Category: Writing

Five Bits of Advice for Writers by Beth Revis

11/13/2015

This week's Friday Five is a guest post from Beth Revis, author of the Across the Universe trilogy, as well as The Body Electric, Paper Hearts, and A World Without You (due out next summer). I often follow advice from other writers, and I love Beth's five bits of wisdom.

Five Bits of Advice for Writers by an Author Ready to Stab Her Book
Guest post by Beth Revis

I'm just wrapping up the last round of edits for my newest book, A World Without You, which is coming out next July. Meanwhile, I'm also preparing to launch my first nonfiction, Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice, which will be out November 1. With all these projects in the air, I'm pretty sick of editing and ready for these books to be done. So here's my advice for writers before they get to that stabby stage.

1. Get a "touchstone." It could be a favorite scene or line or image in the story. It could be a physical object, such as a quote or photograph or item that inspired you. But have a thing that can be your touchstone for your book, something that will remind you of the reason you wrote it. Because by the time you finish edits, you'll likely lose sight of it and will need a reminder.

2. Remember that the only thing you control about a book is the words inside it. Don't get too hung up on the cover, cover copy, buzz, or any other thing. You only get the story. Focus on that.

3. Don't be afraid to try new things. Sometimes we define our selves in certain ways that limit us. I used to proudly boast that I never outlined, and that made me reluctant to try an outline when I needed one. Don't sell yourself short by a narrow definition.

4. Not working is working. When you find yourself just frustrated and stuck and ragey and stabby, step back. Give yourself a break. You can't work when you're burnt out.

5. Remind yourself that it's worth it. By the time I finish edits, I'm ready to slaughter all characters and burn the world to the ground. I'm so done. But it's worth it. It really, really is.

More about Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice

Your enemy is the blank page. When it comes to writing, there's no wrong way to get words on paper. But it's not always easy to make the ink flow. Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice won't make writing any simpler, but it may help spark your imagination and get your hands back on the keyboard.

Practical Advice Meets Real Experience
With information that takes you from common mistakes in grammar to detailed charts on story structure, Paper Hearts describes: How to Develop Character, Plot, and World, What Common Advice You Should Ignore, What Advice Actually Helps, How to Develop a Novel, The Basics of Grammar, Style, and Tone, Four Practical Methods of Charting Story Structure, How to Get Critiques and Revise Your Novel, How to Deal with Failure, and much more!

BONUS! More than 25 "What to do if" scenarios to help writers navigate problems in writing from a New York Times Bestselling author who's written more than 2 million words of fiction.

More about author Beth Revis

Beth Revis

Beth Revis is the New York Times bestselling author of the Across the Universe trilogy, as well as The Body Electric, Paper Hearts, and the forthcoming A World Without You. She lives in the Appalachian mountains with her boys: one husband, one son, and two very large dogs.

You can find out more on Facebook, Twitter, or online. If you never want to miss a thing and also get exclusive insider opportunities, sign up for her newsletter here.

Thank you, Beth, for the thoughtful post!
I find the burn-out advice to be true for many activities and now I'm in search of a touchstone for my work-in-progress. Readers, did any particular bits of this resonate with you?

Interview with YA Author Mimi Cross

11/6/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

Mimi Cross interview at YvonneVentresca.com

For this week's Friday Five, I'm pleased to feature an interview with author Mimi Cross. Her debut young adult novel, Before Goodbye, will be available January 1, 2016. Mimi and I have attended many NJ writing conferences together, so I'm thrilled to share this behind-the-scenes Q&A about her writing.

Interview with Mimi Cross

1. What was your inspiration for writing Before Goodbye?

A few years ago a friend of mine sent me this great song about a girl crushing on a guy. After listening to it a bunch of times, I got the feeling that the girl was watching the guy from afar, and I wondered why she wasn’t trying to connect with him, since she was so into him. From there I rabbit-holed, wondering about a lot of things, but mainly, why so many people have trouble expressing themselves. And I realized, over time, that I had an idea about this girl: Hers was no ordinary case of awkwardness, of being tongue-tied. Finding the right words--that was the crux her struggle, but also finding something more than words.

I also wondered, what if the girl never got the chance to tell the guy how she felt? I’m a sucker for unrequited love, so that pretty much sealed the deal. Cate and David’s story started to spread from those few sparks of inspiration, lit by the song.

