Tag: YA Novel

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Writing for YA

Evaluating Your Writing Year: What Success Looks Like

How do you feel about end-of-year evaluations?

Confession time: Shiny new planners excite me, but when we near the end of the year and I realize how many of my goals are no closer to fruition… Let’s just say I’m not exactly ready to peruse the hopeful list I penned in January. Invariably, my writing plans have required adjusting, and things just didn’t pan out the way I hoped.

Writing is hard. And sometimes it feels like success in the writing arena is even harder.

That is, if we are looking at only a certain set of circumstances to judge levels of success.

Over the past year of your writing journey, what do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment?

I put the question to members of the Facebook group, Authors for YA/Teen Christian Bookshelf, a sister group of YA/Teen Christian Bookshelf.

Maria Henriksen talked about success in the midst of health challenges.

“After my health declined rapidly, I thought my writing days were over. Instead, the Lord put three stories on my heart that turned into four full-length novels. Within seven months, I went from publishing a duology to planning the release of four more books to create a six-book, coming-of-age, Christian series called Not Again.

I never had so many stories in my mind at once. The Holy Spirit guided me every step of the way. I’m still in shock that I was able to write anything, much less four novels, given the struggles I experienced with my health.”

Kate Hoppman brought up writing what is on her heart as her greatest writing accomplishment this year. Her answer to the question? “Writing my ‘heart genre,’ sci-fi, for the first time and drafting a sequel before the first book was published.”

Melissa Knight mentioned two things.

“A personal victory in 2024 was hearing from actual teen readers who enjoy reading my books. It meant the world to me.

A business victory was that my profits more than doubled this year from last year, by no means a lofty amount, but it means readership is increasing, and I give God thanks for that.”

After a decade of writing, Heather Camacho released her first book. She said, “It didn’t all come together until I switched to the Christian YA genre. God had a plan, and it took me a while to realize that.”

Measuring writing success is highly individual, and for many creatives, writing is a deeply personal endeavor.

We do ourselves a disservice when we start imposing how others measure success on our own journey rather than staying true to a deep, personal definition. There are many ways to measure success, and success means different things to different people. The author gets to decide what holds the most meaning, not an outside set of assessments.

Pinning down what is most fulfilling could be an indicator of where time is best spent. Before making a new list of goals for 2025, authors may want to identify what they see as their shining moments. It can be informative and might be surprising. Self-reflection, leaning into gifts, (along with continuing to learn and seek advice from wise teachers) and staying true to core values can help authors find the right path to true success in writing—and in life.

Teen/Young Adult Christian Fiction Bookshelf can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/T.YA.Christianfictionreadersandauthors

What goal did you meet his year? Have an accomplishment you’d like to share? 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.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, including her contemporary young adult novel, Promise Me Tomorrow, scheduled for release in 2025, sign up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Categories
Writing for YA

Jumpstart Evocative Writing During the Holidays

Does your prose suffer from overly mechanical writing? Your story gets there, but the scenery is somewhat bland? Or maybe even though you’ve pulled out all the stops, using every technique you know of to employ deep point of view, you still want to add a bit of umph to your writing with sensory detail and emotion? Perhaps your fiction is immersive enough, but you feel you could delve just a little deeper. Here are a few ideas to help sharpen your skills by using the holiday season as a time of observation, research, and inspiration for your writing. 

Human Behavior

The best writers are careful observers of human behavior and make use of their knowledge in both fiction and nonfiction writing. During the holidays, we can’t help but notice exaggerated and intense human behavior, whether in line at the store, in a coffee shop, at church, or at home. Even the casual observer is sure to encounter some interactions during the holiday season that may not be seen at other times of the year, both the positive and the not-so-positive.

We mingle with people who we don’t normally interact with every day. Perhaps these are people we don’t know well, such people as at work parties, school events, or community happenings. This can also apply to people we share a history with, relatives and family friends.

In the young adult arena, change happens fast. What is true of the attitudes, thoughts, and needs of young adults today may be different that it was in the past. Take the opportunity to reexamine any preconceived ideas you may have and use the knowledge gleaned to apply to your teen characters, while at the same time noting the unchanging elements all young people have faced.

