Archive for September, 2009
September 30th, 2009
This week, I’m delighted to feature a terrific young blogger who is also participating in the Teen Author Challenge. (Not only that, but she also designed the winning logo for the TAC!) Please help me welcome the fabulous…
Kelsey
(aka Reading Keeps You Sane)
Welcome, Kelsey!
Booklover Basics
Name: Kelsey
Blog Name: Reading Keeps You Sane
Blog URL: readingkeepsyousane.blogspot.com
Country: USA
Teen or Adult? Teen
Short Bio:
Hi, I’m Kelsey! I’m a blogger, reviewer, reader, writer, among other things. I overall just love to create and imagine. 
Questions About You 2.0
The You 2.0 blog is about becoming everything you’re meant to be. It’s about pursuing your dreams, changing your world, showing gratitude, and paying it forward. Here’s a chance for our Booklovers to share what You 2.0 means to them.
1. PURSUING YOUR DREAMS: Everyone has the ability to be extraordinary, they just have to embrace what makes them unique and special and pursue their dreams with passion and confidence! Tell us a little about a dream you’ve achieved or are pursuing right now. If you’ve achieved it already, how does it feel to know you’ve made your dream a reality?
I have about three dreams that I am pursuing now. One: To get into a good college and work toward a career in the publishing industry. I have a few more years before I would go to college though. Two: Write a novel. And maybe even publish it. And for three: Buy a Volkswagen Beetle in a sky blue color and a convertible one. It’s my dream car since I was playing with Barbies. 
2. CHANGING YOUR WORLD: Changing the world doesn’t have to mean finding a cure for cancer or creating lasting world peace (though it definitely can!). It just means finding a way that you can make the world a little better off for having lived here, whether it’s making a difference to one person or a million, to the earth, to animals… whatever is important to you. What is one way you would personally like to make the world a better place?
Well, I thought about it and I think something I would really like to do is write a novel that will be about something that means a lot to me and hope that if I ever write it, and publish it, it’ll make a difference for the people who read it.
3. GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a huge part of the You 2.0 life. Taking a moment to count our blessings is the best way to remember what’s truly important (especially when life is hectic and crazy!). What are you grateful for?
I’m grateful for a tonnnnn of stuff. My dog, who I can always count on. My family, who is there for me and loves me. The authors of the books I read, who allow me to open my imagination and for inspiration. And to a tonnnnn of other stuff that I could keep on naming.
4. PAYING IT FORWARD: If everyone took a moment to pay it forward, even just once, the world would be changed in ways we can’t even imagine. What is one thing you’ve done (or plan to do) to “pay it forward” in some way?
I don’t think you really need to think about it when you pay it forward. I think it’s a spontaneous thing. Sometimes I don’t know what I will do until I just know I need to do it!
Questions About You, The Book Blogger
5. Why did you decide to start blogging about books?
It was a completely spontaneous move and I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. But I’ve kept strong for almost a year and a half now and I hope to continue doing so.
6. What do you love most (and least) about being a YA book blogger?
I love learning new books to read and being able to read them, all the blogger buddies I’ve met. I don’t really like how time consuming and totally addicting blogging is. haha
7. What do you love most about the YA and middle grades genres right now?
Well, I don’t read any MG books, so I have no say on that, but as for YA books, well, i don’t know if I can really say. All the YA books are different, but I do love that there are soooo many YA books out there. And I love how most YA authors are available online and blog and tweet, etc. It’s really nice to know authors in that way.
8. What makes you fall in love with a book?
The writing, the characters all have to be good. Poetic prose, strong female characters. Romance with a good guy is always a favorite of mine. Some sort of paranormal activity. Originality. It has to wow me and make me think about it for hours after I finish it.
9. Which books have inspired you most?
All books have inspired me. I can’t pick just a few! Truthfully, whenever I read a book (which is a lot!) I always stop and think about how the authors have gotten the book to where it is now (me reading the book). Really, it’s not the books that inspire me, it’s the authors who finished a complete novel, got an agent, sold it, and went through the entire process to have it published. The authors are my inspiration.
10. Are you also a writer yourself? If so, what do you like to write?
I don’t really know if I consider myself a writer. I like to write, even though I don’t usually get past 30 pages. But I like to write contemporary coming-of-age romance novels, I suppose. Maybe with a little paranormal in it?
