Judith Post's Blog, page 115

Writing: a little experiment

I just wanted to let you know that I’m trying a little writing experiment. I like to try new things once in a while, and I decided to write another five part story on my webpage. I really enjoyed doing that with Freya’s Story, only I wrote that more like a 5-act play. You know, prologue, conflict, rising action, falling action, denouement. Okay, I wasn’t that good about strictly following the structure, but I sort of did. Anyway, this time, I want to try something different. I’m making each section really short, but my goal is to have the protagonist make a bad decision in every story segment until the end. I’ve never structured a story that way, so I think it might be fun. Well, at least for me. Not so much for Ophelia. But we’ll see. I posted the first part tonight, and I hope to post one part every Friday until it’s done. http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/ophelias-story–part-1.html

Hope you like it.

Writing: the elusive tease

I just finished reading The Awakening: Book One of the Judas Curse, by Angella Graff. The book mixes Mark and Judas from the Bible with Greek gods–an intriguing idea, at least to someone like me, who loves myths and legends. Graff went one step further and wrote Ben, a protagonist, as a detective who rejected all things religious and faith-based. His sister Abby, however, chased down miracles and stigmata. Their opposing approaches proved interesting until they felt contrived. The brother and sister rarely discussed their views or the WHY of how they chose them. They just fought about them, over and over again. The repetition felt stuck in for the plot, but didn’t contribute to character development. A missed opportunity. Yet this book had some original, offbeat slants that I enjoyed.

My main problem with the book was that the author kept teasing us with information that she’d almost tell us, but then withhold. She wanted us to hang in there to find the answers. That only works for me for so long, and then I get frustrated, and then I don’t care. My opinion? This technique doesn’t work. My big complaint, though, is that she NEVER told us why Mark and Judas were cursed and who cursed them. I’d have been able to identify with the characters’ struggles a lot more if I understood their history and burdens more. I’m not even sure what the curses actually were. Graff hints that Judas’s curse is that he can heal. Okay, I can buy into that maybe. Not totally. People would mob him and some would want to use him, but Mark’s curse was even more vague to me. Mark kept saying that he brought death and wars, but I never really understood why. The hints just didn’t cut it. Graff introduced enough interesting, odd events for me to hang in there to the end of the book, but the withholding of information began to feel like a carrot dangled in front of a donkey. And the donkey, this time, was me.

I’ve seen other writers use this technique to keep readers turning pages. Hell, when I first started writing, I used it until an editor dashed off a quick note that informed me that I’d build more tension if I just spelled things out. “This is what the protagonist wants and what he’s dealing with. This is who the antagonist is and what he’s doing. Watch them collide and see what the protagonist does to achieve success.” At first, that seemed so simple to me. Too simple. Wouldn’t it be more interesting if I didn’t give the reader all the information he needed? If he had to add things up? But no, the editor was right. The readers weren’t intrigued. They were frustrated. I was cheating, withholding information from them that they needed. I’m not saying that a writer can’t create characters readers aren’t sure are trustworthy or a plot that looks like it’s going in one direction and then takes a surprise twist (that’s been foreshadowed, but we didn’t expect). I’m just saying that a writer has to play fair. We give readers vital information and THEN we try to trick them. Agatha Christie excelled at this. She gave us the significant clue, but tricked us into looking at something else. Or, in the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling makes Snape look like a villain, but he’s actually trying to protect Harry. But the information was there, on the page. She gave it to us and let us decide. She didn’t try to play hide-and-seek with it.

Angella Graff created an interesting, unusual premise for a series. She came up with one thing after another that I didn’t expect, but her book would have been stronger–for me–if she’d trusted her own writing more. She didn’t need to tease me into turning pages. Her characters and plot were enough to make me do that.

http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JudithPostsurbanfantasy

twitter: @judypost

Writing: Character-driven plots

I’ve repeated probably too many times that I’m a plot driven person, but if my clever twists and turns aren’t driven by characters that readers want to spend hours with, I’m in trouble. When the last page is read and the book hits The End, what do readers remember? I’d bet on characters. With that in mind, I’ve paid more attention lately to character-driven books.