The holiday season is different from the regular day-to-day. People are stressed, thrown into unusual circumstances, and as a result, display the complicated human nature in all its glory. Stress brings out all sorts of emotion and behaviors, including in ourselves. It can bring out the best—and worst—in us.

Chronicling the actions around us and our own internal reactions and thoughts can be useful. (Just don’t write down anything you wouldn’t want people to read!)

Unique Settings

If you have trouble describing settings or integrating sensory detail into your work, the holidays are the perfect time to take special note of surroundings. Over the next two months, novel sights and sounds will be plentiful. Music, food, beautiful decorations, all of these things are a treat for the senses. It’s a perfect time to catalog what you are experiencing as you taste your pumpkin pie, experience the texture, temperature, and scent. And a perfect time to think about memories or feelings that bubble to the surface, which leads me to another component of evocative writing, emotions.

Intense Emotions

If you’re brave enough to peel back some layers during the holiday season, you might find a world of emotional experiences to draw on. I feel like I can’t make it through the holiday season without diving headfirst into a sensory and emotional smorgasbord. I’d be hard-pressed to make it through any holiday season without tears of happiness, gratefulness, and grief. Sometimes all three simultaneously. 

Pay attention to the things that put a tear in your eye. Sit in the moment for a little while. Ignore the busyness and listen to what your heart is telling you.

Nostalgia and Connectivity 

Every year I bring out the nativity set my grandmother made for me. Then I tell my children about my grandmother. My youngest daughter never got to meet her because she had already passed away before my daughter was born. Yet I tell her the story every year. This is a perfect example of how we often mine our own experiences, capture the feeling and emotion, and pass the story on. The family stories we tell foster connection, as do the memories we keep.

The holidays naturally lend themselves to digging into our own emotions and tender feelings (fond or not) toward the past. Writers can use personal or collective stories as a springboard to do a similar thing with the stories they write, getting in touch with emotion on a deep level. There’s a reason Christmas stories and movies strive to create a nostalgic mood. It helps connect the audience to the story. For writers of young adult novels, reconnecting to the experiences and feelings of our younger selves can help us write authentic characters in our fiction.

Immerse yourself in a highly emotional, sensory environment, observe others reactions and your own, and take notes. Allow yourself to be inspired. Just make sure that you are also living in the moment and treasure all you are blessed with. Remember, the best material for writing—and for a life well-lived—is to live in the moment fully.

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.

Donna Jo’s Christian Southern Coming of Age, When the Wildflowers Bloom Again, releases November 15th.
 
Babies are a gift from God, a truth fourteen-year-old Marigold (Mary) Parker knows full well, but the one she carries is the result of assault by her cousin. This secret can destroy her family, and Mary isn’t sure how much of the truth to reveal—or what to do about the baby.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, including her contemporary young adult novel, Promise Me Tomorrow, scheduled for release in 2025, sign up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Donna Jo’s Christian Southern Coming of Age, When the Wildflowers Bloom Again, releases November 15th.

Babies are a gift from God, a truth fourteen-year-old Marigold (Mary) Parker knows full well, but the one she carries is the result of assault by her cousin. This secret can destroy her family, and Mary isn’t sure how much of the truth to reveal—or what to do about the baby.

For the latest news on upcoming releases, including her contemporary young adult novel, Promise Me Tomorrow, scheduled for release in 2025, sign up for Donna Jo’s newsletter at  donnajostone.com.

Categories
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.

Categories
Writing for YA

Audiobook Production for Indies: Interview with YA Author Rachel Kovaciny

When I heard that Rachel Kovanciny recently worked with One Audiobooks to produce her guide: Explore Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel with Jane Eyre: A Christian Reader’s Guide, I had questions! Rachel graciously offered to answer them.

DJS: What made you decide to pursue having your books published in an audio format? For the indie author, what are the benefits of producing audiobooks?

RK: I know many, many readers who listen to audiobooks regularly. I had looked into the idea of creating audio versions of my books a few years ago, when audiobooks began gaining popularity, but hiring voice actors was cost-prohibitive for me. As an indie author, I have a very tiny budget. Another option would be to buy recording equipment and computer programs and do them myself, but I just don’t have the money for that, or the time. So, I gave up on the idea of creating audiobooks for my Once Upon a Western series.