11. What advice would you give to other avid readers who want to launch their own book blog?
Whatever you do, don’t do it to get free books, do it for the fact that you want to share your opinions on the books you read. I didn’t even know ARCs existed when I started my blog!
Will the Real You 2.0 Please Stand Up?
12. I love the game Three Truths and a Lie because there are so many unexpected and interesting things about people that we never get a chance to learn about them. What are three truths and a lie that our blog readers can guess about you?
–When I lived in Germany I was in a huge car pile-up that was started when a guy tried to jump off an overpass. **UPDATE: Here’s the lie!**
–When I was younger I once hid somewhere for no apparent reason while my mom’s friend babysat me long enough that eventually the police were called to help find me.
–When I lived in Germany a guy in the apartment building across from mine held his family hostage but ended up only killing himself.
–I broke someone’s arm once before.
(Readers: Your guess gets you an entry into the You 2.0 monthly contest for an ARC of The Cinderella Society or a prize dive in the awesome You 2.0 Prize Basket. Guess correctly and you get a bonus entry! I’ll update the post tomorrow to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)
Thanks to Kelsey for a fabulous interview!
September 29th, 2009
We’re rolling on our productivity challenge now. Week 2 of our 4-month challenge. To kick things off, here’s our weekly dose of inspiration…
Exclusive TAC Quote of the Week
“The best advice I’ve ever received about writing is that its real name should be RE-writing. What you put down on the page is just the beginning of the process—the work you do to polish and expand that original seed is what separates average writers from great ones.”
~ Katherine Marsh
The Twilight Prisoner
(Hyperion, 4/09)
2008 Edgar award winner
Teen Author Challenge, Week 11
As you get comfortable with your weekly goals, you may find yourself questioning what you’re writing. Sometimes there’s a good reason for this. For instance, if you sit down to write with only a glimmer of an idea, it’s easy to go off on a tangent and write yourself into a corner. And even with the most detailed outline, it may not turn out on the page exactly the way you thought it would.
Every writer works differently, but one of the best things you can do for yourself is really quite simple:
Give yourself permission to be bad.
And by bad, I mean really, horribly, run-for-the-hills B-A-D.
I know it’s easy to think that published authors lay down words of gold on their first draft every single time they put fingers to the keyboard. But if you ever asked your favorite authors about this, they would… after busting out in fits of laughter… tell you it simply isn’t so. Oh, how they wish it was, but it’s just not the case.
Yes, they have moments where they sit back and go “Wow, that scene rocked.” When they’re in The Zone and the story is really flowing. But more times than not, they write a scene knowing full well that it’s not perfect. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s very often necessary in order to get the book finished. As Katherine says so well above, it’s the REwriting that counts most. My favorite quote is the oft-quoted Nora Roberts gem “You can fix a bad page, but you can’t fix a blank one.”
Get the words on the page the best you can. And give yourself permission to be bad. Every writer is sometimes. I promise you.
Buzz Tip of the Week
Okay, this is seriously cool! Have you ever found a book that you would LOVE to tell everyone on the planet about but DON’T because you can’t figure out how to pronounce the author’s name? Or you tell people the book title but then pretend you can’t remember the author’s name to avoid sounding like a yutz?
Well, no more, dear friends! I came across this awesome resource a while back that solves that very problem. It’s the Author Name Pronounciation Guide at TeachingBooks.net. Authors can create an audio clip where they pronounce their name. Readers can give it a listen to clear up any confusion. Is that sweet or what?
http://www.teachingbooks.net/pronunciations.cgi
Your Weekly Challenge
How did you do on your writing last week? Comment below with your weekly results from last Tuesday through today so we can cheer your progress! If you didn’t quite reach your goal, you’ll still want to check in. Let us help you past any doubts you’re having or obstacles you’re facing. If you want to make your dream of being a published author a reality, you have to do the work. Nobody’s going to do it for you (despite how much we might wish they could).
The Teen Author Challenge Contest
Throughout the year-long Teen Author Challenge (TAC ends June 2010!), I’ll be giving away a book of the winner’s choice from my personal writing shelf. Why am I doing this? Because becoming a skilled writer has two important parts: learning about your craft and practicing your craft. That’s why active participation in each weekly challenge is so important!
So what can you win? Books to choose from include:
1. The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
2. Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook
3. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
4. The Career Novelist by Donald Maass
5. Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
6. Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin
7. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
8. Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon
Everyone who participates via the comments on the Teen Author Challenge posts will be entered into this monthly contest.