My friend, Karen Lenfestey, writes women fiction. The plots of her books aren’t driven by murders or battles (two of my favorite things:), but by how characters deal with life-changing challenges. The conflict and tension are more internal than external. How do you build a plot based on emotions instead of good vs. bad? I invited to her my blog to tell us how she does it.

How would you define women’s fiction?

I’d say women’s fiction is about the complicated relationships in a woman’s life: the dynamic between a boyfriend or spouse, children, siblings and girlfriends. Once, at a writer’s conference, I said that the main character needs to be likable and the mystery author beside me disagreed. He said, “My main character is a horrible drunk.” For me, if the character doesn’t have some redeeming qualities, I’m not willing to invest my time to follow her on her journey.

Who are your favorite authors in this genre?

I like Liane Moriarty (What Alice Forgot), Elizabeth Berg (The Art of Mending), Ellen Giffin (Babyproof), Anna Quindlen (Blessings), Susan Wiggs (Just Breathe) and Claire Cook (Must Love Dogs). I also love a good suspense novel written by Harlan Coben or Alafair Burke.

Do you outline a novel?

I spend a lot of time mulling things over in my mind. I try to create a character to whom I can relate and a problem which will challenge her. Usually I jot down ideas of what I want to have happen at some point in the novel, but it’s not that organized. I do try to keep roadblocks coming and increasing in intensity for my characters. I get bored if I’m reading a book that goes on for pages about what the scenery looks like. I want action!

How do you do your research?

The truth is, my real life is rather tame, so I’m forced to do research. I like to interview people and read about unfamiliar topics. For example, in my Secrets series, Bethany’s boyfriend, Parker, seems to be everything a woman could want: smart, kind and handsome. He also has Huntington’s disease. For me, this created dilemmas about whether he should get married and have kids. I did a lot of research on-line and I have a friend whose father had Huntington’s disease. She was gracious enough to share her experiences with me so that my book could ring true.

Any clues for someone who wants to try to write women’s fiction?

I aim for characters that feel real—like your neighbor or a good friend. I then give her some flaws and make her desperately want something that she can’t have. I write “Happy Endings with a Twist” because readers appreciate surprise endings.

Are you writing another 3 book series?

For some reason, I keep writing trilogies. I didn’t plan to, but my friends wanted to find out what happened next to everyone they’d fallen in love with in “A Sister’s Promise.” So, I wrote “What Happiness Looks Like.” When I wrote “On the Verge” which is about a newlywed who hits his head and his personality drastically changes, I invented new main characters, but my old favorites slipped back in there. I do think I’ll keep writing series because I’m not ready to walk away from my characters after just one book. Now I’m working on a brand new series. For me, this is the hardest stage. . .creating book 1.

Who are some of your favorite female characters in novels?

I’m not good at remembering names, but I like smart, witty and capable women like in Jennifer Weiner’s and Claire Cook’s novels. I just read a novel where the main character was a police officer, struggling with diabetes, when her mother got kidnapped. I loved that she had such a powerful job despite her medical condition.

Care to tell us about your new release?

In “A Mother’s Conviction” a doting foster mother competes against a less-than-stellar birth mother to win a little girl’s heart. Here’s the blurb: Single mom Bethany Morris loves her 6-year-old foster daughter, Willow, as if she were her own. When Willow’s real mother is released early from prison, Bethany isn’t ready to let the little girl go. She wonders if people really can change and tries to justify her reluctance to say good-bye by digging into the mother’s shady past.

Across the state line, Willow’s half-sister lives with her dad, Conner Walker, a man who never stays in one place for too long. When he returns to the town where he grew up, he realizes he’s been cheating his daughter out of a place to call home. For the first time in years, he wonders if he should keep running or risk making a stand in court.

To what lengths will Bethany and Conner go to keep their families together? Read “A Mother’s Conviction” to find out!

Thanks, Judy, for inviting me to stop by.

