A sorta weekly feature of things I co-sign:
(1) Diversity in YA Fiction website and tour just came to an end. So sad, so true, but here is Melinda and Cindy's wrap up post!
(2) Plotto: The Master Book of All Plots. 1,462 plots for you to use. I guess it's more varied than following Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey arc right?
(3) How Not to Blog: Beginning Blogging for Authors Part II. If I could find the proper motivation I'd like to do one of these posts as I have some strong feelings about writing blogs.
(4) Can a YA Writer "make it" as an indie? Katie Klein's been at it for a year and she's here to share her insights and numbers.
(5) Hating on Writing Exercises. I haven't taken a lot of writing classes but I coudn't agree with this more. I hate the fifteen minutes when you're given a prompt. Usually I just take the time to check email.
It's a good thing for social media, otherwise I never would have realized that today was Chinese New Year. Last year for this special occasion I was tromping through New York's Chinatown, trying to lead some people in search of a good meal. Little did they know that my Chinese food ordering abilities suck. All noodles, dumplings, and vegetables. Piles of side dishes and no meat. I vowed to make it up to them but haven't had a chance to yet. Next year guys, my Mandarin will be up to the task!
Since the new year is traditionally for goal setting, I'll lay out a few for myself. The Year of the Dragon is the year I'd like to attend a writers conference, hit up a workshop or two, and get myself into the big bad world of ePublishing. Oh and I would like to sell another book or two. Or five.
Today also coincides with the announcement of quite a few children's and young adult book awards. At least that's what I think is happening according to my Twitter. The Caldecott, the Morris, the Newbery, the something something.
On 30 Rock, Tracy Morgan's character wears an "EGOT" necklace, which stands for "Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony." What's the writerly equivalent of that? Pulitzer, Nobel, Man Booker, National Book Award, Hugo, PEN/Faulkner, MacArthur? We're gonna need some vowels in there. Too bad Oprah's Book Club is essentially defunct. If we toss in the Astrid Lindgren award, maybe we could come up with an acronym like NOPALM (Nobel, Oprah, Pulitzer, Astrid Lindgren, MacArthur) for aspirational writing achievements?
Did you know that Whoopi Goldberg is one of the handful of people to have actually accomplished EGOT? Astonishing no? She won a Grammy and Tony as a producer for Thoroughly Modern Millie, an Oscar for Ghost, and a few Emmys for TV stuff like being a co-host on The View. She was also honored in 1990 as an honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Whoopi: living legend, baller.
Did you know that Whoopi Goldberg is one of the handful of people to have actually accomplished EGOT? Astonishing no? She won a Grammy and Tony as a producer for Thoroughly Modern Millie, an Oscar for Ghost, and a few Emmys for TV stuff like being a co-host on The View. She was also honored in 1990 as an honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Whoopi: living legend, baller.
"With the Canadian media's coverage of books becoming increasingly sporadic, fewer titles each season are able to distinguish themselves from the pack, and awards are being forced to shoulder more and more of the cultural conversation. As a result, the shortlist has emerged as one of the few remaining tools for keeping multiple books on the nation's radar at one time....Since then, Coady says award culture has only gotten larger, 'whereas book culture in general has shrunk.'"
-More Than An Honour-
I love book titles that make you shake your head in wonder because they are so poetic and fitting. Like The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things. Like The Whole Story of Half a Girl.When I saw the book's title floating around on blogs months ago, I knew I had to read it. Even more so when I found out the protagonist was a half Indian, half Jewish-American girl.
"After her father loses his job, Sonia Nadhamuni, half Indian and half Jewish American, finds herself yanked out of private school and thrown into the unfamiliar world of public education. For the first time, Sonia's mixed heritage makes her classmates ask questions -- questions Sonia doesn't always know how to answer -- as she navigates between a group of popular girls who want her to try out for the cheerleading squad and other students who aren't part of the 'in' crowd.Veera's bio reveals that she's been in the writing and teaching fields for some time and while this is her first middle grade book, she's done of lot of picture books, especially quite a bit of work with Dora the Explorer! The Whole Story of Half a Girl just released about a week ago so go congratulate Veera and read her unique and amazing book.
At the same time that Sonia is trying to make new friends, she's dealing with what it means to have an out-of-work parent -- it's hard for her family to adjust to their changed circumstances. And then, one day, Sonia's father goes missing. Now Sonia wonders if she ever really knew him. As she begins to look for answers, she must decide what really matters and who her true friends are -- and whether her two halves, no matter how different, can make her a whole."
A sorta weekly feature of things I co-sign:
(1) Ten Cent Notes' Favorite YA-ish Blogs of 2011. When in doubt, I trust Jordyn.