2. What have you learned about writing over time that you wish you knew earlier?

That you actually have to do it! Write, I mean. Sounds crazy, I know, I know. But the thing is, if you want to write a song, you need to write the song. If you want to write a book, you have to write the book. Dreaming about it, planning it, talking about it--this will not get your project done. Telling people you want to be a writer--that won’t work either. Intention is important, but it’s only a jumping off point. A diving board. Writers write. They dive in. Don’t ask how deep, how wide. (Is it good? Will anyone like it?) Just dive in and swim. And definitely, don’t wait until you learn how, or until you grow up.

3. What’s the most frustrating part of writing for you?

Finding enough time to write everything I want to write.

4. What advice would you offer to other writers?

Keep writing. Journal, write poetry, write songs, write love letters. Write lists! Write down your dreams and ideas and hopes and fears. Write down a pack of lies. Find a pen pal. Write to them. Write when you’re sad, but also when you’re happy. That’s very important. Write when you’re content. Write when it feels like you have nothing to write. Write when you’re angry, when you’re tired. Write when you’re lonely--and you’ll discover you’re not. You may be alone, but if you have a notebook? You never really be lonely. Write alone. Write with friends. Write in public, but keep your project private, mostly, until it’s done.

Sooner or later, it’s going to drive you so crazy that you’ve got all this stuff all over the place--millions of notebooks, napkins, loose pages, binders--that you’ll write a novel, just so you can have all your bits and pieces bound up in one book. Or ten books. But maybe you already know all of this, if you’re a writer. Maybe you don’t know…that yoga is great for eliminating writer’s block and boosting your creativity.

5. What do you know now that you wish you had known as a teen?

The writing adds up. It’s cumulative. It’s a practice. It’s…like a progressive disease. But that’s not even the big cherry bomb aha for me. No. The big revelation in my life has been having a child. For me, being a mother has been and continues to be an amazing, transformative experience. I almost drank the Cool Aide and missed out. If I’d known as a teen what a perfect fit motherhood would be for me… But none of us has a crystal ball. We do, however, have pens and books. Happy writing, happy reading. Xo Mimi

More about Before Goodbye

Music means more than anything to high school student Cate Reese; it’s also what unites her with Cal Woods. Devoted classical guitar players, Cate and Cal are childhood friends newly smitten by love--until a devastating car accident rips Cal out of Cate’s life forever. Blaming herself for the horrific tragedy and struggling to surface from her despair, Cate spirals downhill in a desperate attempt to ease her pain.

Fellow student David Bennet might look like the school’s golden boy, but underneath the surface the popular athlete battles demons of his own. Racked with survivor’s guilt after his brother’s suicide, things get worse when tragedy darkens his world again--but connecting with Cate, his sister’s longtime babysitter, starts bringing the light back in. As Cate and David grow closer, the two shattered teenagers learn to examine the pieces of their lives . . . and, together, find a way to be whole again.

More about Mimi Cross

Author Mimi Cross

Mimi Cross was born in Toronto, Canada. She received a master’s degree from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in music from Ithaca College. She has been a performer, a music educator, and a yoga instructor. During the course of her musical career, she’s shared the bill with artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, and Sting. She resides in New Jersey. Visit Mimi online or follow her on Twitter at @mimicross.

Thanks for the interview, Mimi. Best of luck with the book launch!

NaNoWriMo Resources for Young Writers

10/27/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

My blog is turning two!

To celebrate two years of blogging this month, I recently put together a new Resources for Teen Writers page. It includes:

Interviews with editors who publish teen writers
Links to places where young writers can submit work
Advice from other authors
Teen writing communities and more!

Take a look and let me know what you think.

NaNoWriMo has a modified program for "young" writers (classified as 17 and younger.) Because of school and other commitments, you can sign up to complete a word count of your choice. You set the goal to something that will be manageable--whatever length you want! The website includes free access to downloadable workbooks (elementary, middle, or high school), pep talks for motivation and encouragement, and an online community of other writers. (I blogged about my own decision to try NaNoWriMo here.) You "win" by meeting your word count goal by the the end of the month. Any progress toward a creative goal is winning! As Napoleon Hill said:

What goals do you have for November and beyond?

