It’s not too fun…
I think I’m going back to my college ways. If I have to read, I don’t want to. Now that i have to write, I’m less interested in my WiP.
To remedy that, I’ve just downloaded the 15-day free trial of My Story Writer, which I got HERE.
I think I’ll play around with it today and see how I like it. I’ll let y’all know!!! =)
So I’ve been asking around Twitter as to what I should do with my book…
I’ve recently changed my MC from 17 to 18 and now 20 years old. At the moment, she’s in college. But crossover doesn’t sell well, if at all.
Which leads to the question::
a) Do I change Alexis back to 17 and have her ‘excel’ — so that she’s starting her first year at community college?
This option would add more depth — she actually is an extremely smart girl with a photographic memory, which I haven’t been able to showcase that much..
My book would stay YA, but I’d have to make it so teens can relate to such an individual — which shouldn’t be too hard…
But there’s another option….
b) Should I make her 24 and just out of college and working/or looking for work?
This choice would be good because of the adult content. The prologue is extremely violent and the