Tag: Writing YA

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Writing for YA

Tips for the Spotlight Shy Author: Written INterviews

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a huge fan of the spotlight. I’m completely comfortable speaking in public as long as I’m the one asking questions, but I get a little nervous when the tables are turned. It’s probably no surprise to you that not all writers are comfortable with public appearances and interviews. After all, writers spend their days with keyboard or pen, choosing written words as a way to communicate.

Written interviews are a natural for authors, but still come with a few pitfalls. It’s wise to avoid the common mistakes and be a good interviewee. Interviewing for blog posts can feel more informal and may be a little less intimidating than other types of interviews. (I’ll talk about those other types in a different blog post.)

Bloggers may offer spots for interviews, book excerpts, guest posts, or book reviews. I’m focusing on interviews, but the same rules apply for these other types of written posts as well.

Where to Find Opportunities

Blogs and Online Avenues

Young Adult book blogs that post author interviews are easy to find by a search of wordpress or other blogging platforms, but the best bet are those with recent entries.

Once you’ve found a blog that fits, look for a FAQ page, a contact form, or an email. Some blogs will provide a link to a google form. If they do, make sure to fill it out completely and follow all the directions.

Authors can also find opportunities for mini reviews in other social media communities.

A note of caution: While there are legitimate marketing companies that use social media platforms, be cautious of those offering to do interviews or features in exchange for a fee. Research and do your due diligence before shelling out any cash.

Don’t be afraid to ask for spots or book blogs or on author blogs. Many are happy to have a guest!

Print Magazines and Newspapers

These are more “one and done”. You can find contact information in the byline of a particular columnist, or in the publication’s masthead. Make sure the contact information is up to date before emailing the columnist. Unless you know the person, I suggest sending a businesslike query at first contact, introducing yourself and explaining why they should feature you or your work.

After Getting the Interview or Post

Before responding with your answers, read over the directions and make sure you understand what the interviewer is requesting. Stick to the agreed-upon topic. Pay attention to due dates, word limits, and include any requested additional information such as excerpts, author photos, book cover images, book quotes, buy links, and social media links.

If you need to reschedule, notify the interviewer as soon as possible.

Make the Best Use of the Opportunity

Use all your writing skills to produce quality copy, answering the questions clearly while still staying within word limits. Try to let your own unique voice shine through. Remember, this is an opportunity to introduce yourself to future readers and fans! Once you’ve written out your responses, use a spellchecker, a grammar checker, and do a final proofread of your work before sending it off.

Understand that your responses or article may be edited or that there may be follow-up questions. Be sure to respond to any correspondence, taking note of deadlines. Keep in mind there may be a lead time, and exercise patience while waiting for your interview to be published.

If the interview is for a blogger—depending on the type of post—engaging commenters by replying to their comments can be a great way to make connections with new readers.

Let Your Fans Know

After the interview is published, you can get mileage out of the article by sharing a link on your social media. Another idea is to post a lead-in link on your blog or in your newsletter.

Are you an author of young adult fiction looking for an interview opportunity here at Almost an Author? Contact me at donnajostone@gmail.com

Have any tips to add? Leave a comment!

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning multi-genre author. She writes contemporary young adult, historical fiction, and southern fiction. Many of her novels are about tough issues, but she always ends her stories on a note of hope. Finding the faith to carry on through hard battles in a common theme in Donna Jo’s books.

The first novel in Donna Jo’s young adult series, Promise Me Tomorrow, is scheduled for publication in 2025.

Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, released May 15th, and her Small Town Christian Domestic Suspense with Romance, The Key Collector’s Promise, released September 6th .

Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

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Writing for YA

Naming the Book Baby: How to Create a Compelling Title

My books rarely keep their working titles. This may be because the title wasn’t that great to start with, or because after the story evolves, it no longer fits.

A great title is part of what captivates readers, enticing them to pick up the book to find out more, but crafting the perfect title isn’t always easy.

I asked a couple of YA authors how they came up with the titles for their novels.

“If a book doesn’t come to me with a title already attached and I have to find one for it, I usually start by writing a list of the themes in the book and any symbolic objects. That’s how I found the titles for both Cloaked and One Bad Apple. 

If that doesn’t work, I’ll search through Shakespeare using OpenSourceShakespeare.org for words and phrases that apply to the book and see if he’s got anything cool I can use.

I also sometimes search through Ecclesiastes, Psalms, and Proverbs looking for titles, often using BibleGateway.com. That’s how I found the title for My Rock and My Refuge.”

Rachel Kovaciny, Author of Western Fairytale Retellings

Stephanie Daniels, Author of YA Historical Fiction says:

“I tend to love titles with double meanings. If I can latch onto a theme that might also work as the outer goal for the character then that’s what I try to do.

