry, I'm not going to put any irrelevant words in my blogs or keyword boxes...I'm not going to sell my soul for site traffic, I'm doing this blog to chronicle my journey and for nothing else. I want people to read my writing, but only those who genuinely want to read it, not people who I tricked into coming to the site. So, if you're here and you're reading it and enjoying it, thank you for being here :) If you somehow got here by accident...it wasn't any genius marketing tactic I devised, I promise, so clear your cookies and search history, but if you like what you see, bookmark the site and stay for awhile!
It's funny because I never really realized the power of the little keywords at the bottom of the posts until I put "Stevie Nicks" in there and then all of a sudden, WHAM, as opposed to what I felt like driving home from LA yesterday, a lot of extra traffic out of nowhere was actually a good thing :)
I guess now I know why marketers use the keywords they use and why I get emails and pop up ads for such things that...well, don't apply to me. They know what people are searching for, apparently. Don't worry, I'm not going to put any irrelevant words in my blogs or keyword boxes...I'm not going to sell my soul for site traffic, I'm doing this blog to chronicle my journey and for nothing else. I want people to read my writing, but only those who genuinely want to read it, not people who I tricked into coming to the site. So, if you're here and you're reading it and enjoying it, thank you for being here :) If you somehow got here by accident...it wasn't any genius marketing tactic I devised, I promise, so clear your cookies and search history, but if you like what you see, bookmark the site and stay for awhile!
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Stephanie Lynn Nicks
...or better known as Stevie Nicks.
If you didn't know who I was talking about before, I bet you do now.
She is known for many things, most notably, a rock and roll icon. Many musicians even cite her as being their inspiration in terms of voice or style, so how can it be that me, who has zero musical ability whatsoever (for any of you who have heard me sing or play an instrument, you know there is solid empirical evidence to support that statement) has been unwavering in my insistence for over 10 years that Stevie has been my inspiration to write?
I was sixteen years old when I was first introduced to her music...in fact, her career had arguably hit its peak before I was even born...although she's still going pretty strong even now. But what did this woman have to offer that nobody else did?
Rhetorical brilliance, that is what.
The only way I can come close to even vaguely capturing the essence of what Stevie does is by saying she is a Michelangelo with words. She takes pain and makes it beautiful "Rock on gold dust woman, take your silver spoon and dig your grave..." [Gold Dust Woman], she takes struggle and turns it into something verbally aesthetic "...well I've been afraid of changing 'cause I've built my life around you..." [Landslide], she even makes heartbreak hauntingly alluring "I know I could have loved you but you would not let me...I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice will haunt you. You will never get away from the sound of the woman that loved you..." [Silver Springs]. But the best part about Stevie Nicks, believe it or not, isn't her beautiful voice because it does convey all of those emotions and really make you feel what she is singing. She has an incredible gift for doing that. What she is even more gifted at, however, is writing those words. Stevie doesn't walk into the studio or on stage and sing what someone else wrote. She isn't an actress with a good voice. She is a writer, through and through.
In fact, I believe that is what makes her performances so much more compelling. But even when other people are singing Stevie's songs...even when Dixie Chicks are singing Landslide (which I thought was well done) or Lindsay Lohan is mangling a cover of Edge of Seventeen, Stevie's words are still there, the message is still there. Brilliant writing shines through, no matter what.
Stevie is a masterful artist with words. When I am struggling or get stuck, I just sit and listen to her music or read through her lyrics and I'm always inspired. Truth be told, she's inspired me in more ways than one. My most precious thing in my life, my dog, Bella Donna, is named after her first solo album. In fact, there is a little bit of her in everything that I write. I feel like that helps me raise the bar every time I put pen to paper. You can't read Stevie's stuff and follow it with something terrible of your own. It's like playing baseball and going up to bat behind the person who just hit a grand slam and striking out. It simply isn't an option. So many times, I have been reading through her lyrics and thought to myself "if only I could have written something HALF as good as that..." The crazy thing is that she kept surpassing even her own best and making it look easy...and still is.
