Tag: young adult

Naming the Book Baby: How to Create a Compelling Title

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date May 27, 2024
No Comments on 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/

Tags book titles, compelling title, working book title, writing for young adults, Writing YA, young adult, young adult fiction, Young adult writing

Writing for YA

Interview with Contemporary YA Author Michelle Dykman

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date April 27, 2024
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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.

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.

Tags contemporary fiction, contemporary ya, writing for YA, YA, YA Novel, YA Writing, young adult, young adult fiction, Young adult writing

Uncategorized Writing for YA

Interruption of Plans or Ordained Opportunity

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date December 27, 2023
No Comments on 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 15^th, 2024.

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

Tags interruption or opprotunity, Set Your Writing Goals, writing for YA, Writing YA, young adult, young adult fiction

Writing for YA

Writing Characters Readers Connect With Part Two

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date August 27, 2023
2 Comments on 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.

Tags writing for YA, writing for young adults, Writing YA, YA Writing, young adult

Writing for YA

Passive NOT passive

Note from Donna Jo: The topic of critique pet peeves came up during a conversation in my weekly writing group. One of my critique partners, Andra Loy, pointed out how misunderstanding passive voice can trip up writers. It seems to be a common issue, so I asked her to explain it in a blog post to share here. Andra is a prepublished novelist, award winning author, English teacher, and fabulous critique partner.

Writing communities and critique groups are lifesavers. If no one had shared what they’d learned with me, I’d still be at the Run, Dick, Run stage with my writing. But advice, passed along and along, can become like the game of Telephone (or Post Office, whatever you called it as a kid). By the end, the “rule” is nothing like what it started as, and then it becomes as pernicious as gossip.

Here’s how the game plays out. Take, for instance, the following advice:

ACTIVE VOICE IS BETTER THAN PASSIVE VOICE.

Strong verbs help us avoid adverbs and show agency for our characters. Passivity is a bad thing. Great advice.

Kyle, a professional editor, tells Lisa to avoid passive voice.

Lisa nods. Grammar was her favorite topic in high school. Passive voice is when the subject isn’t doing the action.Lisa finds a clear example to help her remember.

The leaf is blown by the wind across the road.

The leaf —the subject of the sentence—isn’t actually doing anything. Passive leaves let the invisible wind do all the work.

Lisa tells Barb to avoid passive voice. Barb scratches her head and tries to remember her English classes. Back in seventh grade, she was busy passing notes and not listening. To explain, Lisa says, “Like in the sentence, The leaf is blown by the wind across the road.”Barb gets it now. She goes through her manuscript and finds all the sentences with this construction and replaces them. The wind now blows all her leaves.

Barb passes the reminder on to Alex. “No passive voice.” Alex nods. He’s heard of passive voice. His English teacher went through his essay on ancient weaving techniques and crossed out all his “to be” verbs. Good thing he remembers the list: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been. He opens his manuscript. The first sentences are “Brian found Valerie in the library. She was reading War and Peace.” Alex deletes the passive WAS and writes, Brian found Valerie in the library. She read War and Peace.

Now we have a big problem. “Was reading” is not passive voice. It’s one of the verb tenses. The very valid, needed verb tense, past continuous/past progressive, indicates that action is in progress. It’s a huge clue to setting the scene and helping the reader figure out the TIMING of the action. Unfortunately, it uses the “to be” verb together with the -ing form of the main verb so we often sweep it up into the Passive Trash Bag.

If Valerie read War and Peace after Brian finds her, he’s going to have to wait a very long time. If she’s in the process of reading it, then he interrupts her and our plot may continue.

Not every case of “to be” indicates passive voice. Purging a manuscript of every “to be” verb deprives readers of the verb tense clues that orientate them to ongoing action, the timing of action, and the setting.

Of course, overuse of anything is to be cautioned against.

Now that was passive voice.

Andra Loy writes YA fantasy and speculative fiction for adults. She teaches English in the Czech Republic, where she was locked inside an abandoned train only once. Andra also won the ACFW Genesis Award once, which was much less traumatizing. You can find out more about Andra at andraloy.com.

Tags passive, passive voice, writing for YA, YA, YA Writing, young adult

Writing for YA

Interview with Author Marie Sontag: Tips for Author Visits

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date March 27, 2023
1 Comment on 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.

Tags connect with readers, know your audience, writing for YA, Writing YA, YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Three Gifts to Give Yourself Right Now

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date November 27, 2021
No Comments on Three Gifts to Give Yourself Right Now

The gift-giving season is almost upon us! In all the planning for others, don’t forget yourself. I strongly encourage that writers regularly give themselves rewards, whether material or intangible. Like those gel pens and cute journals, I can think of a few necessary gifts all writers should give themselves.

Patience

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said to myself, “When I get through with this edit, my book will be finished.”

And then there’s more work to be done.

Shortly thereafter, I get frustrated and run out of patience with myself. Being patient is easier said than done. The goal posts keep moving as I develop as a writer, which is both discouraging and encouraging.

Discouraging, because I feel like I will never get done, and encouraging, because it shows me I am evolving as a writer. Practicing patience and kindness is something we strive to practice when dealing with other people, but there are times when we need to give the same grace to ourselves.

Give yourself patience to navigate the process. You deserve it!

Besides, if you rush into things too quickly, you might wish you had waited a little while. Although don’t wait too long!

I’ve heard it said that almost everyone queries too soon, but that’s okay. Sometimes an author wishes they hadn’t published quite so soon, or hadn’t taken that first deal. It’s a learning process. If you think you’ve made a mistake by rushing things, then have patience with yourself about jumping the gun.

Writing is hard work. Be as kind to yourself as you are to others.

Wisdom and Knowledge

One of the best gifts you can give yourselves as a writer is knowledge. This can come in the form of how-to books, workshops, classes, or writing mentors.

Because writing is an art, some may feel that it doesn’t require much study and skill building, but this is not the case. Whether writing for enjoyment or as an income-generating career, the task requires a certain level of knowledge.

If it seems difficult to justify spending money on learning to write when you’re not gaining an income from creative efforts, consider looking at it as a gift for yourself to learn about something you truly love and enjoy doing.

Reality Checks

I almost didn’t include this as a gift. Honestly, who wants a reality check? Those can be hard to deal with.

Reality checks can sometimes be unpleasant, but without accurate assessments, I can remain in a stagnant state and that’s not good.

Tempered with kindness, truth will point to the right direction. It might sting a little, but in the end, it’s better to know. Assessing where you are, what can be reasonably obtained, and which goals are realistic can help you find the pathway to success. And isn’t that a wonderful gift?

What gifts would you add to this list?

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.

Tags reality checks, wisdom and knowledge, writing for young adults, young adult

Writing for YA

Using Kindle Vella: Interview with Historical YA Author Stephanie Daniels

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date September 27, 2021
No Comments on Using Kindle Vella: Interview with Historical YA Author Stephanie Daniels

Amazon launched Vella this past month! Kindle Vella story episodes can be read in the Kindle for iOS app and on Amazon.com.

This seemed like an interesting and exciting new way of publishing, but I had questions.

I talked a bit with YA historical author Stephanie Daniels about her experience with Vella.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, Stephanie. Can you give us a short overview of what Vella is?

First, thank you so much for inviting me to share my publishing journey. Kindle Vella is Amazon’s new platform for episodic/serial reading. The first three chapters of every story are available for free so readers can try it out. Then they can buy tokens to unlock additional episodes. Some stories are already complete, while others release episodes on a daily or weekly basis.