I do a ton of word webbing when I brainstorm. And nothing is too obscure or ridiculous.

I also love when a character’s name can pull double duty.”

Other ideas for finding the perfect title:

Use metaphors or symbolism. For example, my upcoming release is titled The Key Collector’s Daughter. The key is a symbol of my character’s yearning for home and is an object of special significance. The literal key itself has a double meaning, because it means one thing to her father, but has an entirely different significance to her mother.

Use words that have strong emotional impact. Words like heartbreak, promise, lost, or any other word you can think of that evokes a strong feeling may be good contenders as part of a title.

Focus on setting or character. Some book titles incorporate a character’s name or the setting. As long as it’s descriptive and catchy, that can sometimes work well.   

Go for a memorable title. This one can be a bit tricky. If the title is too obscure or difficult to understand, readers won’t be drawn to it. If it’s too similar to what’s already out there (or if it’s already being used) it can cause confusion and frustration for the reader. Research in your genre and subgenre to see what titles work and aim for a variation, making your title unique enough to stand out, but familiar enough so customers are attracted to it. Consider a title that hints at genre, mood, setting, or some other element to pique interest.

Keep it concise. Long titles are hard to remember. Try to come up with a title that is descriptive but catchy.

Always ask for feedback. It’s hard to give up a title we become attached to, but it’s part of market research to ask others’ advice and opinions before committing to the final title. Survey your intended market and other authors. They’ll be happy to help.

Check your genre. For writers of young adult novels, it’s important to do the research and stay up to date on what title appeal to teens today. What worked in the past, or what works for other markets may not give authors of young adult fiction the competitive edge they need to succeed in the genre right now.

Keep these things in mind, and you’ll have a head start on coming up with a great title.

Do you have any additional tips on naming your book baby? Leave a comment!

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles. The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2025.Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, and her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, released May 15th.

Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Both Stephanie and Rachel are members of a Facebook group, Christian Fiction Readers and Authors. https://www.facebook.com/groups/T.YA.Christianfictionreadersandauthors

To find out more about Stephanie and her young adult historical fiction, including her book, The Uncertainty of Fire, visit her website at https://authorstephaniedaniels.com/

To find out more about Rachel’s Western Fairytale Retellings and her latest releases, including her recent release, The Man on the Buckskin Horse, you can visit her website at  http://www.rachelkovaciny.com/

Categories
Writing for YA

Planning a Novel Series: Interview with YA Fantasy Author V. Romas Burton

V. Romas Burton is the author of two fantasy series, Heartmaker and The Legacy Chapters. Her latest release, Justified, is book two in The Legacy Chapters. I asked her to share a little bit about her experiences writing a series.

DJS: Writing one novel can be daunting, and I imagine a series can only be more so! What pros and cons about planning a series did you learn as you went through the process?

VRB: There have been a lot of both pros and cons along the way. One pro is that once I know the ending to my series, I can usually find my way from the beginning. A con I’ve learned is that sometimes “pantsing” (not planning out the events in your story), is not always the best route when trying to make it to the end!

DJS: I can understand the pansting issue. Sadly, I’ve taken the route of not enough plotting before sitting down to write. That method didn’t work well for me, although one of my critique partners swears by it. As you planned your series, what did you learn about the process that surprised you? And now that you’ve produced a series, is there anything you would do differently?

VRB: I’ve learned that sometimes your story doesn’t end up where you originally thought. Sometimes a better plot line is uncovered or a new twist is added that makes the story richer. Now that I’ve produced a series I would probably look a bit closer at my characters’ development and really try to make those solid and relatable. 

DJS: Trying to figure out where to begin or what resources to start with can be overwhelming. Where do you suggest authors find help planning a series?

VRB: I would recommend attending a writers’ conference to take some classes and also to meet other like-minded authors. It’s always helpful to have people to bounce ideas off of when you’re not sure what to do next. I also recommend reading through your favorite series with the eyes of an author, not a reader, and see how your favorite author crafts their story over the span of two or more books.

DJS: That’s great advice. I always recommend reading. What are your three favorite YA series? Why do you think you like them so much?

VRB: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

This was the series that introduced me to YA Fantasy and ultimately made me a writer.

The Caraval Series by Stephanie Garber

I love Stephanie Garner’s descriptions and how she crafts her stories.

This isn’t technically a series, but I love all of Jane Austen’s books. Her stories and characters have influenced my writing in many ways.

DJS: You can never go wrong with Austen. (And I think The Lunar Chronicles and The Caraval Series are also great picks.)

Thanks so much for visiting with us!

