Hannah Moskowitz's Blog, page 18

ho ho ho

So all this holiday cheer has me thinking that I write a lot of books that are centered around--or highlight--a holiday. For BREAK, it's Halloween, which worked metaphorically in retrospect; a lot of the book is about concealing true feelings (oh my god HANNAH YOU ARE SO ORIGINAL) and pretending to be something you're not (HANNAH YOU'RE BRINGING ME TO TEARS HERE--I know guys, I know, just try to keep it together.)

One of my manuscripts that I love but might never see the light of day centers a...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for all you beautiful people.

If You Think BREAK's Language is Inappropriate for Teenagers

As 90% of my teenage reviewers haven't mentioned the language and 90% of adult reviewers have, I'm going to say that if anything, the language is inappropriate for adults.

There should maybe be a warning on the back? WARNING: This book may not be suitable for readers over 21.

(Like, are you kidding me? What the fuck do you think they hear in high school?)

An Open Letter To Writers Looking For An Agent

Dear Writers,

Please never, never make the mistake of thinking you're having a different experience from anyone who's sold their book.

I queried four different books before I got an agent. I got form rejections and personalized rejections and partial requests and partial rejections and full requests and full rejections. I went through it all. It sucked.

I haven't forgotten it. I'm never going to forget it.

We're only different because we've had luck you haven't had. You could get an agent tomorr...

Open Blog!

Feeling lazy. So the comments section is now your playground--any questions for me? Anything you'd like to say to me at all? Go go go.

Fitting in/Standing Out

A NOTE: This post talks about writing as a craft and a business. It talks about the business of selling writing. If you're looking for praise of art for art's sake, look elsewhere. I'm a commercial writer, let's just put it out there--I have my literary moments, but I write for you and you and you, damn it, not for The Sake Of The Written Word--so advice from me (fuck what I'm giving advice??) is going to come from a commercial standpoint.

A lot of the problems new authors face, whether they'r...

Hey JOHN GREEN

In response to this video:

First of all, I'm in love with you.

Second of all:

Here is something I've learned about about writing.

Sometimes things take a lot of time.

Other times, things do not take a lot of time.

First draft of BREAK: 1 week
Subsequent revisions: 3 weeks
TOTAL TIME SPENT ON NOVEL BEFORE SALE: 1 month of work, 5 months of getting the agent/the editor/chewing my fingernails.

First draft of INVINCIBLE SUMMER: less than 1 week
Subsequent revisions: 8 months on and off.
TOTAL TIME SPENT ON...

What is INVINCIBLE SUMMER about?

Everything bizarre in Chase McGill's life can be blamed on his four siblings. Between screaming baby Lucy, perpetually naked Claudia, Deaf but ASL-impaired Gideon, and wanderlusty Noah, Chase has his hands full trying to hold everything together. But during the summers, everything is perfect. Every year, they return to beach to revive their passions for sand, salt, and Camus—everything that will keep them young and beautiful forever.

And they will stay innocent. Chase is their anchor.

But Chase...

A Non-Writing Related Note

Some of you may have noticed that Halloween is coming up.

If you've read BREAK, you know it takes place over Halloween. The climax takes place with two of the main characters in costume. And making out, but that's a different story.

You also know that one of the main characters in BREAK, Jesse, has multiple life-threatening food allergies.

So Jesse isn't real--I know, SHOCKING--but there are tons of real kids out there with real food allergies who deserve the safe Halloween Jesse never got to ha...

Oh Yeah...

I'm on Twitter, did I mention? Go ahead and follow me, it makes me feel loved.
http://twitter.com/hannahmosk