Five Ways Writing is like Karate

10/23/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

Five Ways Writing is Like Karate

I’ve been studying Isshinryu karate for a decade and I’ve been writing even longer than that. Over time, I’ve noticed similarities between the martial arts and the process of creating a novel. Here are five ways writing is like karate.

1. The details matter. When you’re blocking a punch, specifics like posture, stance, the angle of your arm, and its distance from your body are all important. When you kick, you need to chamber the leg, angle the foot just right. Little changes can have a large effect. This is similar to writing and word choice. The thesaurus provides several options for “walk,” but there’s a big difference between a stroll, a march, and a hike. Precise language (and grammar and structure) can elevate a piece of writing.

2. Be inspired by the best. There is often a gap between your own skill level and those who you admire. It’s a humbling experience to watch someone masterful perform a kata (a predetermined sequence of moves) that you’ve been practicing for years. The same goes for reading an excellent story. Ira Glass has a great quote (left) about not being frustrated by the gap. Use the disparity between the novel that you respect and the one you’re writing as incentive to improve.

3. Comradery helps. Karate isn’t a team sport; neither is writing. Comradery among people who study the martial arts, and those who create stories, can make the difference between a long-term commitment and a short-lived hobby. Friendships and connections formed over a common love provide moral support during “stuck” periods and these same people help celebrate the successes.

4. Deadlines combined with a goal can be motivating. There’s nothing like a tournament or testing for a promotion to get martial artists to practice more, to examine and fix even the smallest body movements. Writing more consistently tends to happen with a looming revision due date, a contest deadline, or a synopsis to complete before a conference. Then it feels like each word is examined in a new way, each sentence polished. Use deadlines to your advantage.

5. Learning is a continuous process. In the martial arts, there is a cultural aspect, a physical part, a mental component, and a philosophical piece. Memorizing one (or even seventeen) kata doesn’t necessarily make someone accomplished. Having one novel finished (or published) doesn’t make someone a master at writing. There is never a total sense of being done, even after a closing bow or typing “the end.” The opportunity for continued growth and learning is why I stay committed to both these arts.

Yvonne’s karate and writing worlds collide during a dojo celebration of her debut novel, Pandemic.

Have you ever found similarities between two different areas of your life? Share your experience in the comments.

Why Try NaNoWriMo?

10/22/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

I've decided to try NaNoWriMo this November. (If you're unfamiliar with the concept, many writers use the month to begin a new writing project, with the goal of drafting 50,000 words.) My mom, who has provided huge moral support throughout my writing career, had two questions: Isn't 50,000 words a lot? (YES!) And: Why in the world would you want to try that?

Me and Mom: a favorite pic

I've thought a lot about the answer, because apparently the concept of NaNoWriMo can be controversial--some people believe that writing slower is the better approach, that quality is better than quantity. Trust me: I certainly don't expect to have a submission-ready manuscript on December 1st. I've used the slow and steady method, so why not give this a try? One thing I've learned is that public accountability works for me. The act of declaring my goal means I have to make a serious effort! Besides, there's no failing at this--even if I only hit 25K words, that would be a huge accomplishment. I think the community aspect makes this fun. And the timing is right for me, personally. I've been researching a new novel, but haven't really started writing in earnest.

Now if I can just convince my mom to come visit for the month. . . .

What's the last experiment you've tried? How did it go?

Detours on the Road to Publication by Laurie Wallmark

10/9/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

For today's Friday Five, I'm happy to celebrate both Laurie Wallmark's debut picture book AND her birthday! Join me in wishing Laurie the best as she shares a guest post about detours on the road to publication.

Five Detours on the Road to Publication by Laurie Wallmark

Detour Ahead!

We all know the road to publication is not a straight journey from story idea to published book. Here are five detours I experienced along the way:

1. When my first novel failed to sell (for good reason, I now know), I figured it was a sign. After all, I had majored in biochemistry and information systems, not English or creative writing, so I stopped writing. Stopped, that is, until years later an idea for another novel invaded my brain and wouldn’t let go.

2. I entered this second novel into a writing competition. I was lucky, because that year’s contest was limited to middle-grade mysteries, which my finished novel just happened to be. I won, which resulted in an offer of publication. Good news, right? Well, not so much. This company went out of business before my book came out.