Find future book updates and news on V. Romas Burton’s website: www.vromasburton.com

V. Romas Burton grew up bouncing up and down the East Coast where she wrote her first story about magical ponies at age seven. Years later, after studying government and earning an M.A. in Theological Studies, V. Romas Burton realized something even bigger was calling out to her—stories that contained great adventures and encouraging messages.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2025.

Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, and her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, releases May 15th. 

Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Interview With YA Author Tabitha Caplinger

Tabitha Caplinger is the author of The Chronicle of the Three Trilogy, The Wolf Queen and, most recently, The Wayward. I talked with her recently about her writing and about how authors can approach writing stories with Christian themes.

DJS: Writing novels can be a daunting task, and it can be hard to stay motivated. What inspires you to write for the young adult age group? 

TC: I was a youth pastor for twenty years. I have such a heart for teens and young adults, and a desire to see them discover and live for their purpose on purpose. Stories have become a way to not just entertain, but challenge and encourage them to live chosen—to know God and make Him known.

DJS: Some novels are labeled inspirational or Christian, while other containing Christian themes are not. What do you feel makes a novel Christian?

TC: For me, it’s all about perspective. I don’t think a novel needs to be overt or preachy to share Biblical truth and point readers to the heart of Jesus. Jesus is the center of who I am and everything I do. I always say if our life is a pie, Jesus isn’t a slice of the pie, He’s the filling. Just like He flavors all parts of my life, He flavors my writing. Sometimes it will be a little more between the lines than others’ but I want His heart and values to shine through. 

DJS: Tell me a little about your process. When you set out to write a novel, how do you discover the story’s core message? 

TC: I start with the story first and let any themes or message happen organically. Whatever sparks my imagination, I begin to ask questions. Who is this about? Where do they live? What is the conflict they are facing? What journey will they take?

I research and outline until I have the main story points down.

Then I start writing. As I flesh out details and get inside my characters’ heads—learning their motivations, fears, strengths, and weaknesses. That’s when the message tends to emerge. 

DJS: What are some key things authors should keep in mind when they feel they have a calling to deliver a specific message to their readers?

TC: I really believe that the story should come first. Readers are more likely to connect with the message if they are connecting to the characters. Do they feel real? Can I empathize with them? Do I care about what they are facing? Weave the message in through their emotions, thoughts, and actions. If we want the message to stick with readers we have to get it into their hearts, and we do that by connecting their hearts with the hearts of characters. Those emotional connections open us up to the deeper truths being presented, even subtly.

Thank you, Tabitha!

Check out Tabitha’s website, tabithacaplinger.com, where readers can subscribe to Tabitha’s newsletter and stay in the loop about upcoming releases.

Tabitha Caplinger is a lover of good stories and helping others live chosen. When she’s not writing book words, she’s reheating her coffee, binging a new show or teaching God’s Word to students. Tabitha, her husband and two beautifully sassy daughters desire to be Jesus with skin on for those around them. They live to love others…and for Marvel movies.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2025.

Her short romance, A Wedding to Remember, released Feb 1st, and her adult 1960s inspy romance, JOANN: Apron Strings Books 5, releases May 15th. 

Stay in touch and receive the latest news by signing up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

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Uncategorized Writing for YA

Interruption of Plans or Ordained Opportunity

It’s the end of December, and for me, that means it’s time to pull out a fresh, ginormous, old-fashioned office calendar for the new year and start planning. I have gleefully begun to fill in the calendar’s little boxes.

I love to dream up a plan.

I love shiny new calendars with pristine white blocks waiting for to-do lists. I love highlighters and color-coding. In other words, I am a true believer in organization. The funny thing about plans is, a lot of times it doesn’t matter how carefully I lay out goals, something always happens to delay progress or completely derail me. Or send me off in a new direction.

That’s what happened this past year. I’d been praying for direction for some time. The time-consuming process of querying, getting requests for fulls, then getting the eventual rejections, had left me discouraged. This, combined with the state of the publishing industry, had me seriously considering self-publishing. I asked my writer friends to pray with me about what direction I should take.

After much prayer and research, I stopped querying and got busy amassing all the information I could about self-publishing, started formulating a plan, and even took a few baby steps, such as lining up an editor for the first book in my YA Contemporary series, but none of my methods were really helping me move forward in a substantial way.

Then an interruption came, or was it an opportunity?

I got a message from Jenny Knipfer, an author I’d met through reading her book and posting a review, (which I think is a pretty neat way to meet someone.) She wanted to know if I was interested in a multi-author collaboration. My immediate response was “Yes!” even though it wasn’t a YA project. I felt confident in accepting because the timing was perfect. It was an answer to prayers. A divine assignment. I’m still writing my young adult fiction and will publish at least one young adult novel in 2024, but I’d also been thinking of writing more in the time period of the book she requested. (1960s)

I can get so focused on my self-designated goals that I have trouble discerning the difference between an interruption and an opportunity, but this was a flashing neon sign.