Go forth and be creative!
September 28th, 2009
Well, it’s official. You guys love swag as much as I do. I’m partial to bookmarks (you can never have too many!) and pens because I use them both all the time. And I’m forever leaving pens in stores, so every author I’ve ever gotten a pen from is getting extra publicity from me in that respect. 
At some point, when I’m not on deadline, I’m going to summarize the responses to yesterday’s What Swag Do You Love post. As an author, swag can get really expensive. Even a simple order of bookmarks can set you back a few hundred dollars, so it’s really helpful to know what kinds of swag will give people the most Yay! for our buck.
And now, the winner of the very first Bundle o’ Bookmarks giveaway is:
Mya!
(aka Dissecting Perfection)
Congratulations Mya! Please contact me here with your mailing address to receive your prize.
September 27th, 2009
So I was just tweeting about different options for swag and wondering what people’s favorite kinds of swag are. The responses were amazing! Thank you!!!
I thought I would list all the ideas here and let people chime in with a comment about their favorites from the list, other ideas, and cool things they’ve seen authors give away. That way it’ll all be in one spot!
Since there are so many things, and swag ranges from inexpensive to quite expensive, I’m breaking up the initial ideas into two separate lists.
Here are the Basic Swag ideas so far:
– Bookmarks
– Business cards
– Buttons
– Magnets
– Keychains
– Zipper pulls
– Temporary tattoos
– Postcards
– Pens
– Pencils
– Signed bookplates
– Bumper stickers
– Lanyards
Here are some of the Extra Special Swag items people mentioned:
– Tee-shirts
– Mousepads
– Mugs
– Notepads
– Sticky note pads
– Folders
– Locker posters/locker signs
– Lip gloss
– Lotion
– Soundtracks (I’m not sure how this works – I’ll have to ask Steph)
Whew! That’s a whole lot of swag, and I know the list could go on and on from there.
So here’s the question…
If you had to pick your top items from both the Basic Swag list
and the Special Swag list, what would they be?
If you comment below letting me know your favorites from each list, you’ll be entered in the brand-new giveaway I’m launching today where you can WIN SWAG!
Comment about swag, get a chance to win swag. Sounds like a fair trade, right?
Introducing… Bundle o’ Bookmarks!
This is a new giveway I’m going to be hosting periodically throughout each month. Sometimes I’ll tell you it’s an official Bundle o’ Bookmarks day, but other times I’m just going to pick someone who commented in the last week or two to be a spontaneous Bundle winner.
So… what is Bundle o’ Bookmarks? It’s a collection of awesome bookmarks from some of your favorite authors! Here’s the first Bundle o’ Bookmarks swag pack:
It includes bookmarks from:
– Alyson Noel (Blue Moon/Evermore)
– Becca Fitzpatrick (Hush, Hush)
– Lindsey Leavitt (Princess for Hire) *signed*
– Bree Despain (The Dark Divine)
– Lindsay Eland (Scones and Sensibility) *signed*
– Stephanie Kuehnert (Ballads of Suburbia)
– Stephanie Kuehnert (I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone)
– Jennifer Hubbard (The Secret Year)
– A.S. King (The Dust of 100 Dogs)
– Julie Kagawa (The Iron King) *signed*
– Taylor Morris (Total Knockout)
– And, of course, me (a bunch of The Cinderella Society and Great Scavenger Hunt Contest stuff!) *signed*
(And just for fun, Google Friend me and you’ll get an extra entry. If you’re already a Google Friend, note that in your comment and you’ll get an extra entry too.)
Remember… in order to win the Bundle o’ Bookmarks, you have to share what your favorite kinds of swag are from the Basic Swag and Special Swag lists above. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on swag mania!
September 25th, 2009
More fun with books today! But first, did you guess Holly Root’s lie? Check out Wednesday’s Booklover feature to find out.
Today, I want to talk about books that make me laugh. I LOVE to laugh. In fact, one of the secrets to being happily married for more than a dozen years is that my husband and I have the same sense of humor. And we laugh… a LOT.
I love humor in my books and movies as well. I’m not a big fan of slapstick comedy though. I like really smart, witty banter most of all with comic irony following a close second. There are tons of great books that deliver on those fronts, but my favorite is:
BAD KITTY by Michele Jaffe
It’s totally brilliant in both dialogue and comic irony. I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book (and its sequel, KITTY KITTY) that I almost woke my husband who was sleeping on the other side of the house. Seriously, the BeDazzler escapades alone are worth the price of this book.