Then One Audiobooks asked me to write a Christian reader’s guide for them. They’re creating a series of these guides to classic books that have Christian messages or themes, meant for teaching literature or for personal study. I wrote them a guide for Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, which is my favorite novel. They were so pleased with it, they decided to look at my fiction and see if my books might be a good fit for their customers. They offered me a contract, and here we are!

For indie authors, getting your books out to the widest audience possible is important. Audiobooks are a big segment of the market right now, so if an indie author can find a way to get audiobook editions of their books made, I strongly encourage them to do so!

DJS: What were some of the challenges authors face when considering audiobooks as a possibility?

RK:Money is the biggest challenge for an indie author, always. When it comes to audiobooks, you either need to pay a voice actor or buy the equipment to record the book yourself, or rent space and time at a recording studio. If One Audiobooks had not reached out and asked to work on these with me, my Once Upon a Western books would not have audiobooks in the works at all.

Of course, now places like Amazon are testing out AI voices for audiobooks, which seems like a real money saver until you think about the ethics behind it. And a lot of readers object so strongly to AI voices, they refuse to listen to audiobooks if they aren’t recorded by real people.

DJS: AI is certainly a sticky issue, and ethics is a big concern. I agree that anyone producing products should make sure they are being responsible. An easy or cheap fix isn’t always best.

Are there any reasons not to publish a book in audio format?

RK:Be sure you can afford the investment before you get started. Do a lot of research so you have realistic expectations of how long it will take to make back what you have spent.

DJS: I can see how it is a risk, especially with the investment coast. Having realistic expectations is a great piece of advice, as is doing your research. Always do your research!

Do you have a personal story or reason for wanting your books on audio?

RK:I have a friend who uses audiobooks in tandem with their print editions to help one of her kids who has reading difficulties. She slows the speed of the audiobook and her kid follows the words in the book with his eyes while hearing them. She says has been really helpful for him. He has dyslexia, and the combination of hearing words and seeing them at the same time helped him gain confidence for reading silently. I find that so awesome. 

I have another friend who also has a child who struggles with dyslexia. He loves books but rarely has time and patience to sit and read through one, so audiobooks are how he reads books outside school time. I hope these help my friends’ kids!

DJS: That is the best reason of all. I believe everyone should have access to books, whatever that looks like for them.

Thank you for talking with us, Rachel!

Do you like audiobooks? Listen to any great audiobooks lately? Leave a comment below.

Born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, Rachel Kovaciny has loved westerns all her life. She is a Christian wife and mother, and homeschools her children. In her spare time, Rachel writes, reads, watches movies, and bakes brownies. Find out more about Rachel’s books at her website.  You may also find her on Instagram.

Join Rachel Kovaciny’s newsletter for updates about her books and her latest articles, and you’ll get a FREE copy of her Sleeping Beauty retelling, The Man on the Buckskin Horse! Sign up for her author newsletter.

Explore Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel with Jane Eyre: A Christian Reader’s Guide. Christian author Rachel Kovaciny provides discussion prompts, historical notes on the book and its author, and a breakdown and analysis of each chapter. This audiobook is a great resource for teaching literature or personal study.

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 Contemporary YA Author Michelle Dykman

Young adult author Michelle Dykman isn’t afraid to tackle tough subject in her young adult novels. Her three book series is set at Bethel Private School, an environment many teens can relate to. Her characters make mistakes, find themselves in difficult situations, and ultimately find hope.

DJS: Why did you choose the setting of Bethel Private School, and the particular issues you did to write about?

MD: The Bethel Private School series came to me while I helped one of my ESL students in high school work through an English assignment. This incident led me to think about the many times a student had come to me with a problem to discuss, or used me as a sounding board. After roughly six years of teaching high school students, I wondered if there were books out there that could help these teens find their way to Christ, meeting them at the place where they were. I decided to write a series of books specifically for teens with characters facing the same challenges they were, with a message directing them to the Greatest Problem Solver of all – Jesus Christ.

DJS: Did you learn anything about yourself as you wrote the series?

MD: I learned a lot about myself and relived many of my less than positive high school experiences. It also allowed me to see how far I have come from those days, and how much maturity gives perspective. God was good to me when I was a teen. He is still good to me today. The series allowed me to see how much more teens are facing today and how much society has influenced the path of mental health issues in teens. My research has given me a bit more insight into the challenges my own children face, as well as the ones I see in classroom each day.

