by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 29, 2013 | Author Blog
I found some young ones. So cute. 🙂
Without a doubt, YA (young adult) is a very hot genre to write. It’s been around for a while, although there was a turning point in 2008 when it truly exploded. A number of writers tried their hand at it. Some found YA was for them, and others discovered writing this genre is tougher than it looks. Although, YA isn’t about to slow down anytime soon. Readers of YA are committed. They’re always after more, and for writers of this genre, we’re here to deliver.
Now, what makes YA so popular?
Those teen years we go through, are an incredible time. They’re exciting, fun, awful, painful, scary, amazing, and everything in between. It’s when we discover the world and where we fit in. In our teen years, our emotions are pure, and all that we go through is intense and totally confusing.
That’s why YA captures such a wide-ranging readership base. It crosses the generations, and is read by young adults and adults alike. There is no age barrier to YA. Even my 88-year-old grandmother has recently read my YA fantasy romance. It was her first foray into this genre, and she was fascinated by how enthralled she became. (Phew.) The story reminded her of the time she lived by the seat-of-her-pants. (Yep, seat-of-her-pants. She was such a rebel in her younger years.) She wants more YA–and just like that, she’s hooked.
So, let’s cover what YA writers should be aware of. There are certainly some points to note.
- YA books focus on the essence of what teens go through, and I’m not talking about learning to drive a car, going to prom, or that very first date.
- YA readers are smart. They want deep storylines, and fast-paced action, so don’t even attempt to write simple. Teens will spot simple a mile away, and just get annoyed.
In fact, it’s often said writers must pay attention to the three core questions which should be at the heart of every YA novel.
A ton of new questions can arise from these three core ones, but fundamentally they make great building blocks when writing YA.
Your characters are about to take the journey in discovering the answers they seek. There’ll be struggles and mistakes, bends and twists in the road, triumphs and tears, but that’s how teens uncover all life has to offer. The journey they undertake must be deep. They must challenge themselves to sort out any inner fears and frustrations, and while doing so, remain completely relatable.
All in all, YA books are about teens coming to terms with who they are, and experiencing all life’s ups and downs along the way.
Okay, so if you’re after some YA novel guidelines, here are some helpful pointers.
- So far, there are no forbidden subjects, but whatever you delve into must be done with sensitivity and care, taking into account the age of the teen reader. Often we can allude to something, and then fade out the scene. The YA reader is smart, and they’ll be aware of what’s happened.
- Overall, teens will identify more strongly with the character’s feelings, and this is why intense situations don’t always need to be written in.
- Characters are teens, and aged within those years.
- YA novels generally run between 40,000-75,000, but you will find books either side of that. If there is a particular publisher you’re after then make sure you check out their website’s submission guidelines to see if they have a preferred word count.
- There are also no vocabulary restrictions for YA, but make certain any coarse language is age or topic appropriate.
- YA is predominantly written in 1st or 3rd Person (I said, or she said.) Although there are some in 2nd Person (you say.)
- And lastly, any subgenre is enjoyed, like fantasy, romance, paranormal, contemporary, sci-fi, historical, mystery, adventure, humor. There are no limitations on this.
I hope this post has been helpful for those writers wanting to delve into YA, or for those who just want to know a little more about this intriguing genre. Even in writing this post, I was surprised by how much I had to share. YA is certainly not easy to write, although it’s incredibly enjoyable.
If you have any questions, just leave me a comment. I love hearing from you. And if you’d like to read a YA novel, one getting some fab 4&5 Star reviews, then PROTECTOR’s buy links are just below. Enjoy, and take care this week.
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by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 22, 2013 | Author Blog
Teachers. You gotta love them. 🙂
Want to know an easy way to sell more books? Ahh, the question every author wants the answer to.
I happened to be over on Goodreads, and reading their latest reader survey when I read the answer. I was shocked. My first thought was, of course. Now, why didn’t I think of that?