Is it crazy that as a novelist, my absolute idol in the writing world isn't a novelist at all? Perhaps, but being as I started as a poet, I suppose that explains some of it. As for the rest, go read some of Stevie's lyrics and then try to find ANYTHING in the literary world that weaves words together more beautifully :)
"Once in a million years a lady like her rises...." [Rhiannon]
If you didn't know who I was talking about before, I bet you do now.
She is known for many things, most notably, a rock and roll icon. Many musicians even cite her as being their inspiration in terms of voice or style, so how can it be that me, who has zero musical ability whatsoever (for any of you who have heard me sing or play an instrument, you know there is solid empirical evidence to support that statement) has been unwavering in my insistence for over 10 years that Stevie has been my inspiration to write?
I was sixteen years old when I was first introduced to her music...in fact, her career had arguably hit its peak before I was even born...although she's still going pretty strong even now. But what did this woman have to offer that nobody else did?
Rhetorical brilliance, that is what.
The only way I can come close to even vaguely capturing the essence of what Stevie does is by saying she is a Michelangelo with words. She takes pain and makes it beautiful "Rock on gold dust woman, take your silver spoon and dig your grave..." [Gold Dust Woman], she takes struggle and turns it into something verbally aesthetic "...well I've been afraid of changing 'cause I've built my life around you..." [Landslide], she even makes heartbreak hauntingly alluring "I know I could have loved you but you would not let me...I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice will haunt you. You will never get away from the sound of the woman that loved you..." [Silver Springs]. But the best part about Stevie Nicks, believe it or not, isn't her beautiful voice because it does convey all of those emotions and really make you feel what she is singing. She has an incredible gift for doing that. What she is even more gifted at, however, is writing those words. Stevie doesn't walk into the studio or on stage and sing what someone else wrote. She isn't an actress with a good voice. She is a writer, through and through.
In fact, I believe that is what makes her performances so much more compelling. But even when other people are singing Stevie's songs...even when Dixie Chicks are singing Landslide (which I thought was well done) or Lindsay Lohan is mangling a cover of Edge of Seventeen, Stevie's words are still there, the message is still there. Brilliant writing shines through, no matter what.
Stevie is a masterful artist with words. When I am struggling or get stuck, I just sit and listen to her music or read through her lyrics and I'm always inspired. Truth be told, she's inspired me in more ways than one. My most precious thing in my life, my dog, Bella Donna, is named after her first solo album. In fact, there is a little bit of her in everything that I write. I feel like that helps me raise the bar every time I put pen to paper. You can't read Stevie's stuff and follow it with something terrible of your own. It's like playing baseball and going up to bat behind the person who just hit a grand slam and striking out. It simply isn't an option. So many times, I have been reading through her lyrics and thought to myself "if only I could have written something HALF as good as that..." The crazy thing is that she kept surpassing even her own best and making it look easy...and still is.
Is it crazy that as a novelist, my absolute idol in the writing world isn't a novelist at all? Perhaps, but being as I started as a poet, I suppose that explains some of it. As for the rest, go read some of Stevie's lyrics and then try to find ANYTHING in the literary world that weaves words together more beautifully :)
"Once in a million years a lady like her rises...." [Rhiannon]
Writing and...Chocolate Cake?
Writing a book is a funny thing. It sounds so easy, yet when you actually sit down to do it, it's really not very easy at all.
I thought it was going to be a very simple task. I thought, "I have plenty to say, I'm creative and I've always been a good writer...or at least everyone (teachers, etc.) always told me so. This should be a piece of cake." Well, if it was a piece of cake, it was one of those giant pieces of cake that you see on TV (for those of you who know the slices of cake at Claim Jumper, think of it as one of those) where it seems delicious at first and then you realize you have too much of a good thing and even though it's all good and enjoyable, you're not sure you'll be able to finish it because it actually becomes too difficult. Imagine that...eating cake becoming an impossible task?
That's what it starts to feel like, though. Think of it this way. You have a HUGE piece of chocolate cake...I'm talking enormous... and you're sitting there and you have to finish it all. Well, maybe about halfway through, you get full, or you wish you could eat vanilla instead. That's what happens when you're writing. You have good characters, a good plot, a good story going and then a few months in, you might get stuck, you get bored with them or you think of something else that is pulling at you MUCH stronger and it doesn't fit into the current storyline, yet you can't just abandon the one you're working on for fear that the two will get tangled or one will become contaminated with hints of the other...so you're stuck.