What drew you to consider using the Vella platform?

I think it’s the way people will read in the future, especially the younger generation. Since I write for the young adult market, it’s a great place to explore finding an audience.

Did you run into any snags or anything unexpected?

With any new thing, there will be road bumps. Amazon chose to do a “soft” roll out, which made the initial release difficult since few people know how to use the site. But I think they’re gearing up to market it more in the coming months.

From your experience so far, what type of authors do you think would benefit from using Vella to publish their work?

I’ve been surprised by the wide variety of stories on it so far. I think it will have a really big young adult readership. There seem to be an abundance of fantasy/supernatural stories, and a lot of romance. They’re getting the most readers right now.

Any words of advice?

It’s easy to get impatient. Trust God with the writing journey. Trust Him before publication and after publication. We tend to strive and get anxious, but when we use this gift for Him, then the results also belong to Him. Try to enjoy every step.

Check out Stephanie’s historical inspy YA, The Uncertainty of Fire, a Kindle Vella story. I’ve had a peek at the first chapters and can’t wait to keep reading!

Click here The Uncertainty of Fire

Privileged teen, Whimsy Greathart, loses everything during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, and must choose a home for her heart between the two young men who help her face hardship–a charming newsboy and a shy preacher’s son.

Stephanie Daniels is a Christian wife and homeschool mom of three young men. She writes Christian historical fiction for young adult readers and the young at heart. Her stories carry strong faith themes and often romance.

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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.

Tags Kindle Vella, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Interview with Olivia Smit: Reading Advice for YA Authors

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date August 27, 2021
No Comments on Interview with Olivia Smit: Reading Advice for YA Authors

Young Adult author Olivia Smit just released her newest contemporary, Hearing Lies. She’s also is in my crit group, and she’s fellow book lover! I had to ask her a few bookish questions and get her advice for YA writers about reading.

I’ve heard some authors say they avoid reading books too similar to their own out of fear they may inadvertently copy style. I can see how that could be a problem for some, but I don’t seem to have that issue. For me, the greatest pitfall of reading a good book is that it distracts me and keeps me from working on my own novels!

What are some of the things you watch out for when reading that could adversely affect your writing?

This is an excellent question! I think for me, it’s most important not to play the comparison game. I’m not worried about copying other authors. Like you, it just hasn’t been a problem for me. But it is easy to get discouraged when I read something brilliant.

Sometimes I think, “I will never write like this,” or “My book will never sell this well.” But that mindset is damaging and unproductive. It doesn’t help anyone. I try to turn the comparison game into something that will inspire me instead. When I read something excellent, I like to ask myself why it inspires me the way it does.

That is great advice!

Do you think authors should read outside their genre? Or stick with only reading the genre they write?

I think outside of the necessary demands of a book-related career, authors should feel free to read what they enjoy in their spare time. For me at least, putting too many “should-read” books on my TBR is the fastest way to make me NOT want to read … which in turn affects my writing ability.

But is there value in reading outside your genre? Absolutely. When you step outside of the genre you’re used to, your brain starts absorbing new information, new plotlines, and new tropes.

There’s always the chance that your favourite genre might not be the one you write in! I actually enjoy reading contemporary and fantasy in equal measure, but I haven’t written anything fantasy-related since I was in elementary school. Maybe someday, but for now, I gobble fantasy novels up in my spare time.

Do you have a favorite classic novel? Do you think reading classics is still relevant for authors today?

If The Chronicles of Narnia count as classics, they’re an easy win! If not, I really like Anne of Green Gables, Watership Down, The Blue Castle, North and South, and The Three Musketeers.

I think stories are stories. There are brilliant classic novels and it would be a true tragedy to refuse to read them simply because they weren’t published in the last 50 years. Similarly, there are gorgeous works of art being written today, and it would be a shame to turn up your nose at them simply because they are too modern. I’m a little passionate about this! For me—and for many people—reading is a hobby and a joy. I think people should be free to read what they want while being encouraged, occasionally, to try something new.

In your books, your main character, Skylar, gets a job at the library. Why did you choose the library as part of your setting? Do you have any favorite memories of the library?

I used to visit the library weekly, if not more often, when I was a child, and I frequently checked out 10-15 books at once. I sometimes had to use my chin to carry them to the counter! I’d start reading while I waited for my family to finish, read in the car on the way home, and not look up again except to eat dinner until bedtime. I still have a habit of checking out 5+ books at once, even though I have less reading time than I used to.

Part of the reason I set so much of Seeing Voices and Hearing Lies inside a library is because of how much I love libraries! But I also do have experience working there. I shelved books at my childhood library while I was in high school, and I thought it would make a fun summer job for Skylar, too.

Thank you, Olivia!

Olivia Smit loves baking, visiting small towns, and writing stories that face hard truth with hope and encouragement. Olivia has an Honours Specialization in Creative Writing, English Language, and Literature. She lives in Canada with her husband and their dog, Cassiopeia. You can also find her on Instagram and Twitter. Her website is oliviasmit.ca.

Columnist 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.

Tags author interview, Olivia Smit, Reading, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Writing a First Novel: Ten Mistakes Not to Make

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date July 27, 2021
No Comments on Writing a First Novel: Ten Mistakes Not to Make

There’s no one right way to write a novel, but there are plenty of wrong ways! Here’s a few common mistakes to steer clear of to make the path a little smoother.

Structure your novel.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a pantser or a plotter, your main character needs to have a compelling goal.

With my first try at a character driven book, my MC had plenty of internal motivation but no external motivation. Nailing down GMC, goal, motivation, conflict helped. Identify the GMC of a story before starting the first or second draft. Getting the GMC nailed down helps me keep my story on track and saves a lot of grief and time wasted rewriting.

Develop the characters.

Sometimes the story idea is fantastic and all is in place, but the characters fall flat. Characters should be relatable and realistic. One of my characters was meant to be crabby due to grief, but just came off as crabby and nothing else. Rewriting her wasn’t horribly hard, and the character is much more likable and relatable now.

Find the right point of view.

Try out different points of view. Choose the one that suits the story best, or choose the POV that works best for you as a writer. Originally, I almost always wrote my fiction in first person, but it was short fiction and not a novel.

I got advice from a writing mentor and was told to write in third person past.

Unfortunately, third person past didn’t work for me. The stories were okay, but even after writing complete novels in third person, something wasn’t right. I rewrote all my books into first person past and it was like breathing clean air. It would have been much easier to write a few chapters in different POVs and pick the best one from the start.

A different book may require a different POV from your usual, so don’t be afraid to test out the first chapter in various POVs before settling on one.

Don’t head hop.

Stay in one character’s point of view during a single scene. Omniscient POV and head hopping are two different things. Study up and learn the difference before using this as an excuse.

Don’t write about a topic you hate to research.

You would think this would be obvious, however it was not. I wanted to write an emotional story about grief. In order to do that, I needed to research medical conditions. I love to research all sorts of things, but death is not one of them. However, my heart wanted to write a book to comfort, so if I considered my goal, the research was tolerable.

Keep yourself organized.

Use a running list and/or pictures of people, settings, and items important to your story to help write consistent descriptions. Those blue eyes turning brown halfway through a manuscript is a common problem. If you have a series, you can keep a story Bible. This is a document to keep all the details straight.