So, here’s the answer, and I’m going to give it to you by asking you a question, one the Goodreads’ team posed to their readers.
What do you want to do when you get to the end of a book?
Well, this question was put to 15 million readers. A phenomenal number for sure, and the results, simply amazing. 83% wanted to see what else the author had written.
Now, at the end of a book, I usually feel all happy and content, and that’s the moment I want to know what else the author has written. I’m definitely one of those in the 83 percent.
So, how do we as authors make this happen? How do we easily get this information of “what else we’ve written” into the reader’s hands? The answer is, right after your reader has turned that final page, make sure the very next one is a page which includes a list of your other books. In the case of ebooks, you could even include a link.
At times, I’ve seen this done, but until it’s pointed out, the obvious can become forgotten. So, let’s make sure as authors, that information is now viewable at the end of our books, in exactly the place it’s needed. Thank you Goodreads, for some wonderful information.
Although, I decided to take this question one step further . What else could likewise aid an author in selling more books?
What else do you want to do when you get to the end of a book?
For me, I want to read something about the author, and I don’t quite mean their bio which I usually see. Those I find interesting, but if it’s the standard blurb, I don’t feel the connection. No, what I want, is for the author to share specific information about the book I’ve just read, and their next project. I want to be informed, entertained and to connect with the author on a more personal level. I want to remember their name, so it’s in the forefront of my mind for when I go to buy my next book. I’m not asking to be swamped with information, but simply to have a short page which gives me a taste or a teaser for more.
Are you like this? Do you want to get the warm fuzzies and connect with the author after investing hours in reading their book? Do you think having a page where readers can find an author’s work is a good idea? Do you like the idea of having an informative “About the Author” page over reading the usual author bio?
Drop me a comment and let me know. And to end this post in an interesting way, I found this fabulous reading test. See if you become enlightened after reading this. And if you totally got every word, shout it out.
Have an absolutely amazing week. Catch ya later.
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by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 15, 2013 | Author Blog
By nature I’m an encourager, so this week I’m laying out some inspirational thoughts, from one writer to another. Sit back and enjoy.
1. Write the book your heart demands you write.
2. Create something special, which you long to share with your readers.
3. If there’s a fire within you to write. Allow that passion to burn bright.
4. Write with your own voice, and make it stand out from the crowd.
5. Don’t wonder what if? Make it happen.
6. Never lose your courage. Writers stick with it.
7. Don’t worry about the setbacks. Just focus on the writing.
8. Put one foot in front of the other, or one letter after another.
9. Relentlessly pursue.
10. Kick those obstacles to the curb. Focus on your passion.
11. Choose your destination. Educate yourself. And write.
12. Struggles often end with the most rewarding triumphs.
13. Success is a choice. Now get out there, and control your own future.
And…
Do you have any inspirational thoughts to add to mine? If you do, drop me a comment and let me know. Perhaps there was one such thought which truly struck home. Shout it out, because I love hearing from you guys. Have an absolutely inspirational week. I’ll catch you all later.
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by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 8, 2013 | Author Blog
Yep, that’s what a writer wants. A cool story. 🙂
Today, more than ever, many people believe that good writing flows easily from pen to paper. Yet that’s not the case, and writers out there know it. We understand it takes weeks or months to perfect every line we write within a book, that a writer’s work is in the rewriting, not the writing.
I wish at least one of my English teachers had taught me this. Instead they teach how to write, and not how to edit. Why is that? Editing is where the real work of writing begins. So, here we go. Let me share three simple editing tips.
1. WHEN EDITING, SHOWCASE YOUR DIALOGUE.
Bring your dialogue forth and let it shine. When we write, we’re usually very focused on getting what’s in our head down on paper. So when you edit:
- Ensure your dialogue stands out.
- Give it lots of white space.
- Remember your sentence length.
- No marathon sentences that have your reader gasping to get a breath in.
- Don’t bury your dialogue where it can’t be seen.