Michele is, imho, the funniest YA writer on the planet.
Now it’s your turn. What are the funniest books you’ve read? Are there certain authors you always turn to when you need something to make you laugh?
September 22nd, 2009
Before we kick things off this week, I wanted to announce the winner of the Teen Author Challenge logo contest! If you haven’t seen the terrific entries, be sure to check out yesterday’s post. Thanks again to Thao (Serene Hours), Vania (Vania’s Life Captures), and Kelsey (Reading Keeps You Sane) for their fabulous logos. We appreciate you!
The official Teen Author Challenge logo!
And here it is, in all its glory…
That means the winner of a $25 bookstore gift card of your choice is:
Kelsey!
Reading Keeps You Sane
Congratulations Kelsey! Please contact me here with your mailing address to receive your prize.
If you are actively participating in the Teen Author Challenge–that means doing the work and commenting at least occasionally on the TAC posts–you are welcome to post the official TAC logo on your web site or blog with a link back to the new TAC welcome page (http://www.kaycassidy.com/TAC). Thanks for being a part of the challenge!
And now, for our weekly dose of inspiration…
Exclusive TAC Quote of the Week
“It’s simple, but really, the best advice I ever got was: Write because you love it. There’s no other reason to do it, really.”
~ Neesha Meminger
Shine, Coconut Moon (Simon & Schuster, 3/09)
Short and sweet, right? Sometimes the best advice is.
Teen Author Challenge, Week 10
Since we’re diving into the productivity challenge part of our year-long Teen Author Challenge, I’m going to switch gears and offer up some different fare for the weekly posts. Some weeks I’ll be hosting exclusive features (like TAC interviews with young debut authors – including some still in their teens!) and other weeks… like this week… I’ll be sharing a special quickie Buzz Tip of the Week.
Buzz Tips are things that aspiring writers–no matter where you are on your path–can benefit from. Buzz Tips might be tidbits about the business, insights from agents and editors, craft resources, or anything else that’s noteworthy for your writing career.
My philosophy is that it’s never too early to understand how the writing business works and how to make the most of the resources available to you. After all, this is a job like any other. If you want to be successful in the long term, understanding how the business works is always a good thing.
But… and this is a BIG but… your desire to learn about the business should never overpower the actual work you’re putting forth on your writing. Writing first, business second. Always. If you don’t put the writing first, all the business savvy in the world won’t get you where you want to go.
Basically, I want you to view these Buzz Tips of the Week as extras. Bonus tips for you as a reward for doing the real work of getting those words on the page in keeping with your TAC productivity goal!
Ready? Okay, here we go.
Buzz Tip of the Week
Here’s a great blog interview with editor Stacey Barney from Penguin Putnum on agent Sara Crowe’s blog. Sara asks her about what happens post-acquisition and my fellow Tenner, Heidi Kling, asks about author promotion efforts. Stacey gives a great overview of how, at her particular house, the process works. Every editor and publicist has their own opinion on what an author’s responsibility is for marketing, and Stacey offers her views here. Enjoy!
http://acrowesnest.blogspot.com/2008/09/putnam-editor-stacey-barney-talks-to-us_18.html
Your Weekly Challenge
How did you do on your writing last week? Comment below with your weekly results from last Tuesday through today so we can cheer your progress! If you didn’t quite reach your goal, you’ll still want to check in. Let us help you past any doubts you’re having or obstacles you’re facing. Because you CAN do this. I promise you. You just have to stay committed and go for your dream!
And remember, every TAC challenger who meets their productivity goal every week of the 4-month productivity challenge will get a super awesome reward! But you can only qualify if you meet your goal AND post your progress in the comments every single week. Go go go!
The Teen Author Challenge Contest
Throughout the year-long Teen Author Challenge (TAC ends June 2010!), I’ll be giving away a book of the winner’s choice from my personal writing shelf. Why am I doing this? Because becoming a skilled writer has two important parts: learning about your craft and practicing your craft. That’s why active participation in each weekly challenge is so important!
So what can you win? Books to choose from include:
1. The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
2. Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook
3. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
4. The Career Novelist by Donald Maass
5. Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
6. Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin
7. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
8. Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon
Everyone who participates via the comments on the Teen Author Challenge posts will be entered into this monthly contest.
Go forth and be creative!