Make a timeline.

If the story takes place over an extended period of time, evade headaches and make a timeline. This way strange weather anomalies such as snowfall in May and other time bending occurrences can be avoided.

Ask for feedback from the right sources.

Find some people who can provide useful feedback and encouragement.

Don’t share your work with the wrong people. Do not take to heart advice from people who do not read in your genre.

Shun Negative Nellies who have nothing good to say about anything. Constructive criticism is the only useful criticism.

The ideal writing buddies give useful feedback and do it in a respectful way.

Don’t query too soon.

When is too soon? That’s hard to say. Usually, it’s not wise to query your first novel, but there are always exceptions. This is rare.

I queried too soon, but once I realized my mistake, I’d lost those opportunities.

If you’re not sure, enter a few contests that provide critique-type feedback or use a critiquing service outside of the people who love you. Anonymous services sometimes provide a bit more honesty than your writing friends.

Trust your heart.

Don’t try to write a story you don’t love. It will show. Writing to the market may seem like a good idea, but if the author doesn’t feel connected to the characters, the reader won’t either. Writing a novel length work is a long-term commitment. Love the story and characters enough to stick with it.

Do you have any tips or experiences to share? Leave a comment.

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.

Tags common mistakes, first novel, mistakes to avoid, young adult

Writing for YA

Before Narrating a Novel: Audiobook Production Tips from Tara. K. Ross

Post author By Lisa E. Betz
Post date June 27, 2021
No Comments on Before Narrating a Novel: Audiobook Production Tips from Tara. K. Ross

Audiobooks are gaining popularity. I have always loved audiobooks and am a bit picky when it comes to narrators. Authors may not be aware of some pitfalls of producing narration. June is audiobook month, so I thought I’d have a chat with Tara K. Ross, narrator, YA author, and podcaster, asking about her experience.

How did you come to audiobook narration?

I’ve always loved reading aloud in any capacity, whether it be an animated rendition of my kid’s favorite stories, reading scripts in theatre auditions, or sharing a YA novel excerpt on the Hope Prose Podcast. Across all of these experiences, I was told that I had a knack for bringing stories and characters to life. With these words of encouragement, I began exploring what it would take to start narrating … and not just at bedtime.

What are some tips for those wanting to get into narration?

1. Practice reading aloud often, and learn how to scan ahead while reading.

2. Record yourself and get used to hearing your own voice.

3. Research recording equipment and ensure that you are willing to make the upfront investment in a good quality microphone, computer, and recording space.

4. Become familiar with editing software and good recording practices. As a beginning narrator, you will likely be responsible for editing and producing your own sound files. A great way to do this is by starting your own podcast!

5. Check out audiobook narrating sites like acx.com and findawayvoice.com

Did you run into any snags along the way?

Many! Learning to record and edit for audiobooks requires a greater level of attention than recording a podcast episode. My first few recordings were filled with distant dog barks and kids screaming, chair creaks, loud mouth sounds, and deep inhalations. I also needed to learn how to read and edit sound files. I have learned a ton through the ACX website and their acxuniversity.com .

Oftentimes, authors aren’t sure if they should narrate their own books or seek help. What makes a good narrator?

That is a great question. A good narrator will have enthusiasm and passion for the story, which all authors should have for their own stories, but good narrators also bring experience and acting skills to support that enthusiasm.

Some of my favorite audiobooks have been narrated by the author. However, those authors are often narrating their nonfiction books, where there is little need to switch between characters and exposition, or, in some cases, the author happens to have acting experience in their background.

If you are considering narrating your own book, try out your reading on others and see how they respond. Honest family and friends are great, but finding a few willing beta-listeners will be more revealing.

Authors also should keep in mind that narrating their own book will require a fairly substantial time commitment. The average 80,000-word audiobook will have a finished recording time of around ten to twelve hours. That’s finished recording time. Between recording, editing, and mastering, this time can triple! And sometimes, authors find that reading their novel and then having to listen to it in detail after years of editing is just too much. That’s when partnering with a narrator through sites like ACX and Findaway Voices might be the better option!

These are great tips! Thanks so much to Tara for sharing her insight with us.

Tara K. Ross is the author of the YA contemporary novel, Fade to White.

She narrated the recently released YA novel by Amy Michelle Carpenter, Becoming Human available on Audible or Amazon.com.

Visit Tara’s website

Listen to Tara’s Hope Prose podcast here

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.

Tags audiobook production tips, audiobooks, young adult

Writing for YA

Avoiding Preachy Prose

Much young adult fiction today deals with contemporary issues and is a reflection of the times. Authors have important things to say. But if the writing is preachy, readers may disengage.

What is preachy prose?

Writing can come off as preachy when the author is too heavy handed in their delivery of a message or a story’s theme. Sermonizing isn’t exclusive to religious themes. Social issues, politics, cultural views, anything the writer has an opinion on can be presented in a preachy way.

Not all readers will agree on whether or not a particular book is preachy. One reader may embrace the story while others criticize it. The trick is to be true to your theme without becoming strident.

But I want my book to have a message.

It’s perfectly fine and desirable to have a message in your book, but if it’s fiction, use characters to illustrate the point and trust your reader. The message should feel natural, unforced, and be interwoven into the story.

How can a writer avoid preachy prose?

Produce well-rounded characters with plenty of realistic opposition and conflict.

Use external conflict. Give characters opposing viewpoints. Through their interaction, allow the story to develop and reveal the theme.

Use internal conflict. Instead of presenting a single viewpoint as cut and dried, let your character come to conclusions about their beliefs. Let them struggle, grow, and learn.

Use realistic character action and reactions to illustrate the theme. Just like in real life, a guy passing out Bible verses doesn’t have quite the same impact as a character walking through hard places while clinging to his beliefs.

Think about how you react when a person in real life delivers a personalized sermon on your shortcomings. Do you feel grateful?

If you have a preachy character, have the other characters react to them in a realistic way. As a bonus, this could make for some good conflict! If that doesn’t work for your story, rewrite the preachy character to reflect your vision.

There’s no need to avoid prayer or religious language—if it’s true to your characters. Preachiness has less to do with what a character believes, and more to do with how the character’s beliefs are presented.

Use story events interspersed with dialogue to make the point. Don’t restrict the message to a large chunk of dialogue in one scene. The entire story should reflect the theme. Sprinkle it around!

Setting, imagery, and symbolism can all reinforce the theme. It isn’t necessary to use every technique in the book and subtlety is the key.

Do you have any tips on avoiding preachy prose?

Writing a First Novel: Creating Characters

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date April 27, 2021
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In past blog posts, I’ve written about choosing a genre, story premise, and GMC.

A key element of any story is character development. Character development is the process of creating fictional characters, but can also refer to a character’s arc. In this article, I’ll talk about the process of creating characters and leave the arc for another day.

Key Characters

Every story has a hero, or main character, also called the protagonist.

Some have a villain, the antagonist. In some stories, the main character (MC) fills both roles of antagonist and protagonist.

Most have secondary characters. These assist the MC, oppose the MC, or otherwise help the reader understand the MC’s journey.

Fully developing the protagonist and antagonist is essential to a good story.

In order to be three dimensional, characters should have occupations, hobbies, friends, favorite foods, talents, etc. but they also require fleshing out in other ways. Some writers spend a lot of time describing the physical attributes of their story people. While this is important, the emotional make up—dreams, ambitions, struggles, and so on—of your character is what resonates with readers.