Taking advantage of this offer was the push I needed to learn the things I needed to learn to independently publish. Signing on to the Apron Strings project forced me to prioritize what must be done and let go of what wasn’t absolutely necessary. Left to my own devices, I likely would have continued to research and weigh options. At the time Jenny contacted me, I had over-organized my plans to the point that I had a huge file on all things self-publishing, but had become overwhelmed and had stagnated. Perhaps the Apron Strings project was a heavenly kick in the pants, a get a move on, already.

It seemed like a situation tailored just for me, with a built-in support group, a few directions, and a shorter to-do list than my massive file.

I desperately needed that shove.

I’m not saying I’ll ever throw all planning out the door and just wait for favorable circumstances to appear. If I had done such a thing, I wouldn’t have been able to jump in when the opportunity presented itself. All of my previous research and attempts at organizing a publishing and marketing plan served me well.

I knew in my gut this was a gift, and God meant for me to step out. It still took faith. I didn’t feel ready. And I don’t feel ready now, but I finished writing book five for the Apron Strings series in plenty of time, and have hit all the required deadlines so far. Even so, it’s a daily faith walk, because there is so much I don’t know, and there is always more to learn. I suspect it will always be this way. I’ll never have a plan solid enough to account for all contingencies or keep me in my comfort zone, but that’s okay.

One of my new writing goals for 2024 is to be ready to hear, recognize, and respond. The next time a side project comes up, I hope I’ll remember to stay open and pray about it, not immediately discount an opportunity as an interruption.

What about you? How do you discern the difference between interruptions and opportunities?

The Apron Strings Book Series is a collection of heartfelt inspirational stories connected by one cookbook, featuring different women throughout the decades from 1920 to 2020. A new book will be released every month in 2024. Donna Jo’s book, Joann, is book five in the series and releases May 15th, 2024.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles. The first book in Donna Jo’s young adult series is scheduled for publication in 2024.

To find out more, sign up for her newsletter at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Interview with Christy Finalist Sarah Watterson

Sara Watterson’s young adult novel, The Dreamer, was recently named as a Christy Award finalist for 2023. I thought I’d ask her a little about her books, her process, and her reaction to finding novel was in the running!

DJS: What did you find the most challenging about writing and publishing This Dreamer? 

SW: Time! There were many challenges, but finding the time to focus was number one. I spent a long and slow six years planning, writing, and editing This Dreamer. Back then, my three kids kept me busy, and they still do. They’re in middle and high school now, and they love being involved in just about everything, which means I’m involved in just about everything. In some ways, life is easier now that they’re teens and tweens, but in other ways, it’s harder. Time (and adolescent emotions) are still a struggle. 

DJS: I can certainly relate to that. It seems time management is one of the big issues for authors in every season of life.

Novel writing takes a huge amount of commitment.

Encouragement and inspiration can help an author along the way. Where did you find the encouragement and inspiration required to undertake novel writing?


SW: I fell in love with fantasy books in college, and I’ve known since then that if I ever wrote one, it would be a fantasy novel. When I finally set out to do it, it was through prayer, my husband, and my writing partner that I found the much-needed motivation to keep going and finish that first draft!

DJS : Having your novel, The Dreamer,  selected as a Christy Award Finalist must have been exciting! What was your initial reaction when you heard the news?


SW: I was shocked! I still am! It’s surreal to see my book cover displayed alongside those of more established authors on the Christy Award website. The organization emailed me to let me know while my family and I were out of town. I had determined to unplug for the weekend, so I didn’t discover the news until Sunday when others congratulated me. I was so confused and thought they must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m truly honored to be a finalist!

DJS: That must’ve been something! What a wonderful surprise! I’m so excited for you.

This Dreamer is the first in a planned series. Can you tell us how many books there will be by the series end?


SW: The Chronicles of the Marked is set to be a duology, so there will be one more book. But I have notes for a possible prequel and a few companion pieces. We’ll see! 

DJS: Making finalist is a great accomplishment. It might be a sign to keep the series going! Congratulations, Sara. Thanks so much for taking time to talk with us about writing.

Sara Watterson is a fiction writer, author of uplifting and clean young adult science fiction and fantasy. She also teaches digital art to high school students while managing her growing website, bookseriesrecaps.com. When not writing, teaching, or enjoying her kids’ many activities, Sara likes reading on the back porch, drinking coffee, and hanging out with her super-cute hubby. Sara lives in central Oklahoma with her husband and three children.