3. I found an agent who connected with several of my picture books, but liked one in particular and wanted to send it out on submission. Contract signed, we were good to go. Not quite. The agent hadn’t asked which publishers had already seen the manuscript. When I told her my book had been submitted already to six or seven editors, she pulled the offer. I guess I did too good a job of targeting publishers, because those were where she wanted to submit my manuscript.

4. Several years passed, and I continued to write and study my craft. When I had several picture books all shiny and ready to go, I again began an agent search. I had several requests to see more material and a few revise and resubmits. I was sure I was on my way. A year later, these agents had all either finally rejected me or stopped responding. Talk about discouraging. I was so close, but obviously not close enough. I told my critique group that I had had it. I wasn’t going to write any more. At the time I was taking a children’s literature course in the early childhood education department of my college. Because I was the only “writer” in the class, the professor asked me to read one of my pieces. The reaction of the other students was so positive it got me over my funk. Yes, I know because they liked me, they also liked my writing, but it was still nice to get some positive reinforcement for a change. I began writing again.

5. I realized I needed to concentrate on my writing and get off the trying to get published roller coaster. I decided to go for an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. The two year break would not only improve my craft, but I wouldn’t have to think about editors and agents for a while. Within a few months of starting school, I sold my first book, Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine.

The take-away from these five episodes? Though it’s not easy to get published, you certainly never will if you don’t keep coming back to the journey. Enjoy the trip!

More about Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE (Creston Books, October 2015) is a picture-book biography of the world’s first computer programmer. Ada was born two hundred years ago, long before the invention of the modern electronic computer. At a time when girls and women had few options outside the home, Ada followed her dreams and studied mathematics. This book, by Laurie Wallmark and April Chu, tells the story of a remarkable woman and her work. Kirkus Reviews [starred review] describes the book as a “splendidly inspiring introduction to an unjustly overlooked woman.”

More about Laurie Wallmark

Laurie Wallmark

Laurie Wallmark writes exclusively for children. She can't imagine having to restrict herself to only one type of book, so she writes picture books, middle-grade novels, poetry, and nonfiction. She is currently pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. When not writing or studying, Laurie teaches computer science at a local community college, both on campus and in prison.

Join Laurie as she travels from blog to blog to introduce her debut picture book, Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine. All stops are listed here. Connect with Laurie through her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Thanks for the guest post, Laurie!
Readers, feel free to share your own unexpected life detours in the comments.

Resources to Create Your Story Setting

10/2/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

Setting is a crucial element in writing any story. In Pandemic, it’s important that the outbreak strikes in an average American town. Could something like this happen there tomorrow? The commonplace setting adds to the element of fear.

Five Helpful Setting Resources

1. The best settings are almost like separate characters in the story. This in-depth article from Writer’s Digest describes the craft of creating a setting with multiple examples:

2. If you are drawing a total blank on where to set your story, use this generator to spark an idea.

3. Do you like working with prompts? This link provides 21 setting-related questions.

4. Visit Jody Hedlund's post for five tips about writing better settings.

5. Looking for some writing exercises related to setting? Try these.

Pandemic recently won a 2015 Readers' Choice Award from Morris/Essex Health & Life Magazine based on the novel's setting. :)

Idyllic Setting

Writers: Let me know in the comments if you have any favorite setting-related tips.
Readers: What makes a setting memorable to you? What are some of your favorite novel settings?

Writing Advice from Author Clare Helen Welsh

9/11/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

Congratulations to author Clare Helen Welsh on her picture book debut, Aerodynamics of Biscuits, which is available this month! For this week's Friday Five, Clare shares some writing advice.

Five Pieces of Writing Advice
by Clare Helen Welsh

Write the book you want to read.
I’ve heard people say ‘write the book you want to read,’ but in my case, it was ‘write the book you want your children to read’. That’s both my own children and the children I teach at school. I like my fiction full to the brim with excitement and adventure, leaving you reliving the plot long after the last page has turned. The Tiger that Came to Tea, by Judith Kerr is a great example of this. Also all the Oliver Jeffers’ stories, but especially Stuck. In my opinion, there aren’t enough books that engage young readers, especially boys, like this. Clarifying what it is you like in a book can give you aim, direction and purpose in your own writing.