DJS: Your YA books are about some pretty serious topics. Were you surprised or shocked by anything you learned about as you were writing/researching?

MD: My husband and I have been involved with teen ministry for a number of years and I have seen, heard and discovered far more than I would have liked to about the students I taught in Sunday School and youth group as well as in class. I make it my motto to not shock easily, as this is a surefire way to discourage a teen from discussing an uncomfortable topic with you, or sharing anything they are ashamed of. Many teens have spoken to me because I don’t judge. We all make mistakes. I always want to create a safe space for a teen to share their struggles with me.

DJS: What is the main thing you would like young readers to take away from your books?

MD: Jesus Christ. In all my books there is a very clear gospel message on which direction to turn when life is too much or problems seem too great. My main motivation in writing all my books is that teens would find Christ and know no matter what they have done or where they have gone, they are never too far that God cannot find them or they cannot turn or return to Him. I want teens to know the freeing message of the gospel. I also hope that if they see the consequences of my characters choices, it might make them think twice before making the same mistake.

DJS: What is the main things you would like parents and teachers to understand about relating to teens?

MD: One thing I would like parents and teachers a like to understand about teens is that they are going to make mistakes. No matter how many times they are cautioned, warned, or dissuaded, somewhere down the line they are going to mess up. There are two ways an adult can react. You can go through the various stages of “I told you so” and lose your teens trust in you, or you can come alongside them by using that opportunity to show them to Christ and help them to understand that no matter what they have done there is always forgiveness. Lovingly remind them that although their choice will have consequences, your love and God’s love for them remain unchanged. I think sometimes we, as adults, forget being a teen is such a confusing time of life. We would rather forget it ever happened. The more time I spend with teens, the more I realize, sometimes it does us well to remember that not all the choices we made at a young age were great.

Michelle Dykman is a reader, teacher, and debut author of If These Stars Could Talk.
After spending ten years crunching numbers, Michelle discovered her two true passions, teaching and writing Clean and Wholesome Christian Romance novels for adults and teens. Michelle lives with her husband and two boys in the snowy and sometimes hot rural areas of Canada. From time to time, she misses the dry warmth of her home country, South Africa. 

About the series: Being a teen is tough no one knows this better than high school friends Willow Rysen, Candace Hillman and Amy Carter. These friends navigate peer pressure, an unplanned pregnancy, and finding their faith at a time when life is confusing, the future is daunting, and the answers to life’s questions are far from easy.

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

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.

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

Talking About Microfiction with Sci-Fi YA Author Sophia Hanson

Today I’m talking with Sci-Fi YA author and fellow columnist here on Almost an Author, Sophia Hanson, about microfiction. I reached out to her after noticing her microfiction on Instagram. I have a love-hate relationship with microfiction. Fitting a piece of writing into the limited perimeters is hard enough, but toss in a time constraint and it requires some major flexing of those writing muscles!

DJS: Was the month-long Instagram challenge the first time you’d tried microfiction? 

SH: I’d tried microfiction once or twice in response to Instagram contests. Cassandra Hamm holds prompt contests quarterly. They are tons of fun. I’d never done a month-long challenge before, but wanted to push myself to do the next hard thing. Thirty-one days of posting new content to prompts was definitely out of my comfort zone, and I decided to learn how to include images in the posts. I learned about Canva, tagging, and writing even when I didn’t feel inspired.

DJS: What was the hardest thing about producing microfiction? 

SH: Including a whole idea/world within those fifty words, but sometimes it was just as hard to land on fifty, not forty-seven or forty-nine.

DJS: I can certainly agree with that! The exacting word count of microfiction had left me blinking at my computer screen a time or two.

In what ways did writing microfiction affect and benefit your writing?

SH: I love learning how to write tight, and I love writing to prompts. It’s a great challenge, especially when you’ve been working on a larger piece, because it helps to reset your brain and refresh those creative juices.

DJS: If someone wants to try out writing microfiction, what is your best advice before they start?

SH: I totally recommend following hashtags like #50wordfiction, #50wordstories, etc. on Instagram. It’s a great learning lab and you’ll find out about the various prompt contests there. 