Flat and Round

Have you been told your characters are flat, or that they need more rounding? What does this mean?

Flat characters are one-dimensional. Some minor characters can be flat and serve the story just fine. However, main characters need to have depth and personality.

Ever met someone who appeared to be perfect? Did it feel like you were waiting for the authentic person to reveal themselves?

Don’t make your characters too good to be true.

But it’s fiction!

Even so, your reader wants to feel as if the story is real. To capture the reader, a main character should have both attributes and flaws.

But I want my hero to be good!

No one is all good or all bad. Perfect characters are hard, if not impossible, to relate to. They can come off as unrealistic, preachy, or just plain boring. If readers don’t feel an affinity with the protagonist, they won’t be invested enough to keep turning pages.

A superhero who is afraid of spiders. The psychiatrist who has a dysfunctional family. The miracle worker who cannot heal his own child. These are more interesting than a flat hero.

What about the “bad guy” in a story?

While reading a novel, do you ever find it hard to believe a “bad” character is all bad? A villain becomes a cartoon image, and the book gets tossed aside. Both heroes and villains need to have core values. I’ve heard it said that all villains believe they are the good guy.

Often, a character’s greatest strength will have negative aspects, just like in real life. A character who is responsible may take responsibility too seriously, or take on responsibility that isn’t theirs. This could cause all sorts of story problems!

A character who is consistent, a good trait, can be inflexible, which is bad in certain situations.

The character who values family above all else, can cross lines and cause tension because they put such high regard on family relationships.

Round characters come with built in opportunities for conflict.

A good tool to figure out the natural balance of your characters’ dominant traits is by determining their personality type using something like 16Personalities.com.

Creating Compelling Characters

To further develop rounded and interesting characters, go beyond a list of the basics. Try character interviews, asking deeper questions. A google search should turn up plenty of fiction writing character interviews, or you can make up one.

Or try this. Put your character in different situations, awkward, stressful, relaxed, and write their interior dialogue. Do this exercise in first person, even if your novel is in third.

Does a writer have to do all of this before they start writing? Not necessarily. Often, my characters flesh themselves out during the process of writing. But not knowing enough to have a solid GMC is usually a guarantee my story will stall.

Having a well-developed character in mind will help the story unfold easier. As long as the writer doesn’t get bogged down in endless character questionnaires and interviews, such exercises are a useful addition to the writer’s toolbox.

Writing a First (or Second) Novel: Story Premise & GMC

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date March 27, 2021
No Comments on Writing a First (or Second) Novel: Story Premise & GMC

I love new, fresh story ideas.

When I first started writing stories, I would attempt to capture a thought or feeling the minute it sprang to mind. I didn’t plan my stories. Needless to say, many of these vignettes meandered or ended up unfinished.

What was I missing? Story premise.

This isn’t an article about plotting versus pantsing. This is about generating a viable story idea from a seed or impression.

How do you know if a concept is story worthy?

With my first novel, I accidentally managed to produce good structure. My main character had a concrete story goal early on. She also had a strong emotional desire stated in the opening sentence. From the initial moment of external conflict, the stakes continually increased, following a logical progression. It unfolded this way until the conclusion.

Easy peasy, right? Surely I had mastered the art of story structure and could replicate the process.

Not exactly.

I began a second book and focused on the emotional state of my character, neglecting to give her an external goal. Even though I was attempting a character-driven work and wanted to explore emotional growth, my protagonist still needed to have an external goal.

The book had to be restructured to include both internal and external GMC – goal, motivation, conflict.

Broken down, it looks like this:

Goal: What does your protagonist want?

Motivation: Why do they want it?

Conflict: What’s in their way?

{Protagonist} wants {goal} because {motivation} but can’t succeed, because {conflict}.

All of the important characters in a successful story have both external and internal GMC. The differing goals produce conflict. They initiate the action and keep it going. Without a clear and concrete external goal for the protagonist to pursue and obstacles (conflict) to overcome, the story stagnates.

In plot driven stories, the external GMC is what keeps the story moving along. I find these easier to figure out. With character driven work, the character’s want directly opposes the (true) need. This produces conflict and forces growth in the character. Every character has internal and external goals and motivations. The two GMCs, external and internal, go hand in glove.

There will be many smaller goals and conflicts along the journey, but the overarching, or main, GMC of your story is the foundation of your premise.

The story premise is a few sentences distilling the key elements of your story, and incorporates the main GMC.

The premise contains:

The protagonist, set-up, protagonist’s goal, the source of resistance or antagonist, the core story conflict, and the protagonist’s motivation. A story premise can also include the other essential character(s).

Does the GMC or premise have to be perfectly expressed before you begin writing a novel? Not at all, but I’ve found the process goes much smoother if I understand what my character wants, needs, why they want what they do, and why they can’t have it. The better I solidify these things early on, the more likely I am to end up with a coherent story.

Nailing down GMC can take a few tries and a bit of time, but is well worth the effort.

Resource for Further Study

GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict Book by Debra Dixon

WRITING A FIRST NOVEL: CHOOSING A GENRE

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.

Tags goals, motivation, premise, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Story retellings: Interview with A. K. Pittman

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date February 27, 2021
No Comments on Story retellings: Interview with A. K. Pittman

Allison Pittman, writing as A. K. Pitman, has a brand new book out, and it’s a YA P & P retelling, Pudge and Prejudice, set in 1984 North Texas.

February is Body Image Awareness Month, and the timing felt perfect to ask Allison a few questions about her book, which deals with body image.

I love the idea of mingling one of my favorite Austen novels with a more recent historical setting.

I love the idea, too! It really showcases the timelessness of Austen’s story. Human emotions and motivations and desires are so transcendent, even if our surrounding society changes.

What was the strangest thing you had to research or the most surprising thing you learned when you were researching for this project?

Well, I learned that high schools outside of Texas don’t do homecoming mums. They are huge in Texas (literally and figuratively).

As a fellow Texan, I can attest to the hugeness of mums.

What are some of the unique challenges you faced when writing Pudge and Prejudice?

I was always surprised when I learned that something—some TV show or song—that I clearly remember from that year (1984) actually hadn’t happened yet.

Time passes, I guess, and everything gets mixed up. Over and over I was “redirected” by my lovely editor who hadn’t even been born yet! Quite a humbling experience.

Your novel is set in the 80s. How do you feel the landscape of the current high school culture has changed since then? What are the main things that have stayed the same?

It’s much easier to mention what has stayed the same: Kids still group themselves and establish crushing hierarchies within their ranks. What has changed? There’s such a lack of naiveté and innocence. They are exposed to so much, and with cellphones, they are never more than a click away from hurtful messages.

If you had fifteen minutes to talk to a young person who was struggling with body image, what is one main thing you would want them to understand?

I would want them to understand that, right at this moment, they are exactly what God intendeds them to be.

That’s hard to understand and accept, especially if they are unhappy, but that unhappiness can be channeled into something positive.

And then, I would emphasize that they need to compare themselves with themselves, not other people. You have to accept yourself, but you don’t have to accept your habits. Find out what is best for you, and don’t allow anything less.

Do you have any resources you’d like to share for young people struggling with body image issues?

As a blanket answer, I would say to step away from social media and develop good, in-the-flesh friendships where you interact outside of a tiny screen. That said, I would caution against any resource that promises anything other than restoring health in mind, body, and spirit. In fact, stay away from outside promises, period.