Read the books you want to write.
I was given the advice quite early on to spend time in the library researching common trends and themes, but to be honest, with ten years’ teaching experience and young children of my own, I thought I had quite a good handle on the market. Now I spend as much time as I can reading; at school, at home and in the library. Sometimes three or four hours at a time; researching characters, analysing plots and unpicking endings. Examining the mechanics of someone else’s writing can help to improve your own. When I was writing Aerodynamics of Biscuits, I spent many an hour researching page turners to help keep readers’ attention and pace.

Clare with daughter Sienna

Connect with your inner child.
Standing out to a prospective agent or publisher is tough. Very, VERY tough. If you get feedback that your submissions are ‘too quiet,’ which I take to mean forgettable, or to simply give your manuscript the best chance of standing out in the slushpile, make sure your idea sparkles and glistens and screams ‘but I’m so much better than the rest!’ At the SCBWI-BI Picture Book Retreat, author-illustrator Alexis Deacon suggested using snippets, anecdotes and tales from our childhood to create new and exciting submissions that are less generic and haven’t been seen by the industry many, many times before. And if you didn’t have a particularly inspiring childhood, ask your friends about theirs…. one of them is bound to have the perfect story to tell.

Make the most of every opportunity that comes your way.
Join a writing group, network with others, engage in a critique group, volunteer at events, enter competitions, apply for scholarships, attend conferences and spend time with children! If you really want to make a career out of writing, grab as many opportunities as you can to help you advance and make headway.
And finally…

First drafts are meant to be awful!
Ok, so maybe there are some exceptions! But for the most of us, writing is blood, sweat, tears, frustration and persistent, hard work…oh and editing! Take it from someone who came to writing later in life and so suffers self-doubt as far as writing talent goes; if you have a kernel of an idea that shows promise, re-read it, edit it and polish it until it’s the best it can be. I promise you’ll be surprised what you can achieve.

It won’t be quick.
It won’t be easy.
It won’t always be fun
…but it will definitely be worth it!

More about Clare

Clare Helen Welsh

Clare lives in Devon, England with her husband and two children. She teaches in a primary school and has over ten years experience in Early Years and Key Stage One. In 2014 she became a Specialist leader of Education, supporting local schools to achieve high standards in phonics, primary languages and the Early Years Foundation Stage.

In 2013, Clare won The Margaret Carey Scholarship for Picture Book Writers and she received Silver Medal at The Greenhouse Funny Prize 2014 for her picture book, Aerodynamics of Biscuits, which is due to be published by Maverick Arts Publishing in September 2015. Clare is represented by Alice Williams of David Higham Associates.

Interview with Soundings Review YA Editor

9/4/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

YvonneVentresca.com Soundings Review magazine cover

This week's blog post is a combination of Teen Tuesday and my usual Friday Five. I'm pleased to share an interview with Martha Schoemaker, the Children's and Young Adult Editor of Soundings Review. Published by the Northwestern Institute of Literary Arts, Soundings Review magazine is a paying market ($25 per prose piece); submissions require a $3 fee through Submittable. The current reading period (fall) runs from September 1 to December 1.

What makes Soundings Review different from other magazines?

Soundings Review is a magazine of creative writing. In addition to publishing poetry, fiction, and non-fiction for adults, we also publish writing for children and young adults. While we recognize that children probably don’t read our magazine, we hope to serve as a showcase for the best writing we can find for ages eight through eighteen. We’re also open to submissions for younger readers, but we rarely get them.

Just to confirm--you accept submissions from teens and adults?

Yes. The age of the author isn’t a consideration. In fact, most of the editors at Soundings Review read the submission before we read the cover letter, and we usually have no idea of the age of our authors. We prefer to judge the work on its own merits before we look at a writer’s publication history and credentials.

What specific advice would you give to teen writers who would like to be published in Soundings Review?

Before you submit, ask yourself if it’s the best work you can do. If the answer is yes, send it to us accompanied by a simple cover letter that includes the title and description of the piece you are submitting along with a short bio of yourself. You can find many examples online. If you have a publication history, please include it, but it can be quite rewarding to publish debut authors if the work is excellent. It’s all about the quality of the work and the personal taste of the editors. The submission guidelines are available here.

What is the most common mistake or flaw that you see in submissions?

Several issues will take the work out of consideration for Soundings Review.