About Sara’s novel, The Dreamer

Evie grows restless observing mortals from afar. When a friend offers to smuggle her by portal into the human world, she jumps at the opportunity. Secretly, though, she also hopes to observe Adan, the human Dreamer. But trouble awaits after her captivating adventure and delayed return. Not only did she take an unsanctioned trip to the ground, but now the boy, the Dreamer, is missing, and her director believes she is to blame.

Donning a human body, Evie must return to the human world and find Adan before her way home is sealed. All while wrestling unfamiliar human emotions and a growing suspicion she’s caught in a larger plan already at play.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Writing Characters Readers Connect With Part Two

Last time we talked about some ways to write a character that evokes a deep connection with the reader. Today’s article is a continuation. You can read part one here.

Character Worksheets

Has anyone ever said you need to do some character work? Did they suggest character worksheets and interviews? I can almost hear seat-of-the-pants writers groaning. Do I have to?

It depends. If filling out questionnaires about characters background feels like a waste of time to and the idea is repugnant, it’s perfectly acceptable to fill in characters’ history while writing the draft or during editing. The process can be as neat and structured from day one as the author wants it to be, or it can be messy.

There are no First Draft Police

The point is, a character needs to have life experiences, beliefs, history, cultural influences, deeply held moral beliefs, and a multitude of other things that impact their behavior in the story world. All these details are given in tiny bits along the way and provide a riche experience for the reader.

When I read a story, if I don’t get to travel on the emotional journey with a character, I quickly become frustrated. I expect to have a deeper and deeper understanding as the story goes along.

Finding The Stress Points and The Quiet Times

Does this mean you have to rewrite your whole story? No. Look for the places where the character is under a great deal of stress, especially emotional stress. Drop in a few lines of backstory, reactions, their belief system, what they think and feel in that moment. No need to overdo it. Do the same for quieter moments that naturally lend themselves to introspection.

I enjoy using this method to discover things about my characters. Two or three sentences that fit into the story in an organic way can reveal much about the deeper aspects and inner life of my main character.

I went through my first manuscript and made notes that mostly said, What is she feeling or thinking here?

Explaining what my character was feeling and thinking improved the story immensely, but in the next round of edits, adding in crumbs of backstory and rounding my character gave the whole novel a depth previously missing. Now I had a character my readers could understand. At this point, I needed to make sure the character was relatable, and give my readers someone to empathize with. (The character will also need a goal, which I talked about in a previous post on GMC.)

If you feel your work is lacking in the emotional exploration department, go ahead and put it all on the page. Don’t hold back, and don’t worry about too much introspection during the drafting or editing phase. If a writer goes overboard, it’s easy to trim.

These tips won’t guarantee you’ll get the coveted acceptance letter, but if you assess your manuscript and realize that these things are missing, going deeper with your character will improve your manuscript.

Do you have any tips for evoking a deep emotional connection with readers? Leave me a comment.

Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles.

Categories
Writing for YA

Writing Characters Readers Connect With Part One

Have you ever gotten a rejection letter that goes something like the following?

I loved your story premise, but I just didn’t connect with the characters as much as I’d like to.

What does this mean? Sometimes it simply means the story didn’t resonate with that particular agent or reader, but if it happens repeatedly, a diagnosis of your manuscript to ferret out trouble areas may be in order.

Connect Me, Please

After I began to pursue novel writing, I took all the classes and assembled a few early readers. To my surprise, readers couldn’t connect emotionally with my characters. This puzzled me because with my shorter works, I’d often been told emotional connection was my greatest strength. I sweated it out and worked harder at showing, only to receive more of the same feedback.

My difficulty started when I began editing out what I thought was telling. Instead of fully exploring my character by using all the words, I focused on showing. I thought I was doing the right thing. Only after additional study about the craft of novel writing and editing did I realize my mistake.

Exposition and telling is not a bad thing, as long as I remember to use them in moderation. 

Up Close and Personal

I used to think my readers should intuit what was going on in my character’s head by their physical reactions. This works about as well as it does when trying to interpret a stranger’s reactions in real life. Sometimes I guess right. Other times I may have a vague idea, but having a point of reference would make all the difference in the world. 

If I see a person crying at the bus stop, let’s call him Bill, and learn Bill just left his grandpa in the hospital, that’s sad, and I feel bad for Bill. If I find out Bill and Grandpa planned a long-delayed trip to Ireland to search for a sibling he was separated from, well that might make me a bit teary-eyed, because I can relate to lost opportunities and sick relatives. If it turns out the trip was put off because Grandpa gave a kidney to Bill, (or the long-lost relative!) that adds another layer. Now a self-sacrificing person has lost a much desired opportunity. 