A healthy body image comes from within. You’ve made the decision to eat healthier? Study up on healthy cooking. You want to exercise more? Test your body to see what it can do and go from there.

Finally, there is no greater resource than God’s word—for anything, but most of all for inspiration about just how beloved and valuable you are.

Psalms 139:14 says, “I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works, and that my soul knows very well. Part of that “wonderfulness” is how our outer appearance reflects our inner care. We need food, water, sleep, rest, and purpose—all in balance.

Find the best of those things, and you will find the best of yourself.

Allison K. Pittman is an award-winning author of thirteen novels. An enthusiast for all things writing, she leads two writing groups where she gets to blend her two passions: writing and teaching. (She gets to teach every day, too. Middle School.)

You can follow her around on Instagram (@allisonkpittman) or Twitter (@allisonkpittman) and keep up with the latest writing news on her Allison Pittman Author Facebook page—all of which will keep you up-to-date on not only her books, but also life with her husband, Mikey, and Snax, the world’s worst dog.

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.

Tags A. K. Pittman, body image, classics, retelling, social media, timeless stories, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Writing a First Novel: Choosing A Genre

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date January 27, 2021
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Want to write a novel, but aren’t sure what genre to pick?

Write What You Love

That’s a good place to start.

If you devour books of certain genre (or subgenre), then you’ll be well acquainted with how the stories unfold in similar patterns. That familiarity might make writing one a natural process. However, it could be problematic if you choose to write a first book in a genre that has a complicated structure. Sometimes simpler is better.

And what if you are like me and love to read everything?

Narrow the Choices

Each genre has its familiar tropes and construction. For most of us, it would be too time consuming to try and learn how to write every genre out there.

Pick a genre that you seem to gravitate toward. Out of those, if your goal is to learn how to write a book, it might be wise to look for the one with the simplest structure. If that prospect isn’t exciting to you, give that one a pass. The project needs to inspire the author for the long days and nights of pounding a keyboard.

If you have experience writing shorter works in one genre, why not try a longer work, even if you love a different genre?

Or maybe you have a great idea for a children’s book, and that’s where your heart is. Go for it!

Write what you are passionate about.

What’s the Easiest Genre to Write?

I’ve heard different teachers suggest an adventure novel is easiest. Others say romance. Then again, some have sworn writing a who-done-it is the way to go to learn story structure. I love to read mysteries, but the idea of plotting one makes my brain freeze up.

The stories I like to write, character driven contemporary, are considered by some to be the hardest of all to write! For NANOWRIMO, I tried to plot a simple romance. I ended up with a contemporary young adult novel about issues with a strong element of romance.

There’s not a one size fits all.

Try Writing Shorter Works First, or Not

Writing a book is a huge commitment. If you’re not absolutely in love with the story idea and characters, the book may not get finished. If you’ve never written a novel length work, you could try your hand at a novella first. It depends on the writer. Do what feels the least overwhelming or frustrating. Even short stories can help writers learn basic story building.

Do I Have to Pick a Genre?

Is it required that an author label the genre of a novel? Not until it is ready to be pitched or published. It helps to know the genre, but isn’t always necessary.

My first attempt at a novel length work ended up as a historical, which was not my intention. I was just trying to get from point A to point B to point C. For me, the genre was beside the point. All I wanted was to learn how to write a novel.

Don’t Feel Locked Into a Genre

Direction is good, but don’t feel you have to decide right away, and don’t feel you are locked into a genre if it turns out another seems to be a better pick.

The best genre to write a first novel is the genre that gets the author putting words on the page!

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.

Tags choosing a genre, first novel, Genres, starting your book, young adult

Writing for YA

Talking About Writing and Contests with 2020 First Impressions YA Finalist Annette Griffin

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date December 27, 2020
No Comments on Talking About Writing and Contests with 2020 First Impressions YA Finalist Annette Griffin

The First Impressions Contest is held every year by ACFW. This year, Annette Griffin made it to finalists’ list for the young adult category.

Congratulations, Annette!

What advice would you give writers considering entering writing contests?

Entering contests has been one way I challenge myself to become a better writer. Here are a few things I’ve learned–the hard way– about submitting successful contest entries:

1) Be sure to pay close attention to the contest submission guidelines, follow them precisely, then check again for compliance before you hit the send button.

2) Write with passion, but when you’re done go back and highlight all the passive language and replace it.

3) Before you hit the send button be sure to pray. Ask God to align your heart with His plans for your writing and pray for favor and open doors according to His will.

Why did you decide to write young adult fiction?

My characters tend to choose the genres I write. My YA characters are some of my favorites–each are inspired by my work with young adults through years of youth ministry.

What is your biggest writing dream or goal?

I have a different take on this question than most of my author heroes and mentors. Yes, goals are very important. Without them I would wind up spinning my wheels most days. I do have practical short term and long term goals that include word counts, craft development, marketing aspirations, networking etc. but when it comes to my biggest writing “dream” I really just want to accomplish WELL what God has already pre-planned for me to do (Eph 2:10). I can dream big, but I learned a long time ago that MY idea of big may not look at all like God’s does. His ways are better, higher, and perfect. His plans for me are good and will be used for His glory. I want to do Him proud as I work to fulfil His dreams for me.

Great advice. When I get caught up in the work, it’s all too easy to lose sight of the main purpose, the reason for starting in the first place. It’s always good to remember the big picture vision behind the effort.

Who has been your biggest inspiration?

If you’re talking about my biggest inspiration in life, Joni Earekson Tada has inspired me since I was a young girl. She is an example of a woman who despite physical devastation, heartache, trial, and constant pain has chosen to live her love for Jesus publically–with so much joy–to help others find their strength in Him.

I’ve always admired Joni. She’s one of my heroes, too.

I love your answers!

Thank you for talking with us, Annette.

Annette is an award winning author who writes inspiration and fiction for women & children. Her debut children’s book What Is A Family? released this July. She and her husband live in NC with their two teens and beagle named Bella who keeps them all on a leash.

Website: annettemariegriffin.com

FB: @annettemariegriffin

IG: @annettemariegriffin

book link: https://www.workman.com/products/what-is-a-family

For more encouragement from Annette, check out her Embrace the Wait column.

Readers, have you had success with a writing contest or reached a writing goal this year? Share your good news in the comments.

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.

Tags advice for writers, interview, writing contests, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

All About Writing Mentors: Q & A with Lisa Samson

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date November 27, 2020
No Comments on All About Writing Mentors: Q & A with Lisa Samson

Guys, I have been a huge Lisa Samson fan since forever. In fact, I distinctly remember reading the Christy Award winning novel, Songbird, and thinking, “This is how I want to write.”

When I found out about her service called Writerly Conversations, I thought I’d ask her a few questions about finding mentors.

At what point in a person’s writing journey do you feel it’s a good idea to seek out a writing mentor, and where can authors find writing mentors?

It’s good to seek out a mentor when your serious about getting published and have done some of the hard work of figuring out how to write up front. Perhaps you’re already submitting to agents and houses and getting rejection letters. That’s a great time to get help. An experienced writer/mentor has been through enough critique with their editors, they inherently know what a writer needs to do to not only catch the eye of an editor but what the editor needs to know: Is this writer really ready? I see those things intuitively now and look to various aspects of a writer’s manuscript with an agent’s and an acquisitions editor’s eye. If it looks like too much work needs to be done up front, they are going to take a pass.