1) The piece is written for teens but from an adult perspective. I recently rejected a fine piece of writing that was about a teenager but written from the point of view of an adult. That is not young adult writing.

2) The quality simply isn’t there. Take the time to hone your craft. Proofread more than once, and get someone else to take a look at it. It can be difficult to edit your own work.

3) Illustrations. It costs lots of money to include illustrations, especially in color. Our budget usually won’t cover that.

4) The author talks down to children by being overly cute or clever, especially with picture books. In my opinion, picture books and books for the very young are the most difficult genres to write. Don’t even try it until you’ve read at least 200 quality picture books. Go to your local bookstore or talk to a librarian to get ideas.

Anything else you'd like to add?

Read widely in your chosen genre or genres. I’ve gotten a few middle grade and young adult submissions from people who don’t seem to have read much in those genres. Ask yourself what you loved to read as a child. Reread some of those books and stories, and find new ones you can love just as much.

Is your goal to sell your writing? There’s nothing wrong with that! Study the market, but write what you love. Your passion will show in your writing.

Good writers become better writers by reading craft books, by taking workshops and classes and working with other writers, and by writing as much as possible.

Write well!

Thank you, Martha, for your advice about writing and Soundings Review.
Writing friends--how do you find new markets to submit your work to?

Interview with YA author Natasha Sinel

8/28/2015

By Yvonne Ventresca

In this masterful debut, Natasha Sinel explores how a shocking act of betrayal can be overlooked within an otherwise loving family. A vivid storyteller, Sinel tackles an emotional topic, portraying the pain and repercussions of Macy’s experience with an honest sensitivity.

The Fix is officially launching September 1st, but is already available for purchase. I'm thrilled to share a Q&A with Natasha as this week's Friday Five.

What was your inspiration for writing The Fix?

I took one meaningful moment from my own high school experience--a girl and a guy have an intense conversation and then he disappears the next day--and then I built a new story from there. I knew that Macy, the main character, was angry, especially at her mom, and as I dug into her backstory, I discovered why. Ultimately, the reason for her anger and her struggle to come to terms with her past became what the book was about.

The Fix is your debut! Is it the first novel you’ve written?

My first manuscript got representation after only about eight queries, so I was feeling pretty confident when it went on submission to editors in 2010! But that book wasn’t acquired, so I wrote another manuscript (The Fix), which was acquired in 2014. So, while I didn’t get a huge number of rejections from agents, the editors more than made up for that!

The Fix covers some difficult topics. Did you ever find yourself censoring scenes that you wanted to portray?

Great question. Yes! There is a flashback scene that I went back and forth about. It was a tough scene to write, and I know that it may be uncomfortable to read. I re-wrote it at one point to make it milder, to take the flashback more “off the page.” And then Carrie Mesrobian, an author whose work I respect so much, read the manuscript and encouraged me to return to the scene as I’d written it originally--it was too important to tone down. She was so right, and I’m so thankful to her for persuading me to fight to keep the scene (turns out, I didn’t need to, as my editor agreed).

What’s the most frustrating part of writing for you?

First drafting is really hard for me. It’s when you have to get real about this perfect new idea you’ve been dreaming of. Turning an idea into a 300 page novel is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. When the drafting starts to get hard, I get tempted by new ideas or I begin to think that I should go back and re-do what I’ve already written. But the reality is, I could keep doing that forever. The key is to finish the first draft, and then go back to the beginning. And when I get tempted by the new ideas, I write them down in a notebook and move on.

What have you learned about writing over time that you wish you knew earlier? And what advice would you give to other writers?

The writing and the publishing of the writing are two very different things. I wish I’d learned earlier how to keep them more separate. I wish I’d spent more time writing and less time waiting, worrying, and obsessing over the publishing part. If I’d written consistently throughout querying, submission, debut year, I’d have several more books worth of words by now. Lesson learned and now I’m writing much more consistently. I have convinced myself recently that the writing comes first, and then the other stuff. So that’s my advice. Figure out how to keep writing, even if it’s for fifteen minutes every other day, because it’s easy to lose sight of the reason most of us started writing in the first place--because we love to write and it makes us feel alive.

More about The Fix

One conversation is all it takes to break a world wide open.

Seventeen-year-old Macy Lyons has been through something no one should ever have to experience. And she’s dealt with it entirely alone.