Is writing still the greatest thing in the world? In my opinion, there is probably no other way I'd rather be spending my time....so don't get me wrong...in fact, as much as I love food (I'm Italian, it's in my DNA), I'd even pick writing over eating, so that says a lot about it. I'm just saying that everyone hits that wall where you're devouring something you love and it is such a huge task that it actually becomes so tedious, you wonder how that piece of chocolate cake could have ever looked inviting in the first place.
For those of you who are chocolate fans. This is what it feels like when you sit down to write a book..imagine putting this in front of yourself and not being able to stray until you finish the whole thing. It seems like a good idea....at first :)
Monday, October 31, 2011
Young Adult Fiction?
I've been giving this subject a lot of thought lately.
As I go through the "wish lists" of agents, where they state in their profiles what exactly they are looking for, the amount of agents looking for YA fiction is pretty overwhelming. I suppose this could probably be attributed to the Harry Potter and Twilight crazes, but if that's what they're looking for, I'd guess that is what is selling. I'm sure the agents have their finger on the pulse of the market. So, I'm leaning toward marketing the current book I'm writing as YA fiction.
While I'm writing it, there have been things I've had to do to not cross over into commercial fiction, but as a larger concept, I think there is a pretty fine line between YA and "adult" fiction anymore. Perhaps the vocabulary is a bit understated in YA fiction, and maybe there are A FEW subjects that aren't broached...but even in those categories, I think the current generation of YA readers needs to be given more credit.
It's not that vampires and wizards aren't entertaining, but what is to say that a book can't be YA fiction if it covers pregnancy, marriage, sex, drugs, alcohol or anything of the sort? I know a lot has changed since I was a teenager, but it seems that these days, people in that age group probably know more about those things than even their parents do. Albeit, we all thought we did at that point in our lives, but for the first time ever, it might actually be true.
I've been shocked lately as I've watched episodes of True Life and Teen Mom on MTV as I watch what these "teenagers" have to endure before they are even old enough to take a sip of alcohol. Many of them have children, have been in rehab and have endured things some people in their 50's and 60's know nothing about. So, perhaps, they COULD relate to more mature subjects and we just aren't feeding them what they need. I don't see many YA books that address those issues, even on a fictional level.
Perhaps at this point, the only subjects that would be "off limits" in YA books are those which they might not find interesting, such as college being as they haven't reached that point in their lives, or politics since it's unusual to be into politics before one can actually vote, but as for the rest, I think they should have the option to read stories about the things that are affecting their lives the same way that adults do.
I think that genre is undergoing an evolution...or at least its readers are, which makes it an exciting time to be a writer, especially one who is looking to enter that particular arena.
As I go through the "wish lists" of agents, where they state in their profiles what exactly they are looking for, the amount of agents looking for YA fiction is pretty overwhelming. I suppose this could probably be attributed to the Harry Potter and Twilight crazes, but if that's what they're looking for, I'd guess that is what is selling. I'm sure the agents have their finger on the pulse of the market. So, I'm leaning toward marketing the current book I'm writing as YA fiction.
While I'm writing it, there have been things I've had to do to not cross over into commercial fiction, but as a larger concept, I think there is a pretty fine line between YA and "adult" fiction anymore. Perhaps the vocabulary is a bit understated in YA fiction, and maybe there are A FEW subjects that aren't broached...but even in those categories, I think the current generation of YA readers needs to be given more credit.
It's not that vampires and wizards aren't entertaining, but what is to say that a book can't be YA fiction if it covers pregnancy, marriage, sex, drugs, alcohol or anything of the sort? I know a lot has changed since I was a teenager, but it seems that these days, people in that age group probably know more about those things than even their parents do. Albeit, we all thought we did at that point in our lives, but for the first time ever, it might actually be true.
