Gabe Cole Novoa's Blog, page 26

Vlog: 2017 Debuts I'm Psyched About

2017 is on the horizon so it's time to talk about (more) books! Today I'm talking about four 2017 YA debuts I can't wait to read.



RELATED LINKS: 

10 Diverse 2017 Books I'm Psyched About The Girl with the Red Balloon by Katherine LockeDare Mighty Things by Heather Kaczynski Mask of Shadows  by Linsey MillerIron Sharpens Iron by Scott Reintgen
What 2017 debuts are you excited to read?
Twitter-sized bites:

Psyched about 2017 debuts? You should be! @Ava_Jae vlogs about 4 debuts she's psyched to read next year. (Click to tweet)  

What 2017 debuts are you excited about? Check out @Ava_Jae's vlog and join the discussion! (Click to tweet)

Writing Plans for 2017

Photo credit: marceline (asking for trouble) on FlickrSo with the 2016 coming to a close, the time is arriving for everyone to take a look at the upcoming year. And for writers, it means thinking about what we'd like to accomplish next year.

While I'm not coming up with resolutions quite yet (that'll be next), I have started thinking about more concrete writing plans for the new year. For me, this is helpful because I'm a very plan-oriented person, and it gives me some peace of mind to know I've got something planned coming down the pipeline.

Next year, Beyond the Red's sequel, Into the Black  publishes in the fall, so my top priority is finishing revisions so I can get the manuscript to my editor and await more revisions. ;) Sometime after I turn that in, I'll also need to first draft The Rising Gold , which publishes fall 2018, and work on initial revisions for that too.

But when I'm not working on the Beyond the Red trilogy? I've got a lot of possibilities right now. I have three first drafted manuscripts, two of which are ready for revisions, so I'll have to decide which I want to prioritize so I can get that revised and to my agent. I've also got a YA Latinx Fantasy idea I'm playing around with that I'd like to start considering seriously and plot out in the near future so I can potentially first draft it next year and get that going, too.

So if all goes smoothly, this time next year I'll hopefully have first drafted two manuscripts, and revised two or three (or maybe four?) others. Which...thinking about it is a pretty ambitious goal, but I did first draft three manuscripts and revise one this year so you never know. It could happen. Maybe.

Either way, I've got a lot of great projects lined up that I'm excited to work on. Writing-wise, 2016 was a good year, and I hope 2017 is even better.

What are your writing plans for 2017?

Twitter-sized bite:

Have you started making your writing plans for 2017? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)

The Unpredictable Nature of a Writing Career

Photo credit: free pictures of money on FlickrA few days ago, a coworker asked me about a writing career. "You don't have to answer this if you don't want to," she said, "but in terms of a writing career, do you think the money's, like...worth it?"

I laughed a little.

The unpredictable nature of a writing career means when it comes to making a living, it's hard to lay out long-term plans. A writer's income comes from advances and royalties—neither of which are predictable. How many deals you'll get, and how much the advances from those deals will be, what kind of rights you sell, and how long it takes to earn out your advance (so you can start getting royalties), etc. all vary really widely.

There are, of course, other streams of income a writer can pursue—appearances at conferences, schools, and libraries can bring in speaking fees and extra book sales, and signing copies at local bookstores can boost sales, and writers with a penchant for editing can offer freelance editing services. But even those things aren't steady, predictable work—events come and go and how much they pay vary, and you can't predict when someone will hire you for a project or an event.

For someone like me who is very plan and schedule-oriented, that my chosen career is so unpredictable in terms of supporting myself complicates matters. This is why a lot of writers pick up full time jobs unrelated to writing—for them, the security of having a steady paycheck to pay the bills frees up mental stress that makes creativity easier. It's also why many writers writing full time (or trying to) also pick up part-time jobs to help make ends meet every month.

When I try to imagine what life might look like in 2018 or 2019, it can be hard to guess much of anything. Right now, the only thing that's certain is what I know: that I'm contracted to publish a book a year until Fall 2018. That in and of itself has given me some peace of mind, because I've got at least two definite projects on the horizon that I'll get to share with the world. But will there be more? The truth is I have no idea what 2017 holds for me in terms of other book sales or plans down that road.

The truth is, a writing career is incredibly unpredictable. With so many factors out of our hands—from what sells on submission, to how much it sells for, to how it performs in the market (which then affects book deals in the future)—what's important is to work on what we can control—the writing—and hope for the best with everything else.