And thank you, Karen, for sharing with us!!

http://www.karensnovels.com

facebook.com/karen.lenfestey.3 Twitter: @KarenLenfestey I’m also on GoodReads

You might want to check out Karen’s new release, “A Mother’s Conviction,” available both in e-book and paperback at Amazon at this link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YQOPWQS

Writing: Changing rhythms

First of all, I want to wish any father out there a Happy Father’s Day! Secondly, I wish ALL of you a Happy Summer Solstice! It’s official. Today’s the longest day of the year. Summer has arrived in the northern hemisphere. For me, personally, the rain could slow down a little bit, and the humidity doesn’t have to try to compete with Florida’s. But Mother Nature has never listened to my vote, so I’ll take what I get, as usual:)

I’ve mentioned before that I taught elementary for six years before I had my kids, and then when the girls started school, I kept their school year/summer vacation schedule. It’s ingrained in me that I work and do “homework” nine months a year and slow down when the heat climbs. When the girls were little, and then my grandsons, I loved spending time with them while they were on summer break, so I wrote less. I was a SLOW writer back then, trying to balance too many things. I’d start a book when the kids went back to school and finish it before June 1st. In the summer, I’d only write off and on, usually on short stories. Times have changed, and I could write non-stop, year round, but habits die hard. I just finished the first draft of my second romance novel. My critique partners are probably circling things in red as I type. I could be gearing up to start pounding away on the next book. But…it’s SUMMER.

My husband’s pretty cute. After all these years, I still kind of like him, and he likes spending time with me, silly man. And in the summer, we like to take off and go for rides or hang out more. Since my romance novel is done, I’ve decided to quit work earlier each day. I’ll still pound the keys, but I won’t be as frenetic. I’ll keep HIS old schedule and quit typing every day at 3:00, and if he says, “Do you want to go…wherever,” I’m going to say “yes.” By the end of August, he’ll be sick of my company, and I’ll be revved up to write again. In the meantime, I should get a few short things written and a new book plotted and started, but I’ll do it in a leisurely manner. July and August aren’t called the “lazy days” of summer for no reason. It’s time for me to kick back.

Hope you have a wonderful summer, too! And happy writing.

http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JudithPostsurbanfantasy

@judypost on twitter

Writing and Niches

I just finished reading Ghost of the Nile by Veronica Scott. She’s a good writer, and I loved her male protagonist, Periseneb. Talk about a guy who got a bum deal! Not that he didn’t make some bad choices, but the punishment didn’t fit the crime. So when the goddess, Ma’at, gives him a chance to set things right, I wanted the best for him. The plot had surprising twists that kept things interesting, but in all honesty, the true reason I loved the story was because it’s saturated in Egyptian myths and everyday details. I could submerge myself in Egyptian culture and beliefs without doing any of the research. It’s the same reason I read and loved Murder in the Place of Anubis by Lynda S. Robinson, if you’d rather have pharaohs and kas wrapped up in a mystery plot.

I read Julia Donner’s Regencies for the same reason. I can enjoy the mannerisms and social niceties of a different era, glorying in fancy ballgowns and salons vicariously, immersed in buttoned gloves and satin slippers. Barbara Hambly’s Fever Season plopped me, as a free black man, in the raucous years of old New Orleans, where the rainy season brings pestilence–the deadly yellow fever–and where a man’s color–white, black, light-skinned black–determines social standing.

I’ve chosen many a book, not only for the author’s skill and voice, but also for the “extra” of a time and place unknown to me. The right niche can be a selling point. I read Caleb Carr’s The Alienist because it offered Theodore Roosevelt as the “newly appointed police commissioner” of 1896 New York City and Dr. Laszlo Kreizler as one of the first psychologists called upon to help solve a grisly crime. I’ve even written books because I’m hooked on a niche. Empty Altars and Spinners of Misfortune came about due to my love of Greek and Norse myths.