I've been shocked lately as I've watched episodes of True Life and Teen Mom on MTV as I watch what these "teenagers" have to endure before they are even old enough to take a sip of alcohol. Many of them have children, have been in rehab and have endured things some people in their 50's and 60's know nothing about. So, perhaps, they COULD relate to more mature subjects and we just aren't feeding them what they need. I don't see many YA books that address those issues, even on a fictional level.
Perhaps at this point, the only subjects that would be "off limits" in YA books are those which they might not find interesting, such as college being as they haven't reached that point in their lives, or politics since it's unusual to be into politics before one can actually vote, but as for the rest, I think they should have the option to read stories about the things that are affecting their lives the same way that adults do.
I think that genre is undergoing an evolution...or at least its readers are, which makes it an exciting time to be a writer, especially one who is looking to enter that particular arena.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Halloween and My First "Book"
With Halloween approaching quickly (it was just summer--how did that happen?), I was thinking about the first "book" I ever wrote :)
I always had a passion for writing...I used to write poetry even as a very young child...in fact, I wrote some poems that were so intense, I think my parents might have wondered what the heck was going on in that little head of mine. Often, I would watch Jerry Springer and being so young that I actually believed the storylines, and so sensitive that I felt bad for the people, I would often write poems about the pain I thought they were feeling... had the scenarios been real...and I was like seven :)
So anyway, my first book was around that same time. Technically, I guess I could say that means I've been a novel writer for over twenty years...nevermind, that makes me feel old! I'll go with when I wrote my first REAL novel, which was two years ago...there, that feels much better.
I was SO proud of my little book, though. I actually illustrated it, too, which I'm happy to highlight...even if prospective agents or publishers are reading this is NOT my strong point. I drew a little witch and I think there was a dog/dinosaur looking thing that popped up on every few pages, but the story was mainly about the witch, so by about the fifteenth page, I had that drawing nailed. I actually remember most of the story, but....and I'm sorry if the suspense becomes too much...I'm going to try to dig it up because my Mother is Italian, so something tells me it's still in a drawer somewhere :)
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I've always known what I wanted to do...it just took me awhile to get the courage to finally commit to going down that path and not looking back. If I do find this story and post it, you will also see that I had passion at a young age, but I wasn't necessarily a prodigy...let's just say if I post this story, it will be for the same reason I posted that disaster of a rejection letter...to make you smile and for no other reason :)
I always had a passion for writing...I used to write poetry even as a very young child...in fact, I wrote some poems that were so intense, I think my parents might have wondered what the heck was going on in that little head of mine. Often, I would watch Jerry Springer and being so young that I actually believed the storylines, and so sensitive that I felt bad for the people, I would often write poems about the pain I thought they were feeling... had the scenarios been real...and I was like seven :)
So anyway, my first book was around that same time. Technically, I guess I could say that means I've been a novel writer for over twenty years...nevermind, that makes me feel old! I'll go with when I wrote my first REAL novel, which was two years ago...there, that feels much better.
I was SO proud of my little book, though. I actually illustrated it, too, which I'm happy to highlight...even if prospective agents or publishers are reading this is NOT my strong point. I drew a little witch and I think there was a dog/dinosaur looking thing that popped up on every few pages, but the story was mainly about the witch, so by about the fifteenth page, I had that drawing nailed. I actually remember most of the story, but....and I'm sorry if the suspense becomes too much...I'm going to try to dig it up because my Mother is Italian, so something tells me it's still in a drawer somewhere :)
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I've always known what I wanted to do...it just took me awhile to get the courage to finally commit to going down that path and not looking back. If I do find this story and post it, you will also see that I had passion at a young age, but I wasn't necessarily a prodigy...let's just say if I post this story, it will be for the same reason I posted that disaster of a rejection letter...to make you smile and for no other reason :)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Reading Two Books
Since I posted that blog about having trouble reading, I tried forcing myself to read again and I FINALLY found a book that I'm enjoying! In fact, I'm reading two books! Maybe just getting that off my chest actually helped me clear the path in my mind and I'm able to enjoy reading again. Whatever it is, I'm really happy because I missed reading SO much.