"Well, you don't go into writing for the money," I told my coworker, and it's true. But as unpredictable as a writer's career is, I couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to do what I love and get paid to do it, even if I don't really know where it will take me in the next couple years. Money aside, it's worth it to me to do something I love, even with a lot of uncertainty along the way.

Twitter-sized bite:

Making a living as an author can be complicated. @Ava_Jae writes about the unpredictable nature of a writing career. (Click to tweet)

Fixing the First Page Giveaway #30!

Photo credit: ballookey on FlickrIncredibly, we are now just about halfway through the last month of the year. Snow is falling (in some places), the holidays are practically here, and on Writability it's time for the thirtieth (thirtieth!) Fixing the First Page feature—and the last of 2016.

For those who’ve missed before, the Fixing the First Page features is a public first 250 word critique. Using the lovely rafflecopter widget, anyone interested in winning a public (as in, featured in a post on this blog) first page critique can enter.

For an example of what this critique will look like, here's the last Fixing the First Page post.

Rules!

ONLY the first 250 words will be critiqued (up to finishing the sentence). If you win and send me more, I will crop it myself. No exceptions.
ONLY the first page. I don’t want 250 random words from your manuscript, or from chapter 3. If you win the critique and send me anything other than the first 250 words of your manuscript, I will choose someone else.
I will actually critique it. Here. On the blog. I will say things as nicely as I can, but I do tend to be a little blunt. If you’re not sure you can handle a public critique, then you may want to take some time to think about it before you enter.
Genre restrictions. I'm most experienced with YA & NA, but I will still accept MG and Adult. HOWEVER. If your first page has any erotic content on it, I ask that you don’t enter. I want to be able to post the critique and the first 250 in its entirety without making anyone uncomfortable, and if you win and you enter a page with erotic content, I will choose someone else.
You must have your first page ready. Should you win, you need to be able to submit your first page within 48 hours of my contacting you to let you know you won. If 48 hours pass and I haven’t heard from you, again, I will choose someone else.
You’ll get the most out of this if it isn’t a first draft. Obviously, I have no way of knowing if you’re handing me a first draft (though I will probably suspect because it’s usually not that difficult to tell). I won’t refuse your page if it’s a first draft, but you should know that this critique will likely be of more use if you’ve already had your betas/CPs look over it. Why? Because if you don’t, the critique I give you will probably contain a lot of notes that your betas & CPs could have/would have told you.
There will not be a round 2 (unless you win again in a future contest). I hate to have to say this, but if you win a critique, it’s NOT an invitation to send me a bunch of your revisions. I wish I had the time available to be able to look at revisions, but sadly, I don’t. If you try to break this rule, I will nicely say no, and also remember to choose someone else should you win a second contest. Which would make me sad. :(
So that’s it! If you’re okay with all of the above and would like to enter to be the thirtieth public critique on Writability, do the thing with the rafflecopter widget below. You have until Wednesday, December 21 at 11:59 PM EST to enter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Vlog: How to Choose POV Characters

Choosing POV characters can be tough, especially if you're not sure how many POVs to use. So today I'm sharing some tips to keep in mind when deciding which characters will tell your story.


RELATED LINKS:

How to Write Multi-POVs (vlog)3 Common Protagonist Problems (vlog)Elements of a Great Protagonist (vlog)How to Choose a POV Character5 Dual-POV Writing Tips
How do you choose POV characters? 

Twitter-sized bite:

Struggling to decide what character(s) should narrate your WIP? @Ava_Jae vlogs tips on choosing POV characters. (Click to tweet)

10 Diverse 2017 Books I'm Psyched About

So 2016 is coming to close, which in the bookish world means the time to get excited about next year's books is well underway. Like last year, I'd like to feature some diverse books releasing next year, but because there are so many to get excited about, I'm only covering the first half of 2017 for now. 
So! Here are ten diverse books releasing in the first half of 2017! Hope you have your TBR lists ready. ;)


Photo credit: Goodreads
History Is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera (January 17)
YA Contemporary

Goodreads summary: 

"When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course. 

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart. 

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life."

Diversity note: The protagonist, Griffin, is a queer boy (#ownvoices) with OCD.



Photo credit: Goodreads

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson (January 24)
YA Contemporary

Goodreads summary:

"Mary B. Addison killed a baby. 

Allegedly. She didn’t say much in that first interview with detectives, and the media filled in the only blanks that mattered: A white baby had died while under the care of a church-going black woman and her nine-year-old daughter. The public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But did she do it? She wouldn’t say. 