On the outside, she’s got it pretty good. Her family’s well-off, she’s dating the cute boy next door, she has plenty of friends, and although she long ago wrote her mother off as a superficial gym rat, she’s thankful to have allies in her loving, laid-back dad and her younger brother.

But a conversation with a boy at a party one night shakes Macy out of the carefully maintained complacency that has defined her life so far. The boy is Sebastian Ruiz, a recovering addict who recognizes that Macy is hardened by dark secrets. And as Macy falls for Sebastian, she realizes that, while revealing her secret could ruin her seemingly perfect family, keeping silent might just destroy her.

The Fix follows two good-hearted teenagers coming to terms with the cards they were dealt. It’s also about the fixes we rely on to cope with our most shameful secrets and the hope and fear that comes with meeting someone who challenges us to come clean.

Add The Fix to your to-read list on Goodreads.
Order The Fix on Indiebound, Amazon, Barnes & Noble.

More about Natasha Sinel

YvonneVentresca.com photo of Natasha Sinel

Natasha Sinel writes YA fiction from her home on a dirt road in Northern Westchester, NY. She drives her kids around all afternoon but in her head, she’s still in high school and hopes no one near her can read minds. You can find her on Twitter or Facebook. The Fix (Sky Pony Press, September 1, 2015) is her first novel.

<<Previous

Forward>>

Five Bits of Advice for Writers by Beth Revis

Five Bits of Advice for Writers by an Author Ready to Stab Her Book
Guest post by Beth Revis

More about Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice

More about author Beth Revis

Interview with YA Author Mimi Cross

Interview with Mimi Cross

More about Before Goodbye

More about Mimi Cross

NaNoWriMo Resources for Young Writers

Five Ways Writing is like Karate

Five Ways Writing is Like Karate

Why Try NaNoWriMo?

Detours on the Road to Publication by Laurie Wallmark

Five Detours on the Road to Publication by Laurie Wallmark

More about Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

More about Laurie Wallmark

Resources to Create Your Story Setting

Five Helpful Setting Resources

Writing Advice from Author Clare Helen Welsh

Five Pieces of Writing Advice
by Clare Helen Welsh

More about Clare

Interview with Soundings Review YA Editor

What makes Soundings Review different from other magazines?

Just to confirm--you accept submissions from teens and adults?

What specific advice would you give to teen writers who would like to be published in Soundings Review?

What is the most common mistake or flaw that you see in submissions?

Anything else you'd like to add?

Interview with YA author Natasha Sinel

What was your inspiration for writing The Fix?

The Fix is your debut! Is it the first novel you’ve written?

The Fix covers some difficult topics. Did you ever find yourself censoring scenes that you wanted to portray?

What’s the most frustrating part of writing for you?

What have you learned about writing over time that you wish you knew earlier? And what advice would you give to other writers?

More about The Fix

More about Natasha Sinel

Get new blog posts by email:

Archives

Categories

Five Bits of Advice for Writers by an Author Ready to Stab Her Book Guest post by Beth Revis

More about Paper Hearts: Some Writing Advice

More about author Beth Revis

Interview with Mimi Cross

More about Before Goodbye

More about Mimi Cross

Five Ways Writing is Like Karate

Five Detours on the Road to Publication by Laurie Wallmark

More about Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

More about Laurie Wallmark

Five Helpful Setting Resources

Five Pieces of Writing Advice by Clare Helen Welsh

More about Clare

What makes Soundings Review different from other magazines?

Just to confirm--you accept submissions from teens and adults?

What specific advice would you give to teen writers who would like to be published in Soundings Review?

What is the most common mistake or flaw that you see in submissions?

Anything else you'd like to add?

What was your inspiration for writing The Fix?

The Fix is your debut! Is it the first novel you’ve written?

The Fix covers some difficult topics. Did you ever find yourself censoring scenes that you wanted to portray?

What’s the most frustrating part of writing for you?

What have you learned about writing over time that you wish you knew earlier? And what advice would you give to other writers?

More about The Fix

More about Natasha Sinel

Get new blog posts by email:

Newsletter: Sign me up!

Archives

Categories

Five Bits of Advice for Writers by an Author Ready to Stab Her Book
Guest post by Beth Revis

Five Pieces of Writing Advice
by Clare Helen Welsh