Writers write, writers read
I haven't thought about my novel ideas today. I've been too busy shopping for baby stuff, shopping for random stuff (printer ink, envelopes, Halloween candy, blah blah blah), and nearly coughing my head off.
But here's my observation/advice for the day. I've noticed lots of people in the young adult forum on the NaNo boards asking what's appropriate in YA novels. Like, is this plot appropriate? Is this too much? What language can I use? Etc. And I keep thinking...the way to know the answers to these questions is to read YA novels. I'm not sure why anyone would want to write in a genre they don't read. I would be terrified to even try writing something I didn't read. But I hear these questions all the time about YA, not just on NaNo but in many online authors' groups, at local writing meetings, etc. Sometimes, the concerns I hear expressed could be put to rest simply by reading 2 or 3 current YA books. (Or sometimes, even 2 or 3 very old YA books!) Newbery winner Linda Sue Park actually suggests reading 1,000 books in your genre before writing in it. I think I probably have read more than 1,000 children's & YA novels, but I've had a (longish!) lifetime to do it. I would suggest reading at least a few current titles in any genre before writing in it. And that's my lecture for the day.... (And by the way, almost anything goes in YA these days!)
Oh, and I'm sure he's not reading this, but Happy Birthday to my brother...that is, my "baby" brother who's already past 30 now! Eeek! (Given our combined maturity level, I sent him a Garbage Pail Kids e-card.)
But here's my observation/advice for the day. I've noticed lots of people in the young adult forum on the NaNo boards asking what's appropriate in YA novels. Like, is this plot appropriate? Is this too much? What language can I use? Etc. And I keep thinking...the way to know the answers to these questions is to read YA novels. I'm not sure why anyone would want to write in a genre they don't read. I would be terrified to even try writing something I didn't read. But I hear these questions all the time about YA, not just on NaNo but in many online authors' groups, at local writing meetings, etc. Sometimes, the concerns I hear expressed could be put to rest simply by reading 2 or 3 current YA books. (Or sometimes, even 2 or 3 very old YA books!) Newbery winner Linda Sue Park actually suggests reading 1,000 books in your genre before writing in it. I think I probably have read more than 1,000 children's & YA novels, but I've had a (longish!) lifetime to do it. I would suggest reading at least a few current titles in any genre before writing in it. And that's my lecture for the day.... (And by the way, almost anything goes in YA these days!)
Oh, and I'm sure he's not reading this, but Happy Birthday to my brother...that is, my "baby" brother who's already past 30 now! Eeek! (Given our combined maturity level, I sent him a Garbage Pail Kids e-card.)
posted by Alison at
8:42 PM
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