Mary survived five years in baby jail before being dumped in a group home. The house isn’t really “home”—no place where you fear for your life can be considered a home. Home is Ted, who she meets on assignment at a nursing home. 

There wasn’t a point to setting the record straight before, but now she’s got Ted—and their unborn child—to think about. When the state threatens to take her baby, Mary must find the voice to fight her past. And her fate lies in the hands of the one person she distrusts the most: her Momma. No one knows the real Momma. But who really knows the real Mary? 

In this gritty and haunting debut, Tiffany D. Jackson explores the grey areas in our understanding of justice, family, and truth, and acknowledges the light and darkness alive in all of us."

Diversity note: Mary, the protagonist, is black (#ownvoices).


Photo credit: Goodreads
City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson (January 24)
YA Mystery/Thriller

Goodreads summary:

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo meets Gone Girl in this enthralling YA murder mystery set in Kenya. 

In the shadows of Sangui City, there lives a girl who doesn't exist. After fleeing the Congo as refugees, Tina and her mother arrived in Kenya looking for the chance to build a new life and home. Her mother quickly found work as a maid for a prominent family, headed by Roland Greyhill, one of the city’s most respected business leaders. But Tina soon learns that the Greyhill fortune was made from a life of corruption and crime. So when her mother is found shot to death in Mr. Greyhill's personal study, she knows exactly who’s behind it. 

With revenge always on her mind, Tina spends the next four years surviving on the streets alone, working as a master thief for the Goondas, Sangui City’s local gang. It’s a job for the Goondas that finally brings Tina back to the Greyhill estate, giving her the chance for vengeance she’s been waiting for. But as soon as she steps inside the lavish home, she’s overtaken by the pain of old wounds and the pull of past friendships, setting into motion a dangerous cascade of events that could, at any moment, cost Tina her life. But finally uncovering the incredible truth about who killed her mother—and why—keeps her holding on in this fast-paced nail-biting thriller."

Diversity note: The book takes place in Kenya, and the protagonist, Tina, (and probably other characters) is African.


Photo credit: Goodreads
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (February 28)
YA Contemporary

Goodreads summary: 

"Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice. Movie rights have been sold to Fox, with Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games) to star."

Diversity note: The protagonist, Starr, is black (#ownvoices). Also the whole premise is based off the Black Lives Matter movement.


Photo credit: Goodreads
The Ship Beyond Time by Heidi Heilig (February 28)
YA Fantasy

Goodreads summary:

"The breathtaking sequel to the acclaimed The Girl from Everywhere. Nix has escaped her past, but when the person she loves most is at risk, even the daughter of a time traveler may not be able to outrun her fate—no matter where she goes. Fans of Rae Carson, Alexandra Bracken, and Outlander will fall hard for Heidi Heilig’s sweeping fantasy. 

Nix has spent her whole life journeying to places both real and imagined aboard her time-traveling father’s ship. And now it’s finally time for her to take the helm. Her father has given up his obsession to save her mother—and possibly erase Nix’s existence—and Nix’s future lies bright before her. Until she learns that she is destined to lose the one she loves. But her relationship with Kash—best friend, thief, charmer extraordinaire—is only just beginning. How can she bear to lose him? How can she bear to become as adrift and alone as her father?

Desperate to change her fate, Nix takes her crew to a mythical utopia to meet another Navigator who promises to teach her how to manipulate time. But everything in this utopia is constantly changing, and nothing is what it seems—not even her relationship with Kash. Nix must grapple with whether anyone can escape her destiny, her history, her choices. Heidi Heilig weaves fantasy, history, and romance together to tackle questions of free will, fate, and what it means to love another person. But at the center of this adventure are the extraordinary, multifaceted, and multicultural characters that leap off the page, and an intricate, recognizable world that has no bounds."

Diversity note: The protagonist, Nix, is hapa (#ownvoices), one of the love interests, Kash, is Persian, one of the crew members is lesbian, another crew member is Chinese, and another is Sudanese.


Photo credit: Goodreads
Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde (March 14)
YA Contemporary

Goodreads summary:

"When BFFs Charlie, Taylor and Jamie go to SupaCon, they know it’s going to be a blast. What they don’t expect is for it to change their lives forever. 

Charlie likes to stand out. SupaCon is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star, Jason Ryan. When Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought. 

While Charlie dodges questions about her personal life, Taylor starts asking questions about her own. 