The first book I'm reading is an older book by Jodi Picoult called The Pact. What a brilliant writer she is! This book was my breakthrough book. I probably went through three dozen books before I was able to read this book. I read a chapter of one book, a chapter of another and couldn't sink my teeth into anything. I tried different authors, every different genre I could find and nothing struck me. I actually picked this book because I had heard of Jodi Picoult and I thought the spine was eye-catching (yes, my literary friends, this is often my criteria for selecting reading material when I'm in a pinch).
Well, next thing I knew, I was 100 pages into the book and it is now 24 hours later and I think I will be finishing it today. In fact, that is part of the reason why I didn't blog yesterday...I had my head buried in this book! For anybody who is looking for absolutely amazing writing, pick up one of Jodi's books (Sing You Home, House Rules, My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes--the list goes on!)
The other book I'm reading is a non-fiction book called Zero Limits by Joe Vitale and Ihaleakala Hew Len, PhD. That one was recommended to me and I'm SO glad it was because it's truly enlightening. I had never heard of Dr. Hew Len or Ho'oponopono before this week, but all I have to say is wow :)
So, that's all I have for today. I've actually been doing more reading than I have been writing, but reading has always helped me become a better writer and both of these books are definitely helping me grow as a writer in their own respective ways.
Have a great day everyone!
The first book I'm reading is an older book by Jodi Picoult called The Pact. What a brilliant writer she is! This book was my breakthrough book. I probably went through three dozen books before I was able to read this book. I read a chapter of one book, a chapter of another and couldn't sink my teeth into anything. I tried different authors, every different genre I could find and nothing struck me. I actually picked this book because I had heard of Jodi Picoult and I thought the spine was eye-catching (yes, my literary friends, this is often my criteria for selecting reading material when I'm in a pinch).
Well, next thing I knew, I was 100 pages into the book and it is now 24 hours later and I think I will be finishing it today. In fact, that is part of the reason why I didn't blog yesterday...I had my head buried in this book! For anybody who is looking for absolutely amazing writing, pick up one of Jodi's books (Sing You Home, House Rules, My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes--the list goes on!)
The other book I'm reading is a non-fiction book called Zero Limits by Joe Vitale and Ihaleakala Hew Len, PhD. That one was recommended to me and I'm SO glad it was because it's truly enlightening. I had never heard of Dr. Hew Len or Ho'oponopono before this week, but all I have to say is wow :)
So, that's all I have for today. I've actually been doing more reading than I have been writing, but reading has always helped me become a better writer and both of these books are definitely helping me grow as a writer in their own respective ways.
Have a great day everyone!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
New Perspective...The Agent's Point of View
I'll admit it, I've been kind of bummed these past few days because I've been working so hard sending out queries and so far, I've only received rejection letters. So, I was complaining a little bit (ok, a lot) yesterday. It's really incredible, though, how when your mind is open to it, something someone says can take everything you're thinking and turn it on its head.
I was saying how frustrating it is when these agents read my query letter or even my sample chapters and write back with a rejection letter basically telling me my work is not good enough because I feel like they're not giving me a fair chance. I've even blogged about this same concept. Maybe that is what they're saying...but guess what, not a SINGLE rejection letter has said that--not in so many words, not in so few words, not in any kind of cryptic innuendo... nothing of the sort. It was a conclusion I jumped to in this "me vs. them" mindset I was in.
In fact, they might think my work is really great...they might have just been rushing out of the office...they might just be only looking for "Twilight-like" books right now, they might have an assistant reading their stuff and have told them to ONLY bring them stuff that is vampire-esque, which my book is not. Looking at it from that perspective, a rejection letter does not say anything about the quality of my writing. Timing= yes; subject matter= perhaps; market= possibly; quality= no!
It might not even be any of those things. They might just not feel like it's THE BOOK for them and this point in their lives (the subject matter is a bit heavy and controversial)...and that's ok, too. In fact, my favorite author is Sophie Kinsella. I have read every single one of her books, except for one. I don't know why, but the one book of hers, I have picked up and tried to read three times and I am just not identifying with it. Is she a bad writer? Far from it. Do I love her work? Already said I do. But if I was an agent and had received a query letter or sample chapters from that particular book, I might have passed as well...and I might have missed out on something amazing.