September 21st, 2009
What a great bunch of books you guys have on your shelves! I love hearing what everyone’s reading and why. Thanks for sharing! I can’t wait until The Cinderella Society book 2 is off to my editor so I can dive into the monstrosity that is my TBR pile. Ah, bliss.
Contest winner
Congratulations to the winner of FOREST BORN by Shannon Hale! My galley of this fab book (which, as I mentioned, I meant to give away two months ago) goes to:
Mariah!
A Reader’s Adventure
Congratulations Mariah! Please contact me here with your mailing address to receive your prize.
The TAC logos are here!
Thanks so much to everyone who tried their hand at creating a logo for the Teen Author Challenge even if you decided not to enter it. Here’s to your creative spirit! The winning logo will be available for all TAC participants to put on their web site or blog to show their participation in the year-long program.
I’ll be announcing the winner tomorrow, but I wanted to share all of the fabulous entries with you so you can see how talented these gals are!
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By Thao (Serene Hours)
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By Vania (Vania’s Life Captures)
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By Kelsey (Reading Keeps You Sane)
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By Kelsey (Reading Keeps You Sane)
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By Kelsey (Reading Keeps You Sane)
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By Kelsey (Reading Keeps You Sane)
Big, huge, you-totally-rock cheers go out to:
– Thao of the Serene Hours blog
– Vania of Vania’s Life Captures
– Kelsey of the Reading Keeps You Sane blog
Thanks for entering your fabulous logos. We heart you!
See you tomorrow for the TAC Logo Contest winner announcement and this week’s Teen Author Challenge post!
September 18th, 2009
Happy Friday!
Did you guess Sophie’s lie from her Booklover of the Week feature? Be sure to check the update on the Wednesday post to find out!
We’re going to be taking a short breather from our Friday Spotlights. I’ll be kicking back for a week or two and having a little bit of book-ish fun of my own. Today, we’re talking books, books, books… with a giveaway!
That’s a good way to end the week, right? A giveaway?
This week, I’m talking about the latest and greatest on my bookshelf. I tweeted yesterday that I tallied up my purchases and discovered that I had purchased nearly 40 books over the summer. This is in addition to the huge stack of books I have waiting to be read from our awesome local library… and after swearing I would NOT buy any more books until my own TBR pile was completely gone.
Apparently, I should not be allowed in a bookstore unchaperoned because I (and my wallet) require adult supervision at all times.
But it occurred to me that all of the books I purchased were for one of two reasons:
1) They are research for The Cinderella Society, book 2 or the upcoming book I’m going to dive into when TCS 2 is off to my editor
-or-
2) They are books I purchased ’cause I wanted to and am saving as my reward for getting TCS 2 off to my editor
I have a goal to read 100 books in 2009. I keep a tally on the blog of the books I’ve read (see the bottom blue box on the right). So far, I am woefully behind. I’ve only read 28 books this year! Granted, I did two major rounds of revisions on The Cinderella Society plus wrote TCS book 2 from scratch. But still. That is way pathetic, no?
But never fear! I now have not one, not two, but three towering stacks of books to be read from November 1st through December 31st. I may not hit my 100-book goal, but I’ll make a major dent in it.
As I think of all the fabulous books I’ve bought this summer, I thought it would be fun to share what the last book I bought was and why I bought it. (But only if you share yours. Deal?)
I actually bought seven on my last book-buying bonanza which was (ahem) yesterday. The last book I chose was:
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society (Book One)
by Michael Buckley
Why this book? Because it just looks so flippin’ cool! It’s got all kinds of stuff I love: espionage, humor, quirky characters, unpopular kids who are secretly the game changers… seriously, what’s not to love? Here’s a little blurb about it:
Michael Buckley is at his comic best in this madcap new series sure to appeal to kids looking for a quick, exciting read.
Combining all the excitement of international espionage and all the awkwardness of elementary school, NERDS, featuring a group of unpopular students who run a spy network from inside their school, hits the mark. With the help of cutting-edge science, their nerdy qualities are enhanced and transformed into incredible abilities! They battle the Hyena, a former junior beauty pageant contestant turned assassin, and an array of James Bond–style villains, each with an evil plan more diabolical and more ridiculous than the last.
I cannot wait to dive into this book!
So what about you? Comment below with the last book you bought and why you bought it for your chance to win my early copy of FOREST BORN by Shannon Hale. (Which I meant to give away two months ago. Sigh.) What’s new on your shelf?