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about the Queen Firestone SupaFan Contest, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe. "

Diversity note: One protagonist, Taylor, is an aspie (#ownvoices), and the other, Charlie, is openly bi (#ownvoices) and Chinese Australian.


Photo credit: Goodreads
The Gauntlet by Karuna Riazi (March 28)
MG Fantasy

Goodreads summary:

"A trio of friends from New York City find themselves trapped inside a mechanical board game that they must dismantle in order to save themselves and generations of other children in this action-packed debut that’s a steampunk Jumanji with a Middle Eastern flair. 

When twelve-year-old Farah and her two best friends get sucked into a mechanical board game called The Gauntlet of Blood and Sand—a puzzle game akin to a large Rubik’s cube—they know it’s up to them to defeat the game’s diabolical architect in order to save themselves and those who are trapped inside, including her baby brother Ahmed. But first they have to figure out how. 

Under the tutelage of a lizard guide named Henrietta Peel and an aeronaut Vijay, the Farah and her friends battle camel spiders, red scorpions, grease monkeys, and sand cats as they prepare to face off with the maniacal Lord Amari, the man behind the machine. Can they defeat Amari at his own game…or will they, like the children who came before them, become cogs in the machine?"

Diversity note: Much of (maybe all of?) the cast is Muslim, including some hijabi girls (#ownvoices).



Photo credit: Goodreads
It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Sugiura (May 9)
YA Contemporary

Goodreads summary:

"Sixteen-year-old Sana Kiyohara has too many secrets. Some are small, like how it bothers her when her friends don’t invite her to parties. Some are big, like that fact that her father may be having an affair. And then there’s the one that she can barely even admit to herself—the one about how she might have a crush on her best friend. 

When Sana and her family move to California she begins to wonder if it’s finally time for some honesty, especially after she meets Jamie Ramirez. Jamie is beautiful and smart and unlike anyone Sana’s ever known. There are just a few problems: Sana’s new friends don’t trust Jamie’s crowd; Jamie’s friends clearly don’t want her around anyway; and a sweet guy named Caleb seems to have more-than-friendly feelings for her. Meanwhile, her dad’s affair is becoming too obvious to ignore anymore. 

Sana always figured that the hardest thing would be to tell people that she wants to date a girl, but as she quickly learns, telling the truth is easy… what comes after it, though, is a whole lot more complicated."

Diversity note: The protagonist, Sana, is an Asian American (#ownvoices) queer girl, and the love interest, Jamie, is Latina.



Photo credit: Goodreads

When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (May 30)
YA Contemporary

Goodreads summary: 

"A laugh-out-loud, heartfelt YA romantic comedy, told in alternating perspectives, about two Indian-American teens whose parents have arranged for them to be married. 

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways."

Diversity note: Both major characters, Dimple and Rishi, are Indian American (#ownvoices).



Photo credit: Goodreads
The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzie Lee (June 20)
YA Historical Fantasy

Goodreads summary: 

"An unforgettable tale of two friends on their Grand Tour of 18th-century Europe who stumble upon a magical artifact that leads them from Paris to Venice in a dangerous manhunt, fighting pirates, highwaymen, and their feelings for each other along the way. 

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men. 

But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy. 

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores."

Diversity note: The protagonist, Monty, is a queer boy as is the love interest, Percy. I've also heard it has biracial and disability rep, so yay. :)


Twitter-sized bite:

What diverse books releasing in the first 1/2 of 2017 are you psyched about? Join the discussion on @Ava_Jae's blog. (Click to tweet)

What I Learned From Debuting

Photo credit: Chiara Cremaschi on FlickrThis time last year, I was full of excitement and some trepidation. My debut date, March 1st, was less than three months away, ARCs were out in the world, reviews were coming in, and the knowledge that in just a handful of months I'd be able to live my dream—walking into a bookstore and seeing my book on the shelf—buzzed endlessly in the back of my mind.

December 2015 was an exciting and scary time for sure, and now, with my debut year coming to a close and a class of new, talented authors getting ready to take up the debut year mantle, I thought I'd share some lessons I learned this year.

If you haven't already, memorize your elevator pitch. The first question people always ask when they hear your book is going to be published is "What is your book about?" When you're on any kind of panel or go to any kind of author event, the question you will answer most is "What is your book about?" And if you are anything like me, not having an answer ready for that question will make you freeze up and freak out.