The more I know about the relationships, history, values, sacrifices, and so on, the more I feel a kinship to the characters and the more I become invested in their journey. 

Using all the methods of writing to flesh out the character will show us what makes them tick. Dribble in crumbs of history, beliefs, dreams, values, poignant memories, internal thoughts, feelings, reactions, interactions with other characters or the story world, whatever the moment calls for that fits with the scene. 

Get It On the Page

Just like actual people, rounded characters have things like values, deep feelings, goals, desires, past relationships, experiences that impacted them, and an assortment of other things that form who they are as a person. These are the things that make story people relatable and understandable. Without a history, characters are flat, like a cardboard cutout with no dimension or nuance of being.

When asked to describe one of my main characters, I stated that she was a child who knew she was treasured and the Apple of her father’s eye.

I thought it was on the page. Really I did. Until I was challenged to find and underline specific examples.

I ran into the same problem with my character’s inner feelings, time and again. It’s not always enough to describe or show them upset. I needed to explain WHY they were upset and do it in the shortest, clearest possible way. Which leads to another roadblock to a round character.

Give It To Me Straight

Fishing for clues can be fun, but not when a character is confusing or unknown. It’s best to be clear, specific, and as vivid as possible. 

But won’t withholding information add mystery? Not always. There’s a difference between building tension and leaving clues for the plot and withholding needed information about the character. If a reader doesn’t understand the character motivations or connect on some level, they will stop reading.

What If It’s Plot Driven?

Do I need a round character if my work is plot driven? 

Yes. 

Without an interesting character that the reader can somehow empathize with, the best story idea in the world won’t capture interest for long. Some would say plot is how a character reacts to the events in a story, and those reactions come from who that character is. Now we are back at the need for a round, relatable character again! See how that works?

Do you struggle with creating round characters? Have any tips to share? Leave a comment.

Come back next time for more of my thoughts on how to create emotional connection.

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Interview with Author Marie Sontag: Tips for Author Visits

For young adult authors one of the ways to connect with readers is through school visits. I asked Author Marie Sontag for her advice on the topic and she passed along her three top tips.

Props and Prizes

I’ve purchased authenticated artifacts such as a bronze dagger, an alabaster jar, and an ancient Phoenician coin and made these part of my presentation. This adds value to my author visit, apart from giving listeners a chance to hear from a writer and purchase my books. I also bring bookmarks with QR codes, pencils with one of my book’s names on it, and polished rocks I’ve collected (legally!) from places where some of my stories take place. I use these as prizes when someone answers one of the questions I sprinkle throughout the talk. Sometimes, I tape a ticket to the bottom of a chair (unknown to the audience) and give away a book at the end.

Keep It Interesting and Personal

I always create a PowerPoint for my talks, including visuals that illustrate my points. I also plan questions as part of my presentation, being sure to include these on the PowerPoint. When someone raises a hand to answer, I always ask his or her name. I jot it down or quickly associate it with something so I can remember it. I work to see my listeners as individuals, not just customers that I hope will buy my books. I want them to know I value them and the time we spend together.

It’s My Passion, but It’s Also a Business

I love writing and never tire of speaking with readers. For me, however, it’s also a business, and I need to treat it as such. Before speaking at a school or event, I’ve found it best to have a librarian, teacher, or volunteer distribute and collect order forms and money for my books before I come. This leaves me time to sign and interact with students. If that isn’t possible, I bring someone with me to handle the selling so I can focus on book-signing and connecting with my readers.

What great tips! Thank you, Marie.

What about you? Have any additional tips to share about school visits? Please comment below.

Marie Sontag writes historical fiction for young adult and middle grade, and was a teacher in California for over fifteen years. She has a BA in social science and a PhD. in education and presents author talks to various age groups. “Bringing the Past to Life—One Adventure at a Time,” epitomizes the passion and writing career of Marie Sontag.

Her newest release, Underground Scouts, furthers her tradition of crafting adventurous historical novels for middle grade and young adult readers, bringing her number of published books to six. To learn more about Marie and her books visit www.mariesontag.com .

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Details, Details: How to Write a Rich Setting for Your Story

It’s incredibly exciting to have a new story idea. The characters develop in our mind and seem to be itching to plunge right in and share their story. All the important parts of the setting are complete in our imagination and will flow onto the page. After all, the setting is simply the stuff surrounding the characters. All the author has to do is establish a time and a place.

Sounds simple, right?

It’s not always so.

As writers, we are often immersed in our own story world before we create it. We take familiar elements and weave them in, using past experiences to provide a backdrop for novels.

Because we’re so familiar with certain environments, we risk making the unconscious assumption that our reader knows exactly what we’re talking about. We forget to add little details that bring the story world to life for readers who may not have previous knowledge of our chosen setting.

