tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post2147231352224970787..comments2024-02-21T05:25:03.233-05:00Comments on Adventures in YA Publishing: Write What You Love, But Make Sure Only You Can Write ItMartina Boonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-82633611302550891052011-10-01T13:16:54.259-04:002011-10-01T13:16:54.259-04:00Martina, this was an amazing post. I need to remem...Martina, this was an amazing post. I need to remember this when I think "why would someone want to read something I wrote?" Well, I want to read what other writers wrote, and those books are uniquely "them." Let's hope readers will want to read what's uniquely "us." Good luck to you!Julie Musilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02150454913885915017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-58908408849570901592011-09-29T04:03:29.151-04:002011-09-29T04:03:29.151-04:00Actually, this was pretty meaty and the idea of &q...Actually, this was pretty meaty and the idea of "writing by committee" (have I used that word too often recently?) resonated very strongly with me. In my day job, I struggle with proposals and documents and information leaflets that also suffer from the very same issue - there's no voice, they've been written to please everyone and no-one, all the lifeblood of the thinking of the person behind them has been drained away...<br /><br /><br />(I did read the following guest post but really didn't feel I had anything to say about it - I run across too many "be yourself" admonishments on writing blogs, I suppose. But having worked back a day to this post, I'm suddenly feeling a lot more charitably disposed towards its message...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-26348481935344854212011-09-28T21:03:10.468-04:002011-09-28T21:03:10.468-04:00Thanks so much, Debbie! That means a lot coming fr...Thanks so much, Debbie! That means a lot coming from you! :D<br /><br />Hugs,<br /><br />MartinaMartina Boonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-13872073415280596222011-09-28T08:55:35.121-04:002011-09-28T08:55:35.121-04:00LOVE this post. Thanks so much for sharing it, Mar...LOVE this post. Thanks so much for sharing it, Martina.Debbie Ridpath Ohihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11784775687291535329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-53402835345898103712011-09-27T23:36:52.605-04:002011-09-27T23:36:52.605-04:00Stina, right? LOL! But shhhh! Because if single, s...Stina, right? LOL! But shhhh! Because if single, straight guys had any idea of the target rich (and testosterone-free) environment at SCBWI events, those numbers would change dramatically.Martina Boonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-89735445307535111992011-09-27T22:52:11.522-04:002011-09-27T22:52:11.522-04:00That was beautiful!
And Gallant Press definitely ...That was beautiful!<br /><br />And Gallant Press definitely hasn't been to a SCBWI conference. Men are a novelty there. :DStinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11415189347501942340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-76106892609891115502011-09-27T22:42:25.024-04:002011-09-27T22:42:25.024-04:00Gail and Lydia, thank you, ladies!
Susan, thanks...Gail and Lydia, thank you, ladies! <br /><br />Susan, thanks. That's doubly especially meaningful to hear from you. Your blog is such an amazing resource, which has given me so much help and food for thought! <br /><br />Carol (and Jemi!) I'm so sorroyu you encountered problems with the blogger interface. Sigh. Thanks for trying to post your comments and Carol, I am going to be interested to see how your technique works for me.<br /><br />Gallant Press -- I would love to find a great male perspective. I've actively sought male beta readers, but they are a rare breed among children's writers. Have you ever seen the ratio at an SCBWI conference?Martina Boonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-54081390474714121872011-09-27T22:04:09.213-04:002011-09-27T22:04:09.213-04:00While it's true that "sometimes it takes ...While it's true that "sometimes it takes a village," your village seems profoundly sexist. Why are there no men in your group of seven critique partners?Peter Spenserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18317246557600202574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-86291778848674277392011-09-27T19:47:10.126-04:002011-09-27T19:47:10.126-04:00Gah! I just tried to comment but it wouldn't t...Gah! I just tried to comment but it wouldn't take. So, trying again, more condensed version--great post, and I'm sorry you had that uncomfy CP experience. Most of the time I don't like sharing with my CPs (beyond a first chapter or so) until I'm all done figuring out the voice and the vision of my novel. So that means when I finish the rough draft (like Tina said).Carol Riggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092209912983783974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-68145377611890518422011-09-27T16:14:16.565-04:002011-09-27T16:14:16.565-04:00Martina, this is absolutely one of the most truthf...Martina, this is absolutely one of the most truthful, insightful, and inspiring posts I've ever read. And I'm not just laying it on. I love what you have to say about writing being communication and sharing an essential truth. That's so much how I think of it as well.<br /><br />Thank you so much!