Practice your elevator pitch until you can say it in your sleep. Say it aloud in front of your computer, in front of the mirror, as you're walking to your car, as you're waiting on line. Say it until you don't have to think about it anymore, because that question—"What is your book about?"—will show up in the most unexpected places, and trust me, you'll be glad you had a quick answer ready.
Everyone handles debuting differently—and that's okay. I love hearing when people are reading my book—it gives me a little thrill and a smile—but I have some author friends who really would just rather not know, and that's okay. Milestones that feel exciting for you may feel terrifying to someone else—and vice versa, and what you find amazing or terrifying says nothing about you except that it's how your brain processes things. Everyone handles debuting differently—all that's important is that you prioritize taking care of yourself along the way and do what works best for you.
The wait feels like forever; but it's over really quickly. When you agree to the offer, your publication date is probably two years away. Two years feels like forever, then a year later one year feels like forever, then six months later six months feels like forever, and well...you get it.

But once things start happening, they start happening really quickly. Your cover, your cover reveal, your edits, more edits, ARCs, trade reviews, Edelweiss & Netgalley release, blogger reviews, guest posts and interviews, debut day preparation, author copies, giveaways, then, at last: publication day.

Things get really quiet after publication day.

The nature of publishing is cyclical. It's this enormous build up until Your Day, then a week later it's someone else's day. Then it's been a month since Your Day, then six months, so on and so forth. Eventually, Being Published and everything that it means becomes your new normal. Eventually, you answer questions like "Yes, I'm a published author and you can get my book [here]" as second nature. Eventually, that you were published will start to feel like No Big Deal—don't let it. Savor those amazing moments along the way—every single one of them—and remember you've done something so many others have only dreamt about. And that's pretty darn amazing.
Celebrate in the way you want to. About a year before my debut, I imagined having an awesome launch party. It felt like a rite of passage, a thing that I had to—and had to want to—do, and I took for granted that I'd want to do it. About four months before debut, I realized reality was a different story for me: not only did I not really know more than a handful of people I could potentially invite, but the stress of putting it together and preparing for The Day was starting to really weigh on me. I was getting nervous, and dreading everything involved, and thinking about how happy I'd be when it was finally over—

Until I realized I didn't have to do a launch party at all. Until I realized doing one wouldn't be a celebration for me as much as it'd be what I felt was an obligation.

Celebrate the way you want to. I ended up doing an online launch party thanks to the amazing Heidi Heilig who volunteered to help me put it together so I could celebrate with friends online. It went really well—I answered questions, made some cupcakes, chatted with friends, did a few giveaways, all from the comfort of my pajamas and a hot cup of tea. It was exactly the way I needed to celebrate and I'm so grateful to Heidi for reaching out to me and offering to help.

If I lived somewhere closer to my bookish friends—like New York or something—I may have chosen to do a physical launch party anyway, because the trade off would've been worth it. But since I don't, and since I was already stressed enough with everything going on, celebrating online was definitely the right decision for me. So make sure you celebrate the way you want to—because ultimately, the celebration is for you.

When you can, keep working on your next book. Remember what I said about everyone handling debuting differently? I handled it by distracting myself with other projects—something that worked really well for me. Some of my author friends, however, couldn't juggle debuting with writing other books, which is totally understandable and okay. Eventually, however, you'll need to get back on the horse and start working on your next book. Careers are very rarely made on a single book—for most of us, our careers will be built on long backlists—and that means putting in the work to get your next book going whenever you can.
Don't read your reviews...or do. Here's another "everyone handles debuting differently" thing—I have author friends who don't read any reviews, author friends who only read positive reviews, and author friends who love reading all of their reviews. Whatever you decide, what's important is that you don't let it become an obsessive thing to check. I personally like perusing through my four star and up reviews, and when I have the headspace for it I'll sometimes look at three-star reviews. I have to be careful though, because reading negative reviews is an insta-anxiety trigger for me, so it's just not healthy for me to look at negative reviews. By looking at three-star and up reviews, however, I have been able to glean some trends that I found helpful to keep in mind while working on Into the Black, so my selective glancing at reviews (which I do much less of now than I did initially) did prove helpful.
But once again, what matters here is you. Whether you look at reviews or not, just make sure that the choice you make is healthiest for you and don't worry about what everyone else does.

Twitter-sized bite:

With 2016 drawing to a close, @Ava_Jae shares six lessons she learned from debuting. #pubtip (Click to tweet)

Gifts for Writers in Your Life

Photo credit: Eric Torrontera on FlickrSo the holidays are upon us, which means the time to buy gifts for your loved ones is here! As I've been planning all my purchases for family and friends, it occurred to me I haven't really talked about gifts for writers, so now seems like a perfect time to do it.