The fact of the matter, though, is that a lot of people probably did pass on Sophie Kinsella (Madeleine Wickham as people know her in England), but someone didn't and now hundreds of thousands of people get to read her work. So, I'm hoping that my work will resonate with that one special agent at the right time and my stuff, too, will get out there when it is meant to.
I was saying how frustrating it is when these agents read my query letter or even my sample chapters and write back with a rejection letter basically telling me my work is not good enough because I feel like they're not giving me a fair chance. I've even blogged about this same concept. Maybe that is what they're saying...but guess what, not a SINGLE rejection letter has said that--not in so many words, not in so few words, not in any kind of cryptic innuendo... nothing of the sort. It was a conclusion I jumped to in this "me vs. them" mindset I was in.
In fact, they might think my work is really great...they might have just been rushing out of the office...they might just be only looking for "Twilight-like" books right now, they might have an assistant reading their stuff and have told them to ONLY bring them stuff that is vampire-esque, which my book is not. Looking at it from that perspective, a rejection letter does not say anything about the quality of my writing. Timing= yes; subject matter= perhaps; market= possibly; quality= no!
It might not even be any of those things. They might just not feel like it's THE BOOK for them and this point in their lives (the subject matter is a bit heavy and controversial)...and that's ok, too. In fact, my favorite author is Sophie Kinsella. I have read every single one of her books, except for one. I don't know why, but the one book of hers, I have picked up and tried to read three times and I am just not identifying with it. Is she a bad writer? Far from it. Do I love her work? Already said I do. But if I was an agent and had received a query letter or sample chapters from that particular book, I might have passed as well...and I might have missed out on something amazing.
The fact of the matter, though, is that a lot of people probably did pass on Sophie Kinsella (Madeleine Wickham as people know her in England), but someone didn't and now hundreds of thousands of people get to read her work. So, I'm hoping that my work will resonate with that one special agent at the right time and my stuff, too, will get out there when it is meant to.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Reading and Writing
It is a very weird phenomenon, but ever since I started writing my own books, I am having trouble really enjoying reading. I have always been a writer and this never happened to me when I wrote 100-page research papers, magazine articles or poetry, but for some reason writing books makes reading them a very strange experience....well, for me, anyway.
The odd thing is that part of what makes me a writer is my love for reading, so it kind of took away something in that respect, because I truly can't enjoy it right now, but I trust that somewhere down the road I'll be able to.
Maybe it's a subconscious thing where I'm wondering what these people did that made agents see their work as worthy of being published and not mine. I won't lie...I've read a lot of books by a lot of great writers...writers that I could never dream to match in talent or creativity...but you know what? I've also read a lot of books by a lot of authors who aren't as talented as I am, either. So, I think part of me is trying to figure that out as I read instead of just escaping into the stories like I used to.
I guess it's like anything else...people say that once they start working in an industry they love, it kind of takes the enjoyment out of it because what they used to view as entertainment becomes something that is viewed in terms of logistics and moving parts. The brain sees it differently...almost overnight.
The good thing is that I still love the act of writing just as much as I always did, so if I have to sacrifice the joy I got from reading a little bit, well, I'm ok with that :)
The odd thing is that part of what makes me a writer is my love for reading, so it kind of took away something in that respect, because I truly can't enjoy it right now, but I trust that somewhere down the road I'll be able to.
Maybe it's a subconscious thing where I'm wondering what these people did that made agents see their work as worthy of being published and not mine. I won't lie...I've read a lot of books by a lot of great writers...writers that I could never dream to match in talent or creativity...but you know what? I've also read a lot of books by a lot of authors who aren't as talented as I am, either. So, I think part of me is trying to figure that out as I read instead of just escaping into the stories like I used to.
I guess it's like anything else...people say that once they start working in an industry they love, it kind of takes the enjoyment out of it because what they used to view as entertainment becomes something that is viewed in terms of logistics and moving parts. The brain sees it differently...almost overnight.
The good thing is that I still love the act of writing just as much as I always did, so if I have to sacrifice the joy I got from reading a little bit, well, I'm ok with that :)
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