This can be a particular challenge for authors of young adult fiction, because it’s tempting to skip over details for the sake of word count, but without a firm setting readers can’t get oriented.

Put It On the Page

Make sure there is enough description and detail of the surroundings, the clothing, and the items in your setting to evoke a sense of time and place. Just not so much that the reader will become bogged down and lose interest. At the same time, give enough of the necessary descriptions, pertinent details, and explanations to ground the reader firmly in the story world.

I told you it wasn’t as simple as it sounds!

Why Time Markers Aren’t Enough

Often in novels, a date is indicated at the beginning of a chapter. This is a good starting place to help orient your reader, but the author needs to go a little bit further. Readers expect an immersive experience that walks them through the story, and unless a date has events attached to it, it can be quickly forgotten.

Unfamiliar Settings

Sometimes a story comes into being in a setting completely new to the author. If the region, country, or environment is one the writer isn’t familiar with, it’s best to do the required research, and then have fact checkers go over your manuscript for inaccuracies, both large and small.

Many readers won’t like stories that play fast and loose with inaccuracies vital to the plot of a story, but even little things can be an issue, such as having a species of trees growing in an area that they would never grow, using figures of speech incorrectly, not understanding the customs of the culture, and so on.

Dialogue as Part of Setting

Use dialogue and sayings consistent with the time or the region where your story is set, but without going overboard! Nothing screams “I don’t know what I’m talking about” as much as misused dialogue and obvious mistakes with commonly known details of the region.

Vocabulary

Language is constantly changing. Along with dialogue and how your characters speak, the author’s word choices help establish setting. Words like “ridicule” and “rotund” evoke certain eras, and probably wouldn’t find their way into contemporary, but would be perfect for a story set in the 1800s. The opposite is true. Contemporary vocabulary shouldn’t show up in historical fiction.

As always, there are exceptions. For instance, unusual word choices can work for a quirky character.

Update Your Info

An author may have the utmost confidence they understand their setting. Perhaps their novel is set in another country, and they have lived in that country. Personal experience lends authenticity to the narrative, but make sure you’re working with updated information. In certain settings and fields, things change quickly.

Start With Research

Misplaced details stick out like a sore thumb. The easiest way to ferret out these types of mistakes before they end up in a published book is to get a few readers who can fact check for you. That’s not to say that fact checkers are a substitution for research. Fact checkers are your last line of defense, and like proofreading, they may not catch everything, especially if the gaffes are excessive.

So how much setting detail does a story need?

Whatever it takes to keep the reader grounded, interested, and reading!

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

When and How to Use Flashbacks and Backstory Effectively

I recently asked an avid reader what one of their fiction pet peeves were. The answer? Too many flashbacks and too much backstory. 

Certain genres seem to overuse flashbacks and backstory, but it can happen in any story. It’s a common pitfall for inexperienced writers, but seasoned authors can also fall into the flashback/backstory sticky trap. Readers want background information, but they also want the story to keep moving.

Flashbacks, introspection, dialogue, all of these are ways to give information to the reader. When do you use each of these techniques? It’s up to you. But every manuscript needs balance. If the story is unnecessarily interrupted, there may be too many flashbacks or sections of back story. 

On the other hand, if the story has a great deal of action sequences, they might help to break up scenes. Balance is the key. 

If the story is interrupted too often, the reader may lose interest or give up in confusion, and using any one method to give background too often can lead to reader frustration. Even if the bits of backstory feel balanced, if they happen too often the reader may come away feeling cheated, aggravated that the author over-explained things and fed them information rather than letting them experience the story.

What if there’s more backstory than current story? If you find more on the page about a side character or an event in the past, it could be that the backstory is actually a main story eager to be told. It’s up to you as an author whether or not you want to pursue another direction. 

What About Story Set Up?

When setting up a story, there’s a fine balance between too much backstory and not enough. I find story beginnings particularly tricky. I’m not alone. I heard an editor for a large house once say they always edit the first three chapter last. If you’re working on a draft, it may be best to go ahead and get the basic story down without worrying too much about how much backstory to put at the start until the manuscript is drafted.

Is It Backstory?

Sometimes it’s not backstory, it’s story that was left out the first time around. Instead of having a character stop and reminisce about something that happened a few days previously, why not go ahead and show what happened at the time of the event? When drafting, it’s perfectly fine to summarize or backtrack. (Trust me, in first drafts, I do this all the time!) But when editing the story, showing the events as they happen is often better.

As I write, my subconscious seems to circle back around to things that would work better if they were given chronologically. I’ve noticed other writers do this kind of backtracking as well. A little in the final draft might be okay, but if it happens too often, those parts need to be edited until everything moves along smoothly.