So without further ado, here are some gift ideas for the writers in your life. Or, you know, ideas to give your friends and family for you. ;)


Writing craft books

Writing craft books are always a great choice, because there's always more for writers to learn. Some that I've read and loved or are on my list to read include:

The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi The Fire in Fiction by Donald MaassNovel Shortcuts by Laura WhitcombRevision & Self-Editing by James Scott BellPlot & Structure by James Scott Bell Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Story Genius by Lisa Cron Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland Writing 21st Century Fiction by Donald Maass The Plot Whisperer by Martha Alderson 168 Hours by Laura Vanderkam2k to 10k by Rachel AaronThe Crossroads of Should and Must by Elle Luna Wired for Story by Lisa CronSteal Like an Artist by Austin KleonShow Your Work! by Austin KleonSave the Cat! by Blake SnyderWonderbook by Jeff VanderMeer



Nerdy mugs ($12.00-19.90)

There are lots of places to find nerdy mugs, like Barnes & Noble, Hot Topic, Out of Print and Etsy. Some fun options include B&N's Harry Potter Ceramic Cauldron mug, Hot Topic's Disney Alice in Wonderland Cheshire Cat mug and Harry Potter Hogwarts Red mug, Out of Print's Banned Books Heat Reactive Mug or some of the many cute selections from missbohemia's Etsy store.





Bookish candles ($18.00)

Frostbeard Studio has a really great collection of bookish soy candles. With choices like Book Cellar, Headmaster's Office, New Paperback, Old Books, Oxford Library, Reading at the Cafe, Study Break Chai Latte, Wizardry Buttery Drink and more, there's a scent for every book nerd.




Nerdy shirts, scarves, sweaters ($20.00-$42.00)

There are so many places to get bookish clothes and accessories. TeeFury has a whole book collection including The Little Wizard and Extraordinary Novelists, Litographs has awesome selections like Peter Pan,  Scarlet, and The Declaration of Independence, Out of Print has great choices like their  When in Doubt (Harry Potter Alliance) Sweatshirt and Fantastic Books & Where to Find Them t-shirt, and Storiarts on Etsy has some gorgeous bookish scarves like Shakespeare's Hamlet Book Scarf, and The Raven by Poe Book Scarf, and also these cool Alice in Wonderland Writing Gloves.


Scrivener ($45.00)

I've written about the wonders of Scrivener many times. While you'll probably want the writer in your life to play around with the free trial first (because it's not for everyone!), I, for one, can say Scrivener has completely changed how I tackle writing books for the better and I will never go back.




AeonTimeline ($50)

AeonTimeline is a pretty handy—and in-depth—program that could be especially useful to writers who write books with complicated timelines. Some of the features are listed here, but when I tried a free trial last year to help me work out a timeline I found it really visually interesting and useful.


E-readers

E-readers are a writer's best friend. I swear by my Nook e-ink reader, which I got years ago from someone who upgraded theirs and it still works beautifully. The one I have is discontinued but when the time comes to upgrade I'll be getting the Nook GlowLight Plus. If you're looking for an inexpensive tablet e-reader, there's Barnes & Noble's new $50 7" Nook tablet, and over on Amazon there are options like the Kindle, Kindle Paperwhite, and Fire tablet.

Noise-canceling headphones

This is a good higher-budget option if the writer in your life frequently works in noisy environments, but even if not they can be really great to help hone focus. They are, however, on the pricier end, so this would be a more luxurious gift the writer in your life would make great use of.

Cool bookends

BookRiot did a post on fifty awesome bookends earlier this year with some really cool options.

Other random suggestions: nice pens and journals, fancy teas, chocolate, bookshelves, PJ pants, fuzzy blankets, fuzzy socks, whiteboards, cork boards, and, of course, books and gift cards for books.


What writerly gifts are you craving this year? 


Twitter-sized bite: 

Not sure what to get the writers in your life for the holidays? @Ava_Jae puts together writerly gifts to consider. (Click to tweet) 

Vlog: On Important Post-Manuscript Breaks

NaNoWriMo is officially over, which means many of you have completed manuscripts ready for revision. But before you dive in to revisions, make sure you don't skip this important post-first draft step.



