October 2010

Letting Your WIP RIP… For a Spell

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Dear Editor…

It’s a good idea to take a break from a WIP for a period of time, say, three months, to gain perspective. But when? After I finish the rough draft? Or once I’ve revised to the point where I’m thinking the story’s in good shape?

Sincerely,

Jay

Dear Jay…

There’s no rule for this one, so let the goal of the Big Nap determine your timing. That is, the point of not looking at a work-in-progress for a short spell is to make it possible for you to see weaknesses you’ve become blind to during your deep immersion in it. If you don’t see anything to revise after the first draft, then that’s your moment. But because first drafts usually resemble a bunch of ragged swatches duct-taped to a sewing mannequin, you’ll probably spot plenty of revision possibilities then. I’d expect the blindness to set in more commonly after the second or even third draft, when, yes, you think the story’s in good shape. That’s when fresh eyes are imperative.

Happy Halloween!

The Editor

Pitching a Dual POV Novel

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Dear Editor…

I’m working on my logline/elevator pitch. I have been told that it should be one sentence, and no more than 17 words. What about dual POV stories? While they do end up together, they also have their own story arcs.  Do I pick 1 for my pitch or is 2 lines—one for each—okay?

Sincerely,

Rachel

Dear Rachel…

17 seems an arbitrary number, but if it keeps you focused, I’m all for it. And focus is what matters here. If you’ve got two storylines for two point of view characters, there should be some point of intersection for them—that’s where you focus your pitch. What’s the common denominator that allows these two people and stories to exist within the same novel? Do they speak to two sides of the question “What is love?” Do they explore the same theme and come to different conclusions about it? That theme is the anchor for your pitch, as in: “In a school where money means Everything, two freshmen find out what happens when Everything is suddenly gone.” What do you know! If you’ll let me ignore the word “a”, then I hit the magic 17.

Happy writing!

The Editor

How Much Talk Is Too Much in YA Fiction?

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Dear Editor…

How much dialogue is too much dialogue in a young adult novel?

Sincerely,

Katie

Dear Katie…

I’m on Day 7 of intense dialogue immersion as I draft that chapter of Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies, so your question finds me in the right frame of mind—albeit barely. The gray matter is nearly wrung dry on this topic. Let’s see what I can squeeze out.

There’s no official “too much” threshold for dialogue in YA fiction. You’ve got to find the right balance of dialogue and narrative for your style and your target age group. The bestselling The Book Thief (ages 12 and up) is almost 600 pages, with probably 2/3 of each page being narrative rather than dialogue. This might intimidate younger readers, who tend to feel comfortable seeing white space and dialogue on their pages. But then, The Book Thief’s got a lot of white space thanks to frequent paragraphing, and its conversational narration makes even the narrative bits feel like dialogue, establishing a satisfying balance. The reverse, a book that’s 2/3 dialogue on each page, can feel balanced if the narrative that does appear avoids wasting time on innocuous actions (brushing hair aside, turning to face other characters) and instead offers dynamic and revealing actions that challenge readers—perhaps deliberately contradicting the spoken words, or hinting at feelings that the speaking character wants to hide. The narrative could add a subtext, extra plot info, and additional tension to the story. My worry is that setting might be overlooked when the narrative is spare. Setting can be worked into the action (a character interacting with a prop in a revealing manner) or directly addressed in the narrative (a brief sensual description of the place) to illuminate or enhance your character in ways that dialogue alone cannot do.

Happy writing!

The Editor

Finding Adventure in Historical Fiction

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Dear Editor…

I have just completed an MG adventure for boys set in the middle ages. I’ve heard that historical fiction is a hard sell these days. How should I pitch my manuscript?

Sincerely,

Nancy

Dear Nancy…

Okay, so historical fiction isn’t as hot as vampire love stories right now, but you’ve got a secret weapon—a middle grade adventure for boys! Editors crave that. Pitch the action with the biggest fork you can find. Knights and armor, warlords and feudal tragedy, crusades and barbarian invasions, and royalty that snuffs each other out faster than Black Death? Yowza! Gotta love the middle ages. “MG adventure for boys” are the keywords for your pitch. Hit that angle hard.

Happy writing!

The Editor

The Sweet Smell of Submissions

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Dear Editor…

I have written a picture book manuscript and am confused about what to write as far as a cover letter/query letter. It’s my understanding I send the entire ms (461 words) with it for any submissions. What do I need to send with the ms?

Sincerely,

Melanie

Dear Melanie…

Don’t let the jargon trip you up. Submit two things: the cover letter (called a “query letter”) and your manuscript. That’s all.

Seriously. That’s ALL. Don’t include anything gimmicky. An author once sent me a vial of homemade perfume that tied into her story’s theme. Only, I didn’t know the vial was in the submission envelope when I shoved it into my bag to read at home—along with several full novel manuscripts. The vial was crushed in my car. The scent? Let’s just say the manuscript was about a horse and leave it at that.

Happy writing!

The Editor

Is the “Upper” Part of “Upper YA” Moving Up?

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Dear Editor…

Are novels with protagonists who are in their late teens and early twenties also considered YA? Lauren Conrad’s new YA series has characters who are 19. How old can a heroine/hero be in a YA novel? Please clarify! Thanks!

Sincerely,

Mayra

Dear Mayra…

Traditionally, no. But what does tradition have to do with reality TV? Lauren Conrad was a high school senior when she starred in her first reality show, Laguna, and at 20 years old she started filming the spin-off The Hills. It makes sense that her “semi-autobiographical” multi-book deal would be aimed at the upper YA audience with the crossover adult market also firmly in those sights. In the first book, L.A. Candy, the protagonist is already nineteen years old and out of high school. This isn’t an anomaly, by any means. Publishers are venturing into the upper teen/early twenties demographic that falls in the gap between YA’s traditional age-18 cut-off and books for adults. Conrad already has that audience covered with her TV platform, so she’s a natural fit for this stretching of the YA boundaries.

Happy writing!

The Editor

NEWSFLASH: The Free Picture Book Edit Giveaway Winner

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Dear Readers…

We have a winner for the six-month anniversary giveaway for the FREE PICTURE BOOK EDIT. Read on for the winner….

Dear Readers…

The giveaway for one free edit of a picture book manuscript is over. This morning I used Randomizer.org to select the winning entry. It’s my pleasure to announce the winner: JENNIFER CARSON, with her picture book manuscript Stinking Beauty. I look forward to spending time with Jennifer and finding out what’s so smelly about Beauty.

Thanks so much to everyone for a fun first six months! I love sharing what I’ve learned in the book biz trenches, and your questions keep me on my toes.  Keep ‘em coming, along with your tips, thoughts, and anecdotes in the comments section. Learning from others’ experience is what this website is about. And hey, if you’ve got a hankering to call me with a question, author Katie Davis is offering that chance: You can call her toll free number 888-522-1929 and leave a message with a question that I can answer through her podcast “Brain Burps About Books,” which we’ll be taping in November. I’ll post an update when that podcast is available for listening. Tomorrow, I’ll post a question-and-answer about reality TV stars and the YA fiction market. As they say in the boob tube biz, stay tuned….

Happy writing!

The Editor