Even if a writer doesn’t choose a different time or place for his novel, he should still think about niche. It helps you market your book. Mystery writers often add a unique spin to their novels. There are cooking school murders that feature catering and recipes. There’s a series that uses dry cleaning to find clues. Some feature fishing, bowling, and herbs. Dick Francis wrote about wine and horse racing. Tony Hillerman gave us a feel for the Navajo. Niche can be broadened to give a sense of how a writer stands out from the others in his/her genre. For instance, Ilona Andrews writes urban fantasies, but she’s known for delivering action and humor. Patricia Briggs, another urban fantasy writer, has a strong myth/legend feel in her Mercy Thompson series. In romance, Samantha Young hit it big with On Dublin Street, using locales to set the mood for her stories. Shirley Jump is known for adding humor to her romances.

Writers usually do better if they write in a genre, so that a reader knows what to expect before they crack the cover. But every writer has to find some way to stand out in that genre, and a niche can help.

P.S. My new Babet/Prosper novella should go online this week, and then I’m making all of my novellas and bundles 99 cents to celebrate. The first books in each of my series will be 99 cents for a while, too.

Happy reading and writing!

My webpage: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

Writing: What motivates your character? Does it work?

First off, I have a summer cold, so if ideas don’t always blend together in this blog, my head’s a little fuzzy. But here goes:

I just finished reading a book that I loved, but sometimes, I had to MAKE myself keep turning the pages. Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it? It was, and I had mixed feelings about it. I loved every scene, every character. The villains were deliciously complicated, and sometimes, I actually felt sympathetic to them–the sign of a good writer. But sometimes, the decisions the main character made felt forced. They worked for the plot and led to tension and battles, but I kept thinking there might have been a better way to handle the situation, and that the character was smart enough to think about something less dangerous. True, the bad guy is forcing her hand, but the story felt like she was reacting to one threat after another without ever saying, “Hey, what if…..?” But then that might be just me. I usually think first, act later. My daughter read the same book and said it was her favorite in the entire series. But then my daughter has no fear. Just goes to show you. But my reaction to the story made me think.

A character’s motivations have to feel REAL. He has to want something enough that he’ll take risks to get it or achieve it. But the risks have to make sense. It’s hard for me to follow a hero who doesn’t care, who’s so blase’, he just goes through the motions to see what happens. I have just as much trouble following a hero who takes risks he doesn’t need to, someone who puts himself and his friends in trouble when there’s a better way to solve the problem. Conflicted motivations are really hard to pull off, and that’s where I ran into trouble in the book I read. People are complicated, and I like that. But when a character is so complicated that I can’t decide what he’s trying to achieve, I waffle.

The other thing that slowed me down in this book was the nonstop action. After three fight scenes back to back, I just got tired. I had to put the book down to take a break. Don’t get me wrong. These were some of the best fight scenes I’ve ever read. But there were a LOT of them. Books need tension, and that tension has to build and build and build. But sometimes, I need to catch my breath.

Did I love this book? Yes, but not as much as the last one. Will I read the next book in the series? A big yes. Did this book make me think about writing and what works for me and what doesn’t? A resounding yes, because I kept asking myself, How can each scene be so good, and I need to put the book down for a minute?

Reading other writers, really good writers, are such great learning experiences. Hope you find authors who push you to be a better writer.

I’m a guest

My friend and fellow writer, Kyra Jacobs, invited me to be a guest on KickAss Chicks. The “chicks” have a fun webpage. If you want to check it out, here’s the link: http://kickasschicks.com/2015/06/04/judith-post-of-myths-and-musings/.

Kyra writes contemporary, romantic suspense. Here’s her author page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=node%3D154606011&field-keywords=kyra+jacobs

She’s working on a paranormal romance now with a dragon shifter. Can’t wait till she gets that one ready to go!

Writing: Are Middles Like The 7-year Itch?

My writer friend, Kathy, has trouble starting books. She’s a perfectionist. Things have to be RIGHT. She writes and rewrites her first chapters. And by golly, when she’s done, they’re GOOD. Me? I probably jump in before I should. I can’t wait to “see” and “hear” my characters, can’t wait to plop them into trouble to see what they do. After I write a few chapters, THEN I go back and fill in the blank spaces, finish my character wheels and fill out plot points. And as I go along, I write that stupid, first chapter over and over again. First chapters are hard, but they don’t intimidate me. They’re exciting, daring me to see what my characters do, what decisions they make. No one gets off easy in writing, though. Middles are my bugaboos.