It’s always exciting to have someone interested in your work. How can an author tell if their writing mentor is a good fit for them?

I truly believe that’s a matter of personality and expectation. When I mentor it’s with people who want to enjoy the process, be truly encouraged as a creator, and who like truth with a spoonful of sugar and a nice chat. There are people I would drive crazy because I view my clients as real people with which a good, strong creative connection can grow. That takes emotional finesse as well. I believe feeling safe and heard is the most important flow. Who do you get a good connection with? Who makes you actually want to write? Who gets you excited about your work? There it is.

Do you think there’s ever a time when having a writing mentor is a bad idea?

Absolutely. When a writer just wants affirmation not guidance, when any time a helpful suggestion is made the writer feels umbrage, they are not the ones for mentors. They’re not ready to set their ego aside. In many ways, a writer has to admit the need for it, and the experience can be helpful.

Oftentimes, it’s difficult to find a writing mentor. What are some alternatives?

There’s really nothing that beats personal communication. Mentoring means one on one guidance in a relationship setting. However, there are good alternatives to receive personal feedback. Critique groups, a writing buddy with whom you can let the chapters fly between you, and critique services. I do something called a Writerly Conversation, which is almost like a drive-through mini-mentor moment. I ready twenty pages and we have a 60-minute conversation. It’s amazing the connection writers and I get to have, even in that short amount of time.

Thank you, Lisa!

You can find Lisa around the web at the links below.

Lisa Samson’s Patreon Page

Lisa Samson’s Website

Writerly Conversations on Facebook

Lisa has coauthored a new book with Len Sweet. This Christmas tale is arriving just in time for the season. ST. IS will be available on Amazon starting 11/11.

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.

Tags advice for authors, Lisa Samson, writing for YA, writing mentors, young adult

Writing for YA

Writers Gotta Read: Where to Find Book Recs and A Short List of Suggested Reading for YA Authors

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date September 27, 2020
2 Comments on Writers Gotta Read: Where to Find Book Recs and A Short List of Suggested Reading for YA Authors

I cannot remember the books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Next month is National Book Month!

Attend any writing class or conference and someone is bound to tell you if you want to learn how to write well, read a lot of books. This is timeless advice.

To write well, there are required three necessaries: to read the best authors, observe the best speakers, and much exercise of his own style.
Ben Jonson (1640)

Read your genre, but also read other genres. While craft books are a must, don’t limit yourself to only how-to books, but immerse yourself in novels.

Where to Find Book Recommendations

I asked a bunch of readers where they get most of their recommendations. Goodreads is a popular choice. Facebook book groups, the Bookstagram Community on Instagram, and Booktube also top the list, but let’s not forget the old-fashioned bookstore, friends, and librarian recommendations.

If you’re looking for a specific genre or type of book, Goodreads is a good place to start. Readers can sort their books by shelves, tagging and categorizing books. Goodreads is great for organizing to-be-read lists, books you’ve read, and posting opinions and reviews.

My all-time favorite place to find bookish friends and book recommendations is in the Bookstagram community on Instagram. It’s fun to connect with readers of all sorts. It’s an easy way to find a genre or type of book.

I write YA Contemporary, but struggle to stay within a single genre for the posts I upload because I love books so much. I tend to roam widely in the Bookstagram community and check out what other bookish folks are reading. What’s a writer without a massive, impossible to finish TBR list?

Genre Specific Recommendations

Some of my YA author friends suggested a few books to specifically help YA writers hone their craft. I am listing both novels and instructional books.

Sara Baysinger writes YA fantasy, and is the author of The Vanishing Spark of Dust, Ashen City, Black Tiger, and White Dawn.

Her recommendations:

Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell is Sara’s go to craft book. I agree with this one wholeheartedly! My copy is dog-eared and highlighted. (This book is part of the Write Great Fiction by Writer’s Digest. The entire series is excellent.)

For fantasy writers, Sara recommends The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi.

Diana Sharples is a multi-published author of Contemporary YA (Running Lean and Running Strong) and Contemporary YA Mysteries (Finding Hero, and The Because…series.) Diana has turned her pen to mostly mystery these days, so I asked her for books to help YA writers interested in that genre.

Her recommendations:

She chose A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson (added this one to my list!) and

Writing and Selling your Mystery Novel by Hallie Ephron.

Diana also recommended Felicia Bridges novels for those interested in YA Historical fiction.

Tara Ross is the author of the YA Contemporary Fade to White and the host of The Hope Prose podcast for writers.

Her recommendations:

Tara picked Nadine Brandes’ Fawkes for Historical Fantasy and Shawn Smucker’s The Day the Angels Fell for Contemporary Magical Realism.

She loves The Emotional Craft of Fiction for an inspiring and educational craft book. For practical use, Tara recommends anything by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, but The Emotional Thesaurus is a fav of hers. I second The Emotional Thesaurus. It’s a great, easy to use, tool to help a writer get unstuck when describing emotions.

My Picks:

In addition to popular fiction, I read classics, curious as to what gives them their staying power. One classic YA writers may want to peruse is The Outsiders.

I write contemporary young adult and enjoy authors such as Laurie Halse Anderson, Jason Reynolds (The Boy in the Black Suit), Laura Namey (The Library of Lost Things), Alison Gervias (The Silence Between Us), Kasi West and Jenni Han (for romance), and more!

For craft, books by Writer’s Digest Publishing always seem to provide solid advice.

What about you? Where do you get your book recommendations? Do you have any must reads for young adult writers?

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.

Tags book recommendations, craft of writing, reading list, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Building a Compelling Fantasy World: Q & A with YA Author Amy C. Blake

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date August 27, 2020
No Comments on Building a Compelling Fantasy World: Q & A with YA Author Amy C. Blake

It’s not always easy creating a whole world from scratch. Amy C. Blake agreed to give a few words of writing advice about building story worlds.

What is a common pitfall fantasy writers fall into when building their story world?

It’s easy for fantasy writers to forget they have to follow the “rules” they created for their story world. If they choose to break a rule, they have to explain why. Otherwise, readers get frustrated. For instance, in the first book of my Levi Prince YA fantasy series, I established that people can only enter Terracaelum (an invisible land suspended above Lake Superior) from Castle Island when the prince or princess lowers the drawbridge and admits them. In subsequent books, I couldn’t simply ignore my rule when I needed to allow access without the prince or princess being present. I had to not only create an alternate way in, but also to provide a logical reason why the exception was made.

What essential ingredients do readers expect from a story world?

Besides clear rules, readers expect to be given the proper amount of details to let them experience the story world. Too many specifics can bog down the flow of the story, but too few can make readers feel unmoored. Sprinkling sensory details throughout the dialogue and narrative tends to work best. Of course, in fantasy stories, readers expect something outside of their ordinary worlds—superhuman abilities, time jumping, mythical creatures, etc.—and they can best enjoy those elements when given the right particulars at the right moments.

How can writers make sure they balance their novel in regards to world building, character development, and the other elements needed?

Again, it’s a matter of dispensing information at the optimal time. Authors shouldn’t do an information dump about their character’s backstory any more than they should pile on too much minutiae about the story world. They don’t want to overuse dialogue, internal monologue, or narrative in any one spot; instead, they want to use the appropriate amounts of each at the appropriate times. It’s all a matter of finding the proper pacing to allow the story to unfold to maximize the reader’s delight.