September 16th, 2009
I absolutely LOVE Booklover of the Week features. I have such a blast with them, especially when I get to know people like today’s guest even better. This week, I’m delighted to welcome the fabulous…
Sophie!
(aka So Many Books, So Little Time)
Welcome, Sophie!
Booklover Basics
Name: Sophie
Blog Name: So Many Books, So Little Time
Blog URL: solittletimeforbooks.blogspot.com
Country: United Kingdom
Teen or Adult? Teen
Short Bio:
I’m a seventeen-year-old girl doing her A-levels at Sixth Form college. I love to read and write, but I’m also a bit of a science nerd!
Questions About You 2.0
The You 2.0 blog is about becoming everything you’re meant to be. It’s about pursuing your dreams, changing your world, showing gratitude, and paying it forward. Here’s a chance for our Booklovers to share what You 2.0 means to them.
1. PURSUING YOUR DREAMS: Everyone has the ability to be extraordinary, they just have to embrace what makes them unique and special and pursue their dreams with passion and confidence! Tell us a little about a dream you’ve achieved or are pursuing right now. If you’ve achieved it already, how does it feel to know you’ve made your dream a reality?
Right now I’m trying to get the grades to do an English Literature degree at university. It’s hard and takes a lot out of my reading time but I do it because I know it’ll be worth it in the end. And my mum will kill me if I don’t! I’d also like to write a novel some day, but I’m waiting for inspiration to strike!
2. CHANGING YOUR WORLD: Changing the world doesn’t have to mean finding a cure for cancer or creating lasting world peace (though it definitely can!). It just means finding a way that you can make the world a little better off for having lived here, whether it’s making a difference to one person or a million, to the earth, to animals… whatever is important to you. What is one way you would personally like to make the world a better place?
It’s really simple and kind of cheesy, but I try to smile at everyone whom I make eye contact with. You could make someone’s day or at least make them feel a little better. It always makes me happy when a random stranger smiles at me so I try to pass it on.
3. GRATITUDE: Gratitude is a huge part of the You 2.0 life. Taking a moment to count our blessings is the best way to remember what’s truly important (especially when life is hectic and crazy!). What are you grateful for?
I’m grateful for having a home and a loving family to come home to after a horrible day at college. Friends to moan to and a room full of books also helps!
4. PAYING IT FORWARD: If everyone took a moment to pay it forward, even just once, the world would be changed in ways we can’t even imagine. What is one thing you’ve done (or plan to do) to “pay it forward” in some way?
My mum and my best friend’s mum have had cancer in the last couple of years so together we’ve taken part in fundraising activities to help raise money to care for the patients and raise awareness of the effects and symptoms of the illness.
Questions About You, The Book Blogger
5. Why did you decide to start blogging about books?
I’d been reading book blogs for a long time, always wanting to start my own but never quite getting around to it. One day during college I finished reading my book and really wanted to talk about it so I decided to finally set up a blog. I did it as soon as I got home and the rest is history!
6. What do you love most (and least) about being a YA book blogger?
My favourite thing about being a YA book blogger is the friends I’ve made. I can talk about books and bookish things until I’m blue in the face with like minded people and they don’t get bored. Much.
Blogging takes up a lot of time. Writing reviews, reading others’ reviews and commenting takes a lot longer than I originally thought it would! But saying that, I enjoy it anyway!
7. What do you love most about the YA and middle grades genres right now?
There is no limit to imagination. Whether something could happen in reality isn’t often taken into consideration and you can lose yourself in a completely new world which is a lot harder to find in adult fiction. I also relate to characters that are nearer my own age a lot easier than I do adults.
8. What makes you fall in love with a book?
Honestly, a brilliant guy! I’m not entirely kidding. That mixed with a good storyline that I can get my teeth into and a protagonist that I like and sympathise with makes me a happy reader. I’m not hard to please!
9. Which books have inspired you most?
Roald Dahl’s books made me fall in love with reading. I suddenly found myself watching these characters inside my head and I could identify with them and feel for them too. It was a complete revelation that turned me into a voracious reader and I haven’t looked back since.
10. What advice would you give to other avid readers who want to launch their own book blog?
Go for it! It’s hard work but you get so much back that it’s completely worth it. Read what you want to read and write what you want to write and have fun!
Will the Real You 2.0 Please Stand Up?
11. I love the game Three Truths and a Lie because there are so many unexpected and interesting things about people that we never get a chance to learn about them. What are three truths and a lie that our blog readers can guess about you?