I’m in the middle of my second romance now. Appropriate, actually, since the beginning of a book, to me, feels like a romance. At first, everything’s new and exciting. It’s the stage of attraction where you only see the good, the positive. Your ideas spill so fast, your fingers can’t keep up. The middle of a book, though, is more like the 7-year itch. The newness has worn off. You notice the flaws. No, you LIVE with the flaws. You thought for sure that your second subplot would spur ideas for a few more scenes. Are there enough sparks flying between your main characters? Are they sympathetic/charismatic enough? You grumble about them, but they’re worth it, right? In marriage, you’ve probably had a kid or two, and you’re too tired to get frisky by the time you can catch a few zzz’s. Reality has set in–big time. Same with books. You’re wearing down, and you’d rather take a nap or start writing something new, even though you have plenty of ideas and lots of goals and plot points. They just don’t sparkle quite as much–you’ve lost some of your energy, some of your enthusiasm. How many more pages do you have to write? What was that minor character’s name you introduced in chapter three? Where has he been for the last fifty pages? You can see the links from beginning to middle, and from middle to end. But it’s like that long leg of a trip that seems to take forever. You’re headed in the right direction, you know. And someday, you’ll reach your destination, so you plug away.

And then, the miracle happens. Momentum gathers for the last fourth of the storyline, subplots start winding up. Tension escalates to the big, black moment, and everything falls into place. In life, the kid graduates from high school. He gets a job. He meets a girl. Once again, you can’t write fast enough. The end is in sight.

I know the pattern. I’ve been there/done that. I know my book isn’t going to fizzle and die on page 161. It just feels like it. I’m in the middle of the middle. Once I cross this hump, the world will look better. This happens to me every time I write a book. I expect it. But I’ll be happy when I’m past it.

Hope your writing’s better than mine right now:)

P.S. I put a new short-short on my webpage at the end of each month, so Damian’s Story just went up. Hope you enjoy it: http://www.judithpostswritingmusings.com/

P.P.S. My friend, Mary Lou Rigdon, posted an awesomely wonderful post on my blog last week, but a lot of people were busy over Memorial Day and missed it. In case you were one of them, here’s the link. I loved it: http://writingmusings.com/2015/05/24/writing-historical-and-malefemale-povs/

Kathy’s blog (since I mentioned her..and kind of like her): https://findingfaeries.wordpress.com/

Writing: historical AND male/female POVs

My critique partner, Mary Lou Rigdon, writes some of my all time favorite male characters, so I wondered, how does she do it? Is it different writing from a male’s POV instead of a female’s? How does she do it so well? So I asked her to share. She writes Regency romances under the pseudonym Julia Donner, and I’m happy to have her visit my blog again. She recently released her fifth novel in the Friendship Series—The Dark Earl and His Runaway. Here’s her author page:

http://www.amazon.com/Julia-Donner/e/B00J65E8TY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1.

Hope you enjoy our Q&A:

Hi Judy! Thanks for the invite.

1. You write some mighty fine, interesting male characters. So, my first question is—do you find it easier to write male or female characters? Does it make a difference? Why or why not?

One of the things that amazed me were the enthusiastic remarks from men who liked the two fantasy books written entirely in the male point of view. I never thought about the fact that I was writing outside my gender. For me, story is about character, how the character responds to everything thrown at him/her. Men respond to the visual. Women react to the emotional. These are not hard and fast rules. Some characters are a blend. Many cultural factors influence our behaviors, and I do believe that there is something in the genes, or heritage that can play a role. I like that the sexes are different. When it all boils down to a gob of grease, men and women have the same feelings—we just feel them for different reasons.

2. What fascinates you about the Regency period? It’s a lot of work to write, lots of research. Every button and fan has to be right.