Where do you find inspiration for creating a story world?

I’m an avid reader, and my family enjoys exploring museums and historical sites. I’m also an avid daydreamer, so I tend to find inspiration during quiet moments—sometimes while on a long car ride or when I can’t sleep. During those quiet moments, ideas blend with the information I’ve gleaned, and my story world expands. I just have to remember to jot down my daydreams so I can flesh them out later.

Great advice!

Thank you so much for stopping by, Amy.

Award-winning author Amy C. Blake is a pastor’s wife and homeschooling mother of four. She has an M.A. in English from Mississippi College and has written articles, devotionals, and short stories for a number of publications. She’s also writing two series for the Christian market, her On the Brink Christian suspense trilogy and her Levi Prince YA fantasy series.

Whitewashed, Colorblind, and Tie-Dyed, featuring three homeschooled girls who head off to college and find themselves on the brink of danger, are available in paperback and Kindle. The Trojan Horse Traitor, The Fall of Thor’s Hammer, and The Fay’s Apprentice, about homeschooled pastor’s kid Levi Prince and his adventures in Terracaelum, are also available in paperback and Kindle.

Visit Amy’s website at amycblake.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.

Tags Amy C. Blake, fantasy, Setting, storyworld, world building, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Feeling Blocked? Five Tips to Help

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date July 27, 2020
1 Comment on Feeling Blocked? Five Tips to Help

I’ve never liked the term writer’s block and prefer to call it writer’s exhaustion, but it means the same thing. Hours or days of staring at a blank screen unable to type a word.

Recently, I’ve found myself at the crossroads between emotional exhaustion and distraction.

It’s common for creativity to dry up when a person is overwhelmed. Distraction also plays into the inability to buckle down and produce. Writing requires a lot of thinking and emotional input.

At times I have plenty to say, but emotion stands firmly between my heart and my pen. Then I feel guilty and frustrated, which only adds to the stress.

In this situation, the first thing to do is to recognize the various demands and stressors affecting attitudes, feelings, and productivity.

Here are five tips that help when you’re feeling blocked

Focus on a different task for a short time.

Finding a new creative outlet can re energize, give a tired brain something else to concentrate on. We require times of refreshment, even when situations demand urgent action. It’s okay to take a moment or two, or three for mental health.

Adapt.

I received an email from a dear friend yesterday. An in-person writing group has been one of her anchors for years. A support system suddenly becoming unavailable is painful. Virtual meeting aren’t the same, but at least alternative methods exist.

Many of my friends are taking advantage of writing conferences they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to attend. New seminars and opportunities are offered daily as organizations attempt to fill writers’ current needs.

While writing fiction is hard for me at the moment, taking notes isn’t a problem. For me, this dry spell is an opportunity to concentrate on learning craft. For others, the opposite may be true and periods of writer’s block are the perfect time to journal or explore a different type of writing.

There will be times when the well seems empty. Try to find things to focus on that are attainable.

Celebrate accomplishments.

I have a tendency to expect a great deal from myself, and it helps to stop and change my view point, think about successes in light of my circumstances. I constantly need to remind myself I have a limited energy budget. We aren’t designed to do it all. There is no guilt in that admission. Recognize the goal posts along the way, instead of focusing on the never-ending to do list gives a realistic picture of progress and spurs me forward.

Find joy in the art of writing.

I am one for structure and schedules, which can sap the joy right out of what I love and turn it into a grind. I used to have a mindset that if it’s too much fun, maybe I’m not working hard enough. That’s not true. It’s still work even if I love my calling. It’s right and good to take joy in the gifts and abilities God has given.

Rest.

For me, the biggest obstacle is giving myself permission to allow time for self-care. Self-care is not selfish. It’s necessary for healthy functioning. It’s okay to take a break from whatever is stressful.

It’s okay to be kind to yourself.

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.

Tags inspiration in writing, writer self-care, writers block, YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Write Anyway

There will be days when writing is hard. When your eyes burn and your back hurts. You will scrape dried ink from the bottom of the well, wondering if these tiny, insignificant flakes are worth anything.

Hours, days, years of work languish with no guarantee of display in the light of day.

Write anyway.

Some days your words and lines will rip out your heart with their truth and beauty. You will feel naked and afraid.

Some days the emotion you are desperate to share dribbles away, never caught and put to page. An unspoken message is worse than letting the world taste your secret sorrows. The tale must be wept out and sweated out onto paper even if it doesn’t want to be confined—or set free—by a pen. Story will haunt, steal your rest, demand attention. You will pound a keyboard while dinner burns.

Write anyway.

There will be people who tell you the harsh truth, and those who whisper sweet lies. And others who are purposely unkind, cruel with breath-stealing carelessness that makes you doubt your own passion.

There will be rejections wrapped in softness. Slamming shut doors will become a commonplace sound.

There will be hindering mentors, jealous companions, and friends who mean well but let you wallow in mediocrity and blissful ignorance.

Write anyway.

Some days you will be your own worst enemy, second-guessing, unsure as a newborn colt. Some days you will be too sure of yourself, and ignore horrendous flaws, until, stumbling over the cracks, you fall flat on your face, hard. The danger is invisible to the scribbling storyteller. You will fail and embarrass yourself time and time again.

Write anyway.

If you succeed, the monetary rewards are likely to be small. There will always be ugly reviews. People will inform you point-blank they didn’t like your book. Family members and friends won’t even bother to read it. But someone will. And sometimes it will mean a great deal to the reader, your reader. They may or may not tell you—this really happens—how it touched them, comforted them, and made them feel understood.

It’s why we write anyway.

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.

Tags critiques, Perseverance, rejection in writing, write anyway, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Writing Diverse Mental Health Themes in YA Fiction

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date May 27, 2020
No Comments on Writing Diverse Mental Health Themes in YA Fiction

If you’ve queried in the past five years, you’re familiar with the plea for diverse books. Publishers and readers alike are searching for stories that reflect the world in all its colours, orientations, beliefs, and abilities. We are searching for connections. We want to be seen.

But not all diversity will be as obvious to spot on the cover of a book.

Diversity goes deep—down to the core of who we are and how the neurons in our brains allow us to think. But, as a society, we are less likely to recognize or celebrate this deeper neurodiversity.

Each of us process and react to the world differently. Our life experiences also play a role, leaving unique internal scars and mended pathways. For a growing majority of teens today, this internal milieu feels like a battlefield and it comes out as mental illness.

Right now, more than ever, these differences in neurological wiring and life experiences will affect how teens react to fear, anxiety, grief, and confusion. And if they can’t find themselves in the stories that they’re reading, we risk letting them feel alone in their experiences. Which we all know is false.

As YA Authors, mental health themes need be high in our considerations for diversity. But how can we do this authentically?

Write #OwnVoice – Mental health stories written from lived experiences offers a genuine and raw lens. If you’ve lived it and feel comfortable communicating the everyday struggles, along with the big plot turns of life, do it.

Write Deep – Don’t include mental health as an afterthought. A person is more than one aspect of their diversity. Our characters need to be seen this way as well. Ask deep questions of your characters. Know their wounds and back stories. Empathize with them before starting to write.

Write Educated – If you haven’t experienced the themes present in your story, spend time researching what they are and how they present. Look to respected resources (i.e. The DSM-V) rather than arbitrary blog posts.