<br />SusanS.P. Sipalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17943968424012034217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-47076195313109836682011-09-27T15:58:48.126-04:002011-09-27T15:58:48.126-04:00Excellent post. Thank you!Excellent post. Thank you!Lydia Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15328254761920829040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-33173471113406348152011-09-27T15:54:30.401-04:002011-09-27T15:54:30.401-04:00This is just lovely. And so important to remember....This is just lovely. And so important to remember. Thank you.Gail Shepherdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16998497900316232330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-27550315676876532772011-09-27T14:27:03.522-04:002011-09-27T14:27:03.522-04:00Tina, I love that book! And I kind of think that&#...Tina, I love that book! And I kind of think that's what I'm going to do with the manuscript I am prepping now. I'm becoming less and less of a pantser, so I am going scene by scene through my turning points, and I am letting (begging) my CPs shoot holes through that. I may even ask their opinions on the voice for a sample first few pages or something, but after that, I think I need to get through the initial draft and find that voice and rhythm that will sound true to what I want to say. Good for you for having the guts to get that draft out without the reassurance. I'm not sure I would have that kind of courage anymore, but I'm trying :D!<br /><br />Pk, thank you! I only hope she stops worrying so much about getting it published right away and takes the time to make it the manuscript it deserves to be. The writer had incredible talent. I also hope I learned something from the encounter about how to say what needs to be said in a more gentle manner next time. ;)<br /><br />Holly -- YES! YES! That's it exactly. A great writer could write about sparkly vampires in a way that would be completely different from TWILIGHT, as many times as vampires have been done, as much as it has become the V-word, when someone has something unique to say, the subject doesn't matter.<br /><br />Halli and 1000th.monkey -- Hang in there. Honestly. Keep working through whatever you are working through, and as miserable as the road may be right now, it will get easier. Hugs to you both!<br /><br />M.Martina Boonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03358736828122139189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-15420554153475199522011-09-27T14:20:36.372-04:002011-09-27T14:20:36.372-04:00It's so easy to read the debuts or books I lov...It's so easy to read the debuts or books I love and think - I should write something like that, something more serious, something bigger. But then I stop myself. I need to write what I like and not try to be like someone else! Face to face crit groups can be tough sometimes!Laura Paulinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06503090226508079501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-30413778245872599882011-09-27T14:11:03.744-04:002011-09-27T14:11:03.744-04:00Very well timed... I won't go into details, bu...Very well timed... I won't go into details, but I needed to hear that :)<br /><br />Thanks.1000th.monkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16835988128285459745noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-85220998197905154882011-09-27T14:07:01.574-04:002011-09-27T14:07:01.574-04:00Your post is amazing. And just what I needed and I...Your post is amazing. And just what I needed and I'm sure a lot of others needed to hear it too.<br />I recently attended a conference and found the majority of writers seem to be focusing on a specific aspect of a specific genre. I was doubting my own manuscript because it is completely different from those. <br />This helped me realize that I need to be true to what I believe in.<br />Thanks!Halli Gomezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09667712458691917486noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-72021031817752325952011-09-27T13:18:18.175-04:002011-09-27T13:18:18.175-04:00Great post!
And don't feel too bad! We'v...Great post! <br /><br />And don't feel too bad! We've had that happen a couple times in my local critique group, people getting offended and leaving. <br /><br />And You're so right. All of the books I love the most are so unique within the writer. The subject matter may be similar to something else, but the writing sparks a flame that keeps me reading.The Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07773479939559180654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-67566755819138759512011-09-27T12:53:35.216-04:002011-09-27T12:53:35.216-04:00Beautifully said.
I'd be willing to bet that t...Beautifully said.<br />I'd be willing to bet that that person who was offended by your crit, will be thanking you one day for saying what no one else had the wits or guts to. We need CPs who will call us out and she may not realize it now, but she will.<br />When stories don't have heart and truth, I feel a little cheated.PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8005062827798430682.post-33254059451609054252011-09-27T12:42:39.864-04:002011-09-27T12:42:39.864-04:00Great post! It's so important to maintain your...Great post! It's so important to maintain your voice - the part of your writing that is uniquely YOU. It is easy to get caught up in too much advice. It is actually why I've stopped using critique partners during the process as Stephen King suggests in On Writing. By getting out the first draft and editing it, BEFORE letting others read it, it allows me to continue with my voice. Beta readers come into play only after everything is on the page. The method may not work for everyone, but for me, it is essential.Tina Mosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09892617933410379929noreply@blogger.com