Like most regency readers, I fell in love with Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice is still my favorite book, and Persuasion is brilliant writing, a close second. I don’t mind adding period description and usually work to not go overboard. Having spent twenty-plus years in theater, creating a literary scene is set decoration and period style is costuming. Piece-o-cake.

3. What were women’s options during that period of history? They had few rights, correct? In The Dark Earl and His Runaway, Leticia can’t refuse a marriage until she’s 21? And can’t control her money until she’s older?

My impression from all that I’ve read, and I’m no expert on British law, is that the laws were written to reflect and establish the rights of men. Women exist in the law as appendages to men. Legally, women appear to exist in how they relate to men’s rights, especially in the upper class.(In Scotland, some titles could pass through the female line.) If there was a lot of money involved, trustees or the male head of household had the control, made all decisions. Some fathers were careful and made specific inheritance stipulations, but it had to be carefully drawn up. A woman’s property passed to the husband with marriage, that’s why wise parents and guardians had precise settlements documented to protect their daughters’ futures.

When it came to children, women had no rights. Men could take the children at any time. There are historical and court records of heartless, even vindictive husbands using the children to inflict pain on the maternal spouse. The occasional kind-hearted judge might be persuaded to allow the mother rare visitations.

The element of how the law benefited men and not women has been woven into every regency I’ve written and I never realized it until this interview. Interesting.

4. What was schooling/education like during that period of history? For boys? For girls? All of the “friends” respect and are loyal to Rave for protecting them when they were away at school. Please explain.

It depended on one’s place in society. There were charity schools for the lower classes, if the children didn’t have to work in fields or factories. Early education for boys in the upper classes was done by tutors or local clergy with the “living.” Sometimes the girls were allowed to sit in, but it wasn’t common. The higher up the social chain, the less likely a woman learned basic academics. A governess started the girls off in the rudiments, and then before the girl could “come-out” or be presented at court, she was sent to a seminary and trained to sing, play an instrument, learn some French and perhaps some Italian, drawing, a little geography. If the boys weren’t sent first to a school like Eton, they were tutored at home then sent to university. Many wasted the time there, but a few took education seriously, especially younger sons, who had to make their way in the world in the military, clergy, or with a diplomatic position.

In England, the “public” school is what Americans call a private school. Independent and the old public schools, like Eton, Winchester, were breeding grounds for brutality. Hazing and bullying, fagging, as they often called it. The older boys beat the young ones. In the case of the Eligibles, Ravenswold was larger than his upperclassmen. He had a group he protected from the worst of it. Although, he wouldn’t have babied his protégés. They had to learn to fight their own battles, as Sir Harry explained in The Rake and the Bishop’s Daughter. One of the things that astonished my husband while he was in the military was how much the Brits loved to fight.

5. I get the feeling from your Regency novels that the “friends” desire different marriages than the norm. They intend to be faithful to a woman they love, and they want her to share their bed. They don’t intend to take a mistress. What was the typical aristocratic marriage like?

Aristocratic marriages were businesslike, property and lineage paramount, unless funds were needed to keep the family estate afloat. A merchant’s daughter might be wed but rarely accepted socially, unless “polished.” Love had nothing to do with marriage, but that reality would make for poor book sales. After the heir and spare, the couples went their separate ways with discretion.

Also remember that Jane Austen wrote about the gentry, not the aristocracy. Her stories were more about the upper middle class with a few titles sprinkled here and there.

6. Just in a sentence or two (or three), please describe what attracted each of your couples to each other.

The Tigresse and the Raven:

Ravenswold was immediately impressed by Cassandra’s boldness and plain speaking. He had no stomach for girls or anyone who simpered. Cassandra wanted a man she could respect and a safe haven, while protecting a friend from her past.

The Heiress and the Spy:

Lord Asterly loved the image of his friend’s wife and used it to survive the horrors of war. He fell in love with Elizabeth when he finally met her. Elizabeth was intrigued by his clever mind and enchanted with his relentless pursuit.