- I have five brothers and two sisters.
- I had an operation on my eye.
- I’m 5’11″. **UPDATE: Here’s the lie!**
- I could eat ravioli by the bucketful.
(Readers: Your guess gets you an entry into the You 2.0 monthly contest for an ARC of The Cinderella Society or a prize dive in the awesome You 2.0 Prize Basket. Guess correctly and you get a bonus entry! I’ll update the post tomorrow to spill the big lie, so get guessing and have fun!)
Thanks to Sophie for a fabulous interview!
September 15th, 2009
For the last eight weeks, we’ve talked about different aspects of preparing a manuscript. We’ve covered creating a story concept that pops, understanding hooks, character development, and plotting vs. pantsing. This week, it’s time to put our money where our collective mouths are.
It’s time to dive into your first draft. And that’s where our inspiration for the week comes in.
Exclusive TAC Quote of the Week
“For all the advice you get, there’s only one piece that is immutable and universal. The only way to write a book is to write it. So no matter what buts or ifs, distractions or attractions catch your eye, abandon them all. The only way to write a book is to write it–so sit down and get to work!”
~ Saundra Mitchell
Shadowed Summer
(Random House Children’s, 2/09)
Teen Author Challenge, Week 9
Okay, deep breath… here we go. Are you ready? This is your chance to prove to yourself that you CAN write this book. You might be starting from page one or you might be continuing a work-in-progress. Both of those are perfectly fine. You’ll simply pick up wherever you are and Go like Flo.
Because we’re working our way through the entire process of writing and polishing a book from start to finish during this year-long challenge, we don’t have the luxury of taking all the time in the world to write our first draft. And that’s actually a good thing. Once you become a published author, especially if you sell in a multi-book contract, you’re going to have to write to deadline. If you’re in this for the long haul, you might as well start things off right and learn how to write regularly.
Writing regularly means different things to different people. For our purposes, it means writing to honor a schedule that we have set for ourselves. Deciding what that schedule should be is entirely up to you. But today’s post is all about setting production goals for your writing. There are tons of different ways to set production goals, so I’ll highlight a few of the more common methods used by professional writers.
Plan Your Work and Work Your Plan
The first thing you’re going to do for this portion of the Teen Author Challenge is set a goal for how much work you’re going to do. Since this is a weekly challenge, you’re going to be checking in with your progress every week. (Makes sense, right?) But how you’re going to track your progress is your choice. Here are a few of the many ways you can track your first draft progress.
1. Track by hours
Some writers keep a time log of hours spent actually working on the story. This means BICHOK time only (Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard). Time spent out on the deck thinking about your book doesn’t count. This is strictly time that your fingers are moving on the keyboard and words are spilling out onto the screen.
If you choose this method, you’ll set a certain amount of time you will spend BICHOKing every week. It might be five hours, it might be twenty hours. Whatever you feel like you can consistently accomplish. Consistency is key. Treat this like a job, and it’ll treat you like a real bonafide writer in return.
2. Track by pages
Some authors track by new pages written each week. They’ll either keep a written log by their computer or have a spreadsheet where they track each day’s ending page count. If you choose this method, you’ll set a certain number of pages to write every week.
The page count method is ONLY for new writing. Deleting a six-page scene and rewriting it does not count as six new pages toward your page count goal. That’s editing. It doesn’t count for your production goal here because there are writers who could spend years rewriting the same scene over and over and never reach the end of the book. But that’s not you, right? You’re here to get the job done. That means writing new pages and reaching The End.
3. Track by word count
Most word processing programs make this easy. There’s either a toolbar option for showing your word count or even a running total of your word count on the bottom status bar. Again, the key here is tracking your daily total so you can tally it up at the end of the week. You would need to write a certain number of new words every week (remember, new first draft words only, no rewriting).
4. Track by scenes
Tracking by scenes means you need to write a certain number of complete scenes each week. This is actually how I work. I discovered that if I tracked by page count or word count, it was easy for me to throw down pages of meaningless fluff or banter just to hit my goal for the day. That kind of defeats the purpose, right?
Since I’m a plotter and know in advance what scenes I need to write, I figure out how long I have to finish the first draft and then divide the number of scenes I have to go by the number of days I have left in my goal. That’s how many scenes I need to write each day. I do a little finessing to make my weekend workload lighter (to accommodate having an actual life while I’m first drafting) and then tally it up. That’s my weekly scenes goal. If you choose this method, you’ll set a goal for how many complete scenes you will write each week.