It can be nerve wracking to discover there needs be more showing and less telling. Worry about adding to an already heavy word count can stop an author dead in her tracks, but sometimes showing takes the same amount of words or even less. Even if word count climbs, there are often other places to trim. Keeping the reader engaged is vital.

Editing Flashbacks and Backstory

Once you’ve drafted and edited, take a look at the first chapters.

Is there more back story than current story? Are details unnecessary to understanding the main character’s story taking up pages? The may be too much backstory.

Details about side characters may be interesting, but do those details add to the main character’s story? Is everything on the page relevant to the main story? What does the reader need to know to understand my protagonist and their story?

After reading the first few pages or chapters, is my reader oriented in the story world, can they relate to my character in some way, and do they have at least a hint about the main character’s journey? If not, there might not be enough backstory.

Be careful with the timing of your flashbacks. Readers need to be grounded and invested in the present story before a flashback occurs. 

How does each scene fit in the overall narrative? Flashbacks interrupt the current story, and if the flashback or sections of backstory go on too long, the reader may lose the thread, and interest. 

When Flashbacks Work

Sometimes info needs to be held back and only given when the reader needs it. Flashbacks can build tension or provide intrigue with unanswered questions. Flashbacks of these sort are more often used in stories that have an element of mystery, although they can be used in any genre if it serves the story. 

Use flashbacks and backstory wisely. Make scenes as vivid as possible and fold information into the story organically to keep the flow and, hopefully, keep the reader turning pages!

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com

Categories
Writing for YA

How to Keep Readers Engaged: Interview with Ya Author M.J. Padgett

M. J. Padgett is a YA author and co-owner of Pirate Cat Publishing and I asked her advice about how to keep readers turning pages.

DJS: So much of our time as writers is spent trying to hook a reader, but that’s only part of the task. What do you feel are the most important elements a story needs to keep YA readers engaged?

M.J.: Keeping young adults engaged is a difficult task for anyone, especially a writer. Times change quickly, but the core elements of life pretty much stay the same.

Everyone wants a sense of community, of fitting in, finding people with whom they can create strong, lasting bonds (and maybe some romance.) While slang words and phrases, societal concerns, and social climate might change, those are human needs that rarely disappear.

When writing, I try to remember those things and touch on important topics like family—both good and bad aspects, especially including examples of healthy familial relationships—friendships, and young love. Engaging their thoughts and emotions by putting characters in similar situations they might be experiencing is key, especially in true-to-life books.

In fantasy, a sense of escapism that might help readers see their problems in another light, hopefully one that is positive and aids in growth.

What keeps readers engaged is honest discussion about topics we all face. It’s important to bring a Christian perspective to common concerns, showing teenagers that their feelings are not only understandable but also something we have all faced at some point, then offering them realistic and healthy ways to manage those feelings and situations.

DJS: What are some common pitfalls you’ve seen that can cause a reader of teen fiction to lose interest?

M.J.: Recently, many of my YA readers have voiced the same concerns–YA content has become too adult for their liking. Extensive scenes where teens are sexualized and often exploited, characters that are abusive in one way or another are portrayed as desirable, and too political content turns them off. They want to feel, but they want to do it in a healthy way.

DJS: Some stories for teens and YA readers seem to be long-lived favorites. What are your favorites among older literature, and what do you think makes them so timeless? 

M.J.: The Anne of Green Gables series, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, and so on are all classics I see resurface among YA readers from time to time. I think, even though they might contain some worrisome topics here and there, they represent a time when literature was more wholesome and realistic. They told tales people related to and in a way that people can still relate to today. I think they survived because their authors knew how to write good stories that would stand the test of time and change.

Writing is M. J. Padgett’s true passion (after raising her daughter, of course), and she writes as often as possible. When it comes to reading, she loves a book that can make her forget where she is no matter the genre. If she can get lost and feel like the characters are her real friends, she’s a happy reader.

M.J.’s latest release is the YA Fantasy, Dark and Devious.

Something dark and devious lurks in the moors around Roisin Dubh’s home, and it’s her duty to stamp it out before it gets its claws into the humans she’s vowed to protect.… even though those humans would kill her on sight if they knew she was Fae.

Roisin is bound by a vow to protect the humans of Gwenlyre from dark Fae at all costs, but now something sinister has entered Gwenlyre, and it will strain Roisin’s vows – and her heart – to their limits.

M. J.’s Website: https://www.mjpadgettbooks.com/

Instagram: @M.J. Padgett

Pirate Cat Publishing is a platform offering clean YA in consumable form along with loads of bonuses.  https://www.piratecatpublishing.com/join

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.