RELATED LINKS: 

On Self-Care and Writing (vlog)Do You Have to Write Every Day? (vlog)How to Finish a WIP (vlog)On Trunking Novels (vlog)Why Writers Should Let Their Manuscripts CoolDiscussion: How Long Do You Let Your WIPs Cool?How to Gather Distance from Your WIP
Do you take breaks after finishing your first drafts? 
Twitter-sized bites:

#NaNoWriMo is over, so now what? @Ava_Jae vlogs about the importance of taking a break after first drafting. (Click to tweet)  

So you finished your first draft—now what? @Ava_Jae vlogs about developing distance from your WIP. (Click to tweet)

Diverse Books Resource List 2016

Photo credit: mineLast year, I created my first-ever Diverse Books Resource List, a list of lists containing loads of diverse books from just about every category. While initially I'd hoped to update it indefinitely, I quickly realized that wasn't going to be feasible for me, so instead I've decided to cover every year from here on out.

So without further ado! I present to you the diverse books resource list for 2016, organized alphabetically. Enjoy!


Body-Positive lists:

Brit + Co's 7 Body Positive YA Books That SlayBNTeen Blog's 5 Body-Positive YA Reads to Take to the BeachBuzzFeed's 19 Body-Positive Books You'll Want to Read With Your DaughterMirrors Windows Doors's 'A Question of Balance': Disability in Children's and YA books from Around the WorldYA Interrobang's Thin To Be Loved: Julie Daly talks fat representation in YA

Disability lists:

BNTeen Blog's 16 YAs That Get it Right: Mental Health EditionBuzzFeed News's 29 YA Books About Mental Health That Actually Nail ItContra Costa County Library's Best Young Adult Book Lists: Life ChallengesDisability in Kidlit's Goodreads shelfDisability in Kidlit's Honor Roll of Vetted BooksThe Daily Dahlia's #OwnVoices in Disability and Neurodiversity

Race, Ethnicity, & Religion-related lists:

American Indians in Children's Literature's Best Books ListsAmerican Indians in Children's Literature's Photos: Native Writers & Illustrators ListBooklist Online's Coretta Scott King Award Winners: 2016Booklist Online's Coretta Scott King Honor Books: 2016Booklist Online's Pura Belpre Award Winners: 2016Booklist Online's Pura Belpre Honor Books: 2016Booklist Online's Top 10 Multicultural Fiction for Youth: 2016BookRiot's 3 on a YA Theme: Set in MexicoBookRiot's (More Than) 3 on a YA Theme: If You Loved MoanaBookRiot's Wiccan Fiction for Everyday WitchesBNTeen Blog's 7 Books to Read While You Wait for The Hate U GiveBNTeen Blog's 8 Must-Reads for Black History Month and BeyondBuzzFeed Audio's 13 Times Representation Mattered in BooksContra Costa County Library's Best Young Adult Book Lists: MulticulturalLatinxs in Kid Lit's Reviewed Books: Middle GradeLatinxs in Kid Lit's Reviewed Books: Young AdultThe Brown Bookshelf's Our Books ListThe Daily Dahlia's Books By and About People of Marginalized RacesThe Daily Dahlia's Upcoming YAs by Authors of ColorThe Daily Dahlia's YA Backlist by Authors of ColorYA Interrobang's #OwnVoices Spotlight: East Asian AuthorsYA Interrobang's #OwnVoices Representation: Native American AuthorsYA Interrobang's #OwnVoices Spotlight: South Asian AuthorsYA Interrobang's International Latino Book Awards announces 2016 finalistsYA Interrobang's Let's celebrate black beauty on YA coversYA Interrobang's List of the Week: Black Male YA Love InterestsYA Interrobang's List of the Week: Non-Christian, Religious YAYA Interrobang's List of the Week: YA fantasy by women of colorYA Interrobang's Mini-List of the Week: Japanese YA Books by Japanese AuthorsYA Interrobang's We Need Diverse Books announces 2016 Walter Dean Myers Award winners

QUILTBAG+ lists:

2016 Rainbow Book ListBooklist Online's Over the Rainbow: 2016Booklist Online's Stonewall Book Award Winner: 2016Booklist Online's Stonewall Honor Books: 2016BookRiot's 3 on a YA Theme: Queer Stories that Aren't TragicBookRiot's Coming Out and Coming of Age: YA LGBTQ BooksBookRiot's Finding Trans Writers in Your Favorite GenresBNTeen Blog's 7 LGBTQ+ Books With Happy EndingsBNTeen Blog's 12 Great Under the Gaydar YAsBNTeen Blog's 15 of Our Most Anticipated LGBTQ YAs of 2016BNTeen Blog's 22 YAs That Get it Right: LGBTQA EditionBNTeen Blog's As I Descended Author Robin Talley on Queer YA Retellings of Classic StoriesBNTeen Blog's Coming Out Is Complicated In These YA BooksBNTeen Blog's Kick off Bisexual Awareness Week with 12 2016 YA BooksBNTeen Blog's Meet the LGBTQ+ Authors Who Are Revolutionizing YA LiteratureBN Teen Blog's Meet Three More of the LGBTQ+ Authors Who Are Revolutionizing YA LiteratureContra Costa County Library's Best Young Adult Book Lists: LGBTQI+LGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Bi Girls in YA FantasyLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Bi + Pan + GFY Guys in Contemp YALGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Bi/Pan Guys in SFF YA/NALGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Contemporary F/F YA with Sex on the PageLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Dystopian LGBTQ YALGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ Fandom YAsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ RoyaltyLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ YAs by Latinx Authors with Latinx MCsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ YA Retellings of ClassicsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ YA Superhero NovelsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Trans Kidlit by Trans AuthorsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Queer BFF YAsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Queer Halloween ReadsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Winter YA 2016LGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: YA Sci-Fi/Spec-Fic with Queer Male ProtagsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: YA Sci-Fi with Queer Female MCsLGBTQ Reads's LGBThanksgiving!LGBTQ Reads's LGBTQIAP+ YAs Available in AudioLGBTQ Reads's Manga/Comics/Graphic Novels ListLGBTQ Reads's Middle Grade ListLGBTQ Reads's Picture Books ListLGBTQ Reads's SFF ListLGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #1LGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #2LGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #3LGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #4LGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #5LGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #6!LGBTQ Reads's TBRainbow Alert #7!LGBTQ Reads's Ten F/F YAs Under Five BucksLGBTQ Reads's Ten Gay YAs Under Seven BucksLGBTQ Reads's Twenty LGBTQ MG + YA Paperbacks Under Seven BucksLGBTQ Reads's New Releases PostsLGBTQ Reads's Under the Gaydar: Bad Girls EditionLGBTQ Reads's Under the Gaydar: Heartbreaker EditionLGBTQ Reads's Under the Gaydar: YA Fantasy WorldsLGBTQ Reads's Young Adult ListThe Booklist Reader's Celebrate Pride With Essential LGBTQIA Books for YouthThe Daily Dahlia's LGBTQIAP+ Books By and About People who Identify as LGBTQIAP+The Daily Dahlia's Trans/NB-Identifying AuthorsThe Gay YA's Book List: Bisexual Boys in YAThe Gay YA's LGBTQIA+ YA MasterlistThe Gay YA's New Releases: June 2016The Gay YA's What We Missed: January - May 2016YA Interrobang's 2016 Morris Award finalists announcedYA Interrobang's Bisexual Books Awards announces 2016 nomineesYA Interrobang's Bookworm's Nest: Julia Ember shares her top 5 queer YA reads from 2015-2016YA Interrobang's Lambda Literary announces 2015 finalistsYA Interrobang's List of the Week: Queer YA Fantasy Written by WomenYA Interrobang's List of the Week: Underrated Queer YA

Intersectional lists:

BNTeen Blog's 6 2016 #OwnVoices Reads You Have to Get Your Hands OnBNTeen Blog's 7 Awesome Diverse YA ThrillersBNTeen Blog's 14 YA Books About LGBTQ People of ColorBNTeen Blog's 15 More YAs That Get it RightBNTeen Blog's The We Need Diverse Books Team Picks 10 2016 Must-ReadsBNTeen Blog's YA Sci-Fi Starter Kit: 8 Diverse Books That Take You to Other Worlds (and Iowa)LGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ+ Jewish MCsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ Muslim MCsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: LGBTQ YA with East Asian Female MCsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: Mental Health LGBTQ YAsLGBTQ Reads's Fave Five: YA with South Asian MCsTea & Titles's The Diverse Books TagThe Gay YA's Book List: Asian Characters in LGBTQIA+ YAThe Gay YA's Latinx Gay YAYA Interrobang's List of the Week: Inclusive YA Sci-Fi

If you have any 2016 lists you'd like me to add—especially for the thinner categories—let me know! I'd be happy to see this list grow. :) 
Where do you go to find diverse books?

Twitter-sized bite:

Looking for places to find diverse books? @Ava_Jae puts together resources from 2016 to find rep across the board. (Click to tweet)