The Rake and the Bishop’s Daughter:

Sir Harry spent his life fooling the world and bored with the game. Widow Olivia’s practical nature was not impressed by his looks and fame. He didn’t know that she’d fallen in love with him as a girl. Olivia never forgot a kindness a handsome youth had done for a clumsy girl, while Harry became jealous of that secret memory, never realizing he was jealous of himself.

The Duchess and the Duelist:

Duelist Freddy can’t resist the secretive Evangeline, an attraction that gets out of hand. Evangeline, worn down by years of lies to protect her child from his creepy uncle, gives in to her attraction to Freddy, who refuses to give up until he has her.

The Dark Earl and His Runaway:

Unbeknownst (I’ve always wanted to use that word) to Leticia, Lord Bainbridge has loved her since she was a baby. Only a lad at the time, Bainbridge took seriously their parent’s discussion to merge their properties with a cradle engagement that never became legal but was firmly seated in the boy’s mind. Leticia couldn’t understand the earl’s devotion offered just when she needed it. His chivalry won her admiration before her heart.

Okay, I’ve bugged you enough for answers. Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your novels with us.

Mary Lou’s blog: https://historyfanforever.wordpress.com/

Webpage: http://mlrigdon.com

Mary Lou’s other series: http://www.amazon.com/M.L.-Rigdon/e/B0086UZFGA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1431382365&sr=1-1

Writing and YA

I have three friends who write YA. I love their writing and love their stories, but I don’t know the genre that well, so invited Susan Bahr to be a guest on my blog this week. She reads and writes YA and is generous enough to share her ideas with us. I think they can apply to all good writing. Thanks, Sue!

Thanks for inviting me to share my thoughts on Young Adult fantasy, Judy!

I’ll call this post “The Evolution of Sue, the author.”

It started almost five years ago, when I launched into writing. Oh, those days of blissful ignorance. Genre? Plot structure? Voice? I didn’t even understand POV! But I was on fire, and the words just flowed.

Flash forward about a year and picture brave little Sue prepping for her first agent pitch session at her first writer’s conference. I thought I was prepared, until one of my fellow attendees turned to me and asked, “So, what’s your story’s genre?” Gulp. She must have read the terror in my eyes, because she took pity and helped me figure something out. And I’ll be forever grateful.

Advance another year or two and now I’m batting around writing terms like an old pro. My knowledge has expanded, but one thing has remained consistent: my love for young adult fantasy. Here’s a fun fact: More adults read Young Adult fiction than young adults. A survey in 2012 put the number of adult readers at 55%. As of 2014, it’s 68%!! No more closet reading for old Sue (which is a good thing, as my eyes aren’t what they used to be)

I read YA fantasy. I write YA fantasy. And here are just three reasons why I believe every author can benefit from reading at least one YA fantasy this year.

1. Pacing. No brainer. Young people watch six second clips (Vines), communicate in 140 characters and snap-chat. Long-winded, slow-developing plots just aren’t going to cut it with this crowd. I believe, even if I wasn’t writing YA, that my stories have benefited from understanding this basic rule: Never bore your readers.

2. Strong protagonists. Most seem to be female and what’s wrong with that? These characters have an arc, a goal, and usually some kind of kick-ass quality that sets them apart. They also must grab and hold a young reader, so they need to feel well-rounded.

3. Visual action. Lots and lots of showing, not telling. Fantasy novels must, by definition, set the reader in a well-defined world and THAT requires all the senses. I love stepping into a new place with new rules. I love reading and I love writing fantasy for the world-building.

I now have three completed manuscripts, all in various stages of editing. Each one is unique. Each one is a Young Adult. If you’d like to check out my writing, you can find it at:

http://www.wattpad.com/user/vermontwriter

My author blog can be found at http://www.suebahr.com

Happy reading!

Sue

Sue’s summer reads:

Sue and I traded blogs this week, so my usual post can be found on her blog. Hope you check it out: https://suebahr.wordpress.com/2015/05/15/passiveactive-voice-explained-finally/

And P.S. My 3rd Wolf’s Bane novel–Magicks Uncaged–is now available on Kindle:

Magicks Uncaged (Wolf's Bane Book 3)