(2) s.e. smith's book review of Lauren Myracle's Shine. Actually anything s.e. smith writes. Her blog at meloukhia.net is amazing.
(3) The Truth About Book Publicity. Basically it's all hit or miss. The best quote from a commenter: "My writing quality is insanely hit and miss..."
(4) Gwalingo. "Gwarlingo highlights some of the most inventive work being made today in music, writing, film, performance, and the visual arts." Plus, Michelle likes Slinkachu so she's cool by me.
(5) Noah Berlatsky's post, "Cinderella, Feminist." You may remember Berlatsky as the writer of that much passed around Atlantic article about Bella.
(1) Ten Cent Notes' Favorite YA-ish Blogs of 2011. When in doubt, I trust Jordyn.
(2) s.e. smith's book review of Lauren Myracle's Shine. Actually anything s.e. smith writes. Her blog at meloukhia.net is amazing.
(3) The Truth About Book Publicity. Basically it's all hit or miss. The best quote from a commenter: "My writing quality is insanely hit and miss..."
(4) Gwalingo. "Gwarlingo highlights some of the most inventive work being made today in music, writing, film, performance, and the visual arts." Plus, Michelle likes Slinkachu so she's cool by me.
(5) Noah Berlatsky's post, "Cinderella, Feminist." You may remember Berlatsky as the writer of that much passed around Atlantic article about Bella.
You go away for the weekend and a whole internet kerfuffle happens. Round who-can-really-keep-count of the battle between (some) authors and reviewers popped up a few days ago.Really the most exciting part when this happens is tracing the backstory of who said what and in response to whom. It's like following a less dramatic, literary version of Contagion. "Who was Offender Zero?! What was the basic reproduction number? How many days do we have till annihilation? How do we contain it? Lock down, lock down, aaaah!"
Sometimes if you catch it early enough, you can follow it spreading, or if you catch on too late, someone will have summarized everything nicely for you. It's interesting either way.
I think the reason negative reviews hurt more when you're an author is that most of the time, you're 80-100% responsible for the things that happen in your book. With a movie that you hated, maybe it was the cast, maybe it was the sound designer, maybe the people next to you in the theater were just annoying. With a book though, it's usually just one person's ideas and words, and if you blast the book, the writer can feel the full weight of the jab.
Yes, if someone is gonna put their work out for people to enjoy and say nice things about, chances are it won't resonate with at least a few of them. What authors get legitimately upset about though, is when the attacks turn personal. I've heard of some really crappy things that get said in reviews or messages. Who are the people who write this kind of stuff? Would you say what you just said to the author's face?
Sometimes if you catch it early enough, you can follow it spreading, or if you catch on too late, someone will have summarized everything nicely for you. It's interesting either way.
I think the reason negative reviews hurt more when you're an author is that most of the time, you're 80-100% responsible for the things that happen in your book. With a movie that you hated, maybe it was the cast, maybe it was the sound designer, maybe the people next to you in the theater were just annoying. With a book though, it's usually just one person's ideas and words, and if you blast the book, the writer can feel the full weight of the jab.
Yes, if someone is gonna put their work out for people to enjoy and say nice things about, chances are it won't resonate with at least a few of them. What authors get legitimately upset about though, is when the attacks turn personal. I've heard of some really crappy things that get said in reviews or messages. Who are the people who write this kind of stuff? Would you say what you just said to the author's face?
I, for one, have no problem with people reviewing things in a negative manner because I'd like the leeway to do that too. I mean, really, Hugo was the worst wasn't it? Scorsese's a hack!
I don't know if you read Dean Wesley Smith's blog, but if you're interested in a writing as a vocation, you probably should. He's got this series called "Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing" and they're all pretty great. For example, this one debunks the myth that you've made it when *blank* happens. That blank can be getting an agent, a first sale, making the best sellers list, winning prestigious awards, what have you. Basically the gist of the piece is that you never have it made. Even when you're super huge, you have to keep pushing, expanding, looking for opportunities and refining your skills.
- Dear Author: Authors Attack Ep 1, 2012 (YA Edition)
- Hannah Moskowitz: An Open Letter to Those Who Review on Goodreads
- YA Highway: A Really Long Post About the Author/Reviewer Relationship
- Enough is Enough. Authors Need to Chill Out and Not Respond to Reviews
- Justine Larbalestier: I Love Bad Reviews (2011)
- Phoebe North: Goodreads Tips for Authors (2011)
- The Millions: On Bad Reviews
Sure it all sounds sort of depressing but it's actually kind of inspirational. I mean, maybe you don't have it made but the good news is nobody else does either! There's always more rungs of the ladder to climb but that also means there's people trying to get to where you are too. Wait, that's not inspiring... that's just scary.
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