DJS: After the challenge, Sophia made use of her work in a unique way. She printed and bound her Thirty-One Days in October and gave it out as gifts, like a book of poetry! Now that’s a wonderful and clever idea. I’d love to get such a gift, wouldn’t you?

Sophia Hansen is an organic author—using no hormones, antibiotics, or pesticides in her writing unless absolutely convenient. She’s lived on a tiny island in Alaska, the bustling cities of New York and Boston, and now resides in the Southeast where she writes between fresh(ish) cups of coffee and slices of bacon. After 30+ years of marriage, seven children, and numerous pets, Sophia can still fit into her high school earrings.

Water’s Break, Sophia’s debut YA Sci-Fi novel is scheduled to be published by Enclave Escape in January 2024.

Find out more about Sophia and her writing at her website, SophiaLHansen

Sophia is a flash fiction author, and is also an editor with Havok Publishing. You can find some of her stories in the Havok archives and anthologies at GoHavok. She writes the A3 genre column for Sci-Fi/Fantasy.

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.

Categories
Writing for YA

Is Your Historical Novel YA or Adult Coming of Age

How do you know if you’ve written a young adult novel or an adult coming of age? What about books that have dual timelines with both a teen point of view and an adult point of view? Finding your genre can be a difficult task. Here’s a few things to look at that might help an author determine what genre their work lands in.

Age of the Protagonist

The age of the protagonist does not determine whether or not a book is young adult, but the age of the protagonist can eliminate some books from the young adult market. If the main storyline is not about how a teen character is dealing with their story world, than it’s not young adult.

The protagonist in a book written for adults can be of any age.

Topics Explored

All young adult fiction is coming of age, but not all coming of age is young adult fiction.

Coming of age written for the adult market tends to be grittier. In these books, the protagonist may be young, but is dealing with adult issues.

In young adult fiction, the teenage protagonist could be dealing with unusual circumstances, but the material is typically less graphic than fiction written for adults.

Word Count

A young adult generally sticks to a prescribed word count, whereas a coming-of-age written for the adult market with a teenage protagonist can have a wide range of word count and can be literary, upmarket, or commercial. 

Point of View

Young Adult fiction can be in one point of view or more, in either first person or third person, as can an adult coming of age. The current trend is to write YA in first person, but it’s not a defining rule.

Voice and Tone

Deep point of view is common in YA, as is an angsty bent. Teenagers are going through a myriad of changes and are focused on their feelings, more inward looking, and young adult is inclined to be written that way.

In adult fiction featuring a younger protagonist, the person is often operating as an adult, dealing with adult issues.

Vocabulary and Style

Novels written for the young adult market may use different vocabulary and language style than novels written for the adult market. Even if it’s historical young adult, the language would be slightly different to make it accessible to the targeted reader. 

Romance

In most YA Historicals I’ve read, romance is often a secondary storyline. Love triangles seem to abound, and I think readers accept that more in YA because young people are experiencing a lot of those first love emotions for the first time. Young people are often still discovering the contrasts between between a crush, an infatuation, or a possible real love, which may lead to developing feelings in two different directions.

Setting for Historical YA

The historical era is a backdrop for the issues that the mc is working through. Description and historical details will be a natural part of how the character interacts with it.

Historical for adults allows for a few short historical tidbits to be inserted into the narrative to give understanding.

In YA, this tends to only matter if it directly affects the main character in some way. Even though there will be history inserted, it only goes as far as to how the main character has to use this information to forward her own story. 

Hopefully, examining these different elements of a story will help authors decide what genre their historical fiction with a teen protagonist belongs in.  

Can you think of any other differences between historical YA and historical coming of age for adults?

Leave a comment below.

Stephanie Daniels writes Christian historical fiction for young adults and the young at heart. Her debut novel, The Uncertainty of Fire, first appeared on Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform where it was a top faved Christian story. It is now available in paperback and kindle format online at Amazon and Barnes&Noble.

The Uncertainty of Fire

Sixteen-year-old Whimsy Greathart would rather fight against Chicago’s child labor practices than attend her privileged family’s high society events. On the night of the Great Chicago Fire, her world turned to ash, she must rely on the mercy of poor relations to rebuild her future and is forced into the very labor system she wished to fight against.

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.