A note about goal setting:
I’ve taught goal setting workshops professionally–for corporate professionals and for writers–so I could wax philosophical about the need to create meaningful and realistic goals. But instead, I’ll just ask you to remember one thing:
Always set yourself up for success.
Too often, people set outrageously high goals for themselves because, in the excitement of the moment, they believe they can conquer the world in 17 days. And then they have a bad day, and they stumble, and they convince themselves they’ll never be able to catch up.
Always set yourself up for success.
As you work on this week’s challenge below, remember that your goal should be something you can absolutely achieve. You can always exceed your goal (and celebrate with donuts… or maybe that’s just me), but you should be able to meet your goal even when life throws you a minor league curve ball. (We’ll talk about dealing with major league curve balls later.)
Your Weekly Challenge
So this is it. Time for you to tell the world, “World? I am a writer. And writers write. I am committed to finishing this manuscript and will write [insert your goal here] every week until this manuscript is finished.”
And here’s how you’re going to do just that.
For the next four months, you will be writing new pages in your manuscript. Depending on your goals and where you are in the story right now, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will have a completed manuscript by the end of four months. What it means is that you will have four solid months’ worth of new pages written on your story and conditioned yourself to write consistently in the process. Two huge wins by any writer’s measuring stick. By then, the habit of writing regularly will be deeply ingrained in you and you’ll be able to continue on with your weekly goal until you type The End.
So let’s get to goal setting, shall we?
1. Choose your method
Choose the method you will use to track your progress every week. And yes, I mean EVERY week. You might choose one of the common methods above or use your own. As long as you can quantify it by saying “I wrote X number of blah blah units” for your weekly check-in, you’re golden.
2. Set your goal
Decide how many hours (or pages or words or scenes or whatever) you’re going to write every week until the manuscript is completely finished. If you want to finish the manuscript in a given amount of time, you may want to ballpark how many pages/words/scenes you have to go and work backward to figure out how much you need to write each week to finish on time.
3. Give yourself a reality check
Now imagine the worst week you’ve had this year. When things were crazy, life intruded on your best laid plans… how much do you think you could reasonably have written during that time if you were committed to this challenge? I hope you would’ve still found time to write, but chances are it might be much less than the goal you set for yourself in step #2. Take the time to think about some common obstacles you might face–travel plans, upcoming projects, etc.–and adjust your goal if needed. You’ll thank me for it later, I promise.
4. Share your goal and become an official Teen Author Challenger!
Ah, the moment of truth. For this week’s participation, you’re going to share the weekly goal you’ve set for the next four months. This is your moment to prove you’re serious about this writing gig and become a full-fledged Teen Author Challenger!
Beginning next Tuesday, you’ll be checking in every week for the next four months and sharing your progress on the previous week’s goal. That’s part of committing to the Teen Author Challenge and being a real and true participant. So make sure it’s a goal you’re truly comfortable with, one that keeps you making steady progress but leaves your sanity intact!
Special Productivity Contest!!!
I’ll be cheering on your progress every week, but I’m going to be doing something extra super amazing cool for Challengers who share their goal and check in every single week for the next four months. Plus, I’ll be doing impromptu giveaways throughout the four-month productivity challenge… but only for people who are actually doing the work of writing new words (and checking in to let us know)!
Getting tons of work done PLUS getting cool perks? What’s not to love, right? So let’s get rolling!
And, of course, that’s in addition to the regular…
The Teen Author Challenge Contest
Throughout the year-long Teen Author Challenge (TAC ends June 2010!), I’ll be giving away a book of the winner’s choice from my personal writing shelf. Why am I doing this? Because becoming a skilled writer has two important parts: learning about your craft and practicing your craft. That’s why active participation in each weekly challenge is so important!
So what can you win? Books to choose from include:
1. The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
2. Your Novel Proposal: From Creation to Contract by Blythe Camenson and Marshall J. Cook
3. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan Marshall
4. The Career Novelist by Donald Maass
5. Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella
6. Creating Characters Kids Will Love by Elaine Marie Alphin
7. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
8. Building Believable Characters by Marc McCutcheon
Everyone who participates via the comments on the Teen Author Challenge posts will be entered into this monthly contest.
Let’s see those goals, Challengers! It’s time for you to show the world what you’re made of!
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