Here’s a snippet with a nice chunk of dialogue as an example. This scene is in 1st Person, from the heroine’s POV. The hero has just kidnapped her.
The air smelt musty and damp. “Where are we, Jack?”
“An out of the way place. Wait here. I’ll light a lamp.” Something rustled as he walked away then a rattle as if he fumbled with something. “Got it.”
A flickering flame came to life within an oil lamp he now held. A gentle glow cast over the room. An old hut with one greasy glass windowpane held a dozen wooden crates stacked against the walls. I curled my toes inside my shoes and rubbed my bared arms from the chill in the air. “Nice digs.”
“This is the best location for what I have in mind. Three cabins surround this hut. They’ve got the basics for a short stay, but this one is for storage.”
“What are you saying? What short stay?”
He snorted. “Your talk of other men made me think ’kidnap.’ We need to speak more about us before I take you home.” He stalked to the door and yanked it open. “Give me a couple of minutes to go check out a cabin.”
I hope you enjoyed that little example. Never forget, lots of dialogue drives a scene.
2. WHEN EDITING, DELETE, AND RARELY ADD.
Yes, you read this right. Writers are usually too wordy and after finishing your first draft of your book, each subsequent draft will reduce in word count. Concise writing is more powerful and will pick up the pace of your book. Which means it’s not unusual for most writers to finish their rewriting with ten to twenty percent less than they originally began with. So many words, that we never even needed.
3. SLEEP ON IT.
When you’re editing, ideally you want to forget what you wrote so that you’re not expecting to see what you do. *Chuckle* Seriously, when you’re editing, keep moving through the pages, and then sleep on what you’ve done. If there’s a particularly difficult piece bugging you, highlight it, leave it, and come back to it after you’ve slept. When we approach our writing, it must be done with a clear mind. This is why there are several drafts in a book. Each time we return to the beginning, it’s with fresh eyes.
Sound editing is so important. Happy editing everyone, and have a fabulous week. Catch ya later.
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by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 2, 2013 | Author Blog
The merger. What do you think? (This funny pic comes courtesy of the fact that I still have Easter eggs on my mind.)
Did you hear? On March 28th Amazon bought Goodreads, one of the leading social network sites for readers and book recommendations. Twitter was abuzz with the news, with many authors and readers in shock.
I’m an avid user of Goodreads. I love using this site for keeping my TBR, read, and currently reading lists all in one place. When I see a great book I’d like to read, I add it to my Goodreads TBR list and that way I never forget to grab a copy when I’m ready. I post ratings for every book I read, and reviews for maybe one-third of those. As an author my books are listed there, too. I’ve joined reading groups in my favourite genres so I can stay up with the play on what everyone’s reading. In fact, I’d say I visit Goodreads four or five times a week. This is a place I love to hangout, chatting to other readers and authors.
Goodreads has quickly become a hub for avid readers like me. In fact there are 16 million members and 23 million book reviews. If you’re a reader, you’re going to end up there. If you’re an author, you should already be there (but that’s a whole other blog.)
So, what does this merger mean for us authors?
Well, times are changing faster than I can keep up with. 🙂 But, I’ve scoured the web to see what other authors are thinking about this merger. Some are for it saying, “Amazon buying Goodreads makes so much sense.” Some are unsure saying, “Here’s hoping the marriage will be a good thing. Let’s see.” Some are against it, saying, “The world’s largest bookseller will now control the world’s largest book recommendation engine. It’s freaky. No company should have this much power.” And let’s not forget the readers. Some are saying, “I guess we can now expect a lot more adverts. Goodreads should not be a commercial space, but a personal one.”
The more I read all the comments, the more I understood there is a lot divided opinion. I’m personally not sure what to think, except that time will tell. Once Amazon begins to effect changes, we’ll all get a more concise idea of where they’re headed.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let me know.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and stayed safe. The Easter Bunny certainly sprinkled my backyard with some real treats. And those hot-cross buns. Delish. They need to sell those all year round. Have a fabulous week. Catch ya later.
PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
