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YA Novels: Hooked in Five Sentences or Less
It’s late at night. You’ve just finished a book on your e-reader and are dying for something new to read. But how much time will you give a sample chapter to lure you in? For me personally, I’ve found that new late-night reads need to hook me in five sentences or less, that way I can sink my teeth into them right away I’ve chosen three excerpts from books I’ve loved that have ‘hooked me in five sentences or less‘. I’ll tell you why they appealed to me as a READERS and what we can take away as WRITERS. From The Selection by Kiera Cass When we got the letter in the post, my mother was ecstatic. She had already decided that all our problems were solved, gone forever. The big hitch in her plan brilliant plan was me. AS A READER: I’m loving the title, and the fact that there is a mysterious letter. I love mail! I also immediately like this girl. AS A WRITER: Right away we are hearing the MC’s voice and already know of a conflict brewing. From…
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11 Tips for Maintaining a Daily Writing Habit
This summer I’ve made a deal with myself — write something new every morning, Monday-Friday. I can’t move on (with submissions, revisions, etc.) until I’ve written something new. At first it was like scratching nails over a chalkboard. I’d talk myself out of it for at least a dozen different reasons. It’s been a few weeks now, and I’m on the daily writing train showing no signs of derailing. I decided to share 11 tips that have helped me so far: 1. Set a schedule and stick to it! 2. Make new writing the first thing you do in your writing time. 3. Avoid Social media and the Internet…
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Creating a Writing Nook
Where do you complete your writing? Do you have a zen-like place with the sounds of a gentle trickling fountain nearby? Perhaps there’s a vanilla scented candle burning and Enya playing in the background? I think that’s how I pictured it would be before I started writing seriously, but in reality my writing corner has consisted of this… A saggy spot in the corner of a 30+ year old couch. I must say some of my brightest ideas were penned (actually typed) from this very corner. While it is homey and comfortable it doesn’t exactly inspire me to write in a professional and focused manner. So this summer I made it…
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Getting out of my bubble — My SDSU Writer’s Conference Experience
I love attending writer’s conferences, workshops, and critique groups with fellow children’s and young adult writers. I get to spend time with like-minded, spirited individuals who love children’s books as much as I do. And, I don’t get people looking at me funny for enjoying them either! This past summer, I received a wonderful piece of advice while attending a Children’s Writers Schmooze — ‘Expand your horizons. Don’t limit yourself to events just for children’s writers. Branch out! Explore events for other genres as well.’ I percolated over the idea for some time and finally decided to take the plunge. I signed up for the SDSU Writer’s Conference in San Diego, and will…