Write Relationally – Even with the best research, there is something powerful about speaking with a person who has experienced mental illness first-hand. If you will listen and come with empathy and encouragement, odds are you will find someone who will share. Please be considerate though. Never approach someone who is in crisis and stick with friends and family.

With my novel, FADE TO WHITE, I wrote from both personal experience, research, and over 10 years of relational conversations with teens. Some of those conversations were painful to hear, but there was also mutual healing and hope gained through sharing our stories.

Mental illness is a hidden disease, despite its ever growing prevalence. By considerately sharing diverse mental health experiences, we are giving young people a chance to be seen. A chance to be recognized as broken but not lost. A chance to be represented within the diverse and unsettling world we now live in.

Tara K. Ross lives with her husband, two daughters, and rescued fur-baby in a field of cookie-cutter homes near Toronto, Canada. She works as a school speech-language pathologist and mentors with local youth programs. When Tara is not writing or reading all things YA, you can find her rock climbing the Ontario escarpment, planning her family’s next jungle trek, or podcasting at www.tarakross.com.

Tags diversity, mental health, Research, themes, vulnerability, YA, young adult

Writing for YA

Researching and Authenticity in Fiction: Interview with YA Author Felicia Bridges

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date March 27, 2020
No Comments on Researching and Authenticity in Fiction: Interview with YA Author Felicia Bridges

I’ve always loved books about far flung places. It’s a wonderful way to expand horizons. I decided to talk with YA author Felicia Bridges about her experiences and ask her advice about writing about other cultures and countries.

Felicia believes life is a great adventure written by the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Her adventures as an Army BRAT included living in eight states and two foreign countries by age fifteen. Along with a strong foundation of faith, this nomadic childhood created a passion for missions and travel which leads her writing to exotic places. Felicia has a degree in Psychology, but her experience as a short-term missionary, HR Manager, mother of four, and pastor’s wife provide her most unusual tales.

Find Felicia Bridges at:

www.InternationalMissionForce.com
@fbridges2 on Instagram
feliciabowenbridges@gmail.com
@fbridges272 on Twitter
Felicia Bowen Bridges – Writer on Facebook
Felicia Bowen Bridges on Pinterest

DJS: I’ve always found studying and learning about different countries and cultures fascinating. When learning about and researching other cultures for fiction writing, what do you feel are the most important things to keep in mind?

FB: Bearing in mind that while customs which are unfamiliar to us may seem odd, they usually have a logical basis. It’s critical to keep digging until we can portray another culture authentically in a way that helps broaden our readers’ understanding.

DJS: What was the most interesting or surprising thing you discovered as you were delving into your research for your books?

FB: There have been so many surprising and amazing discoveries, it’s impossible to pick one. One of my favorite discoveries was in researching Czech folklore. They have such a rich history and I would spend hours one the internet reading one story after another. The most surprising discovery was the legendary story of Campbell Bridges that I wove into KenyaQuest. This real-life Indiana Jones figure lived a fascinating life and I was honored that his widow and son worked with me to ensure I portrayed that accurately. In BoliviaKnight, the most amazing discovery was the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. This amazing place forms a giant mirror during the rainy season providing stunning pictures of the sky reflected on the salt. This place tops my bucket list of places I’d love to visit!

DJS: It’s so important to respect other cultures. How can an author make sure to stay authentic when writing about a segment of society they are not a part of?

FB: In today’s world it is absolutely critical to be respectful in our depiction of other cultures. Failure to recognize and eschew stereotypes can literally ruin your career with a single tweet. I’ve spent the past ten years pursuing a greater understanding of my own biases and privilege, and a deeper understanding of the perspectives of marginalized people groups. Since my series necessitates portraying people from different cultures, I’ve tried to be intentional about researching the culture and avoiding stereotypes. We also need to communicate well that authors of fiction are working from our research plus imagination.

DJS: I’d love to take research trips. Who wouldn’t? It sounds like fun! Unfortunately, that’s not always possible. What advice would you give to someone who wants to learn about other countries or cultures, but their resources are limited?

FB: We are so privileged to live and write in a time where we can virtually visit anywhere on the planet. Although nothing can compare to actually walking in the places that you are writing about, I’ve learned so much from building relationships with missionaries, from using technological tools like Google Earth ™ and the internet to search out answers for any question that arises. For the relatively small cost of internet service, we can zoom in to street level in Prague, read a firsthand account of an expedition in the Amazon, or see glorious pictures of the cultural festivals in Papua New Guinea. I would advise them to research all they can online and save all they can to be able to travel to their favorite places.

These are all great points and suggestions! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

Felicia’s series debut, The International Mission Force, features the exploits of teenage missionaries around the globe and begins with CzechMate, which is set in Czechia. BoliviaKnight and KenyaQuest carry readers to Bolivia and Kenya. The next book in the seires, IslandGambit, is set in Papua New Guinea and due to release in 2020.

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.

Tags authenticity, Felicia Bridges, interviews, other cultures, Research, writing for YA, young adult

Writing for YA

How to Alienate and Offend Readers: Diversity and Sensitivity

Post author By Donna Jo Stone
Post date February 27, 2020
No Comments on How to Alienate and Offend Readers: Diversity and Sensitivity

What’s sensitivity reader?

A sensitivity reader may not be what you think it is.

These are not “thin-skinned” readers ready to roast a writer for making a misstep. They are fact checkers who examine your writing for specific things. Sensitivity readers help authors find places in their manuscript where they have unwittingly used inaccurate information in describing a diverse character, and to check for things that could be considered offensive. They are Diversity Editors.

Who needs sensitivity readers?

Everyone writing a character from any marginalized or diverse community.

Even if a person is writing about a group they feel they know everything about, a sensitivity reader isn’t a bad idea. Different points of view enrich understanding.

An author can write beautiful prose, have a great story idea, and even be well known, but if a story doesn’t pass muster, the manuscript may not have a chance with an agent or publisher. And it shouldn’t!

When does it matter?

Always.

A novelist is duty bound to represent all sorts of people in such a way that it does not harm or perpetuate harmful stereotypes and myths. People are influenced by what they read, and there is no magic loophole. Claiming it’s “just fiction” or it’s “just a minor character” won’t fly. Words influence.

Listen to your sensitivity readers.

When engaging a sensitivity reader, a writer doesn’t get to tell them what they’re being nitpicky about. As with most differences of opinion, finding common ground requires listening. If there is a disagreement about feedback, engaging more sensitivity readers and going with the majority is the best course of action.

If a writer chooses to ignore their suggestions on style, grammar, plot lines, they are not hurting anyone, except possibly themselves, but ignoring information acquired from a sensitivity reader poses a real danger of failing the author’s audience.

Once a novelist has done harm, I no longer trust them.

As a reader, I don’t often let novelists off the hook for representing of groups of people in a harmful way.

If I read a novel I know is misrepresenting people, I am not likely read books by the author again or suggest his or her books to anyone. If their name comes up in conversation, I may not have a positive reaction, no matter how famous they are.

Our stories influence.

Sadly, there are novels out there that continue to do damage by perpetuating falsehoods and stereotypes, encouraging attitudes and prejudices. Writers have a certain amount of responsibility. The stories we write influence the world around us. The best ones influence in a positive way.

Sensitivity readers can be found by searching for readers within the community you are writing about, or by finding paid sensitivity readers online. I start my search with writing groups, then the community groups, both local and on Facebook.

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.

Tags diversity, offensive, sensitivity readers, writing for YA, young adult