Monday Guest Blogging Post

Today on our Guest Blog segment, we have the lovely Regan Leigh.

Why Adult Women Connect with Young Adult Books

It's been obvious for a while that young adult books don't just appeal to teens. Adults are often seen reading and discussing young adult books -- and it's not just adult YA writers. ;)

I was thinking about this recently in terms of why YA books specifically connect so well with adult women. Why do we want to read about teenage girls when so many of us would never want to return to that confusing and sometimes painful period in our lives? What do adult women get out of teen angst and high school settings and how do they relate to teen girls today? Better yet, what do we -- the collective adult female writers -- feel we can share with today's teens? I'll list a few answers that came to mind for me.

- Why do we want to read about teenage girls?

1) We've been there. We know what girls that age are experiencing, which makes it easier to connect with the main character and root for them from the beginning.

2) It's always fun to read from a perspective of a character that does things far differently than we did as a teen. It's like reliving that age and testing new limits without actually having to do it ourselves.

3) Escapism. Have adult responsibilities you need to take care of? Bah. Take a break for an hour and go back to a time where there were no bills, taxes, jobs, or crying children. (At least not our own. ;))

- What do adult women get out of teen angst and high school settings and how do they relate to teen girls today?

1) Water cooler, anyone? Work settings are often just an older version of a high school situation. Cliques are formed, outfits picked apart, and friend building hierarchies can even effect your promotions and job status. (Well, I personally don't work in this type of setting, but I have many friends that do.) We still know what it's like to get THE look from another woman, sizing us up with their eyes in a way that makes us self-conscious or angry.

2) Sometimes we actually -- gasp -- enjoyed that time period of our life. Reading YA can bring back funny or bittersweet moments in seconds. The associations can be almost as insightful as a high school reunion. But more enjoyable. ;)

3) What do we have in common with teen girls today? Acne. Periods. Fights with friends. Family stress. (Um, I could go on. Sorry you younger gals, but those things still exist past 18. ;))


- Better yet, what can we -- the collective adult female writers -- share with today's teens?

*I think these answers are very individual for each writer, but I'll give my two cents.*

1) Hope. :D There is life after the crazy and exhausting teen years and there are so many things young girls have to look forward to.

2) A positive female example. I'm not a writer who insists books have to teach a lesson, but be cognizant of the example you may be giving without even realizing it. And why not try and create a character or situation that can inspire or strengthen?

3) Understanding. The biggest help you can give anyone is to show a willingness and desire to know and understand them. Be authentic and real in your writing. Show the reader you care about their lives and struggles. Show them you get it and that they aren't alone.

So what do you think? Care to weigh in on these thoughts I've been having while dodging my work in progress edits? ;)

MOCKINGJAY Day Give-Away!!!!

OMG! It's finally here, everyone---today is Mockingjay Day! With the exception of the Deathly Hallows, we can't remember the last time a book was so eagerly anticiapted. There have been monthly countdowns, tons of casting vlogs, and much nervous squeeing and wild speculation over Suzanne Collins' third and last installment (sob!) of the Hunger Games.

Finally, we'll get all of our questions answered after Catching Fire's huge cliffhanger:

What goes on in District 13?

Can Peeta be saved?

Will anyone die?

And, of course, for the romance junkies like me, who will Katniss end up with: Gale, Peeta, or alone?

We know tons of you, like us, will already be reading today. But for those who haven't run out to pick up your copy of Mockingjay yet, here's your chance. Follow our blog and in the comments section, tell us something key you think might happen in Mockingjay (guessing only--NO SPOILERS, please!). Tonight, we'll draw one lucky winner at random! Simple, right?

Good luck, and happy Mockingjay Day to all!

Friday Funnies

Just because we're easily amused....

Source

Happy Friday from GotYA. Try not to get eaten over the weekend.

Be a Better Beta

I think most seasoned writers agree: our betas are one of our most valuable assets. We count on them to polish our early drafts into something shiny and fit to be seen by the rest of the human population. But for newbies considering beta-ing for the first time, the idea of critiquing someone else’s work can be kind of scary. Are there any rules, you might ask? Well, in my opinion, yes. Yes there are. Read on below for Debra’s Rules for Being a Better Beta.

1. Ask the writer what he or she expects BEFORE you start. Because, OMG, there’s a huge difference between general feedback and line editing. I think there’s some conventional wisdom that says you should read every novel you crit at least twice, once for big picture stuff, and the second time for line edits. I’m convinced whoever said that had 500 hours in a day, all of them allocated to reading. The truth is, if you’re like me, you have beta reads lined up til kingdom come, and hai there, a WIP that needs to be written, revisions to do, etc, etc, etc. Plus there are those little hassles of daily life—work, kids, hubbies, eating—that tend to get in the way. So unless you just really have boatloads of time, I’d suggest doing one or the other, general or line, and working it out with the writer up front. Some writers don’t like line edits in the first place—as in, you touch that prose, you lose a finger.

2. Which brings us to rule number two: if the writer doesn’t want line edits, do not, I repeat, DO NOT, touch even one syllable of that sparkly prose. Wear socks on your hands while reading if you must, or duct tape them, cover your laptop keys with thumb tacks dipped in rattlesnake venom, whatever you need to do. JUST. DON’T. TWEAK.

(okay, so this is a bit extreme, but it's also one of the most creative uses of duct tape I've ever seen. Hmmm, wonder if it's legal....????)

3. Do a trial run. No, seriously. Ask to beta just the first 3 chapters to start. That way you can both a) make sure your commenting style actually helps the writer and b) have a way out if what you thought was contemporary turns into a Martians-taking-over-the-world-by-inhabiting-the-intestines-of-Golden-Retrievers plotline.

4. Make a sandwich. No, not the eating kind, silly—though, you can do that too, because beta work does take a well-fed brain—the comment kind. Personally, I’ve always found the criticism easier to take when it’s surrounded on both sides by the good stuff. Sort of like an Oreo. Only with brussel sprouts instead of cream filling.

5. Use your relationship skillz to approach the negative. You know how therapists always suggest avoiding “you” and “your” statements when addressing problems with your spouse/mother-in-law/crazy neighbor who dresses her Yorkie up as RPatz, complete with glitter and tousled fur?

Well, the same applies to critiquing. Avoid sentences starting with “you” or “your” if at all possible. For example, do NOT say:

“Your prose makes me want to gouge out my eyeballs with a dull spork.”

OR:

“You really should delete this entire manuscript and start over. On a new topic. And use a ghostwriter.”

Just like in relationships, “I” statements are often more palatable. As in:

* “In my opinion, this characterization could be stronger."

OR

“I feel like the pacing dropped off a bit here”

Also, note the use of “could” above? Could is your beta-ready friend. Could implies that it’s something the writer might think about—not that they MUST do as you say. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty darn stubborn. I am much more likely to pull a mule if someone tells me I MUST do something to my novel, rather than suggesting I think about it.

*Okay, so I cheated a little, because really, “In my opinion, your prose makes me want to gouge my eyeballs out with a dull spork” still sounds pretty crappy. But you get my point (bad pun intended).

6. Always, always be both respectful AND honest.* In my opinion (see what I did there?) these traits are both key in a good beta. If you’re not respectful, you run the risk of having the writer discard your input, no matter how spot-on it might be. And if you’re not honest? Well, you’re not doing your job. The writer counts on YOU to tell her what’s working and what’s not. If you’re not able to do that, then you shouldn’t be beta-ing. Period.

*If you ARE honest, be prepared for the person you’re critting to hate you for at least ten full minutes, regardless of how kindly you’ve worded your comments. This is normal. If you must crit in person, ignore any tears, ranting and hand waving, or other disturbing behavior that occurs during this time frame.

7. Finally, have fun, and enjoy the experience. Beta-ing can be a great way to improve your own craft by analyzing the highs and lows in your peers’ work--and make you feel good for helping someone else out. Really, it's a win-win situation.

Time Warping Prose

Disclaimer: I’m unpublished. I’ve never written historical fiction. I am likely going to anger several fans of classic literature with the following post. I’d like the mob to remember that classic literature was not classic at the time of publication—an observation, I am certain, to which Dickens and Hardy and the rest would heartily agree.

On Thursday I made a decision which would impact my productivity on everything from laundry to writing for the next several days: I picked up The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. Described as “The Age of Innocence meets Gossip Girl”, it interweaves the stories of the Holland sisters and their circle of acquaintances in 1899 New York (and was so addictive I picked up the next two books the following day).

Coincidentally, about the same time, I began an email discussion with a fellow GotYA contributor about writing historical YA fiction and what form the prose should take. Should it read like Bronte and Wharton or was it acceptable to use a somewhat more modern style (shorter sentences, fewer semi-colons, nary an “ere long” in sight)?

Personally, I think it’s fine and dandy to use an update style of prose provided you can still weave an illusion of a given time period (something Godbersen did amazingly well). When I pick up a modern novel—even when that modern novel is portraying a far off time and place—I know I’m not reading Dickens or Austen. I’m prepared for the language to be a little more accessible and for things to be a little more straightforward—heck, in some ways, I’m counting on it.

Now, as the disclaimer states, I’m unpublished and hardly a reliable source of information regarding either classics (of which the only one I’ve ever truly adored was Jane Eyre) or historical fiction (somehow I don’t think reading A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux gets me much street cred) so I’d love for GotYA readers to weigh in. Do you write or read historical YA fiction? Got an opinion on prose? I’d love to hear it. Any great YA historical fiction titles our readers should check out?

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It would be a glaring oversight of me to write a post mentioning the classics without plugging one of my favorite internet resources: Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg provides internet users with hundreds of titles which have fallen into public domain—including Jane Eyre and The Age of Innocence.

Teen Sitcoms, Do They Inspire You?

Okay, so like most people I have my DVR set to record my favorite shows, and I’m guilty of being a gigantic fan of teen dramas. Shows like Friday Night Lights, Secret Life of the American Teenager, and Glee are extremely hot right now and sometimes push the limits of teen culture. A lot teenage driven drama has gotten more real, showing just how edgy stories involving young adults can be.

Just like television shows, young adult novels have gotten edgy and are drawing more and more adult fans, like me. I watch these shows and find myself hooked in, and like most people, compare them to my own angsty teen years. Sometimes when I’m watching these shows I find the little wheels in my brain turning with inspiration for my own writing. I will confess after watching Veronica Mars I created an out-casted, snarky character and pretty much wrote the entire manuscript in about a month, which is unheard of for me.

So my question to you is, what teen shows inspire your young adult writing?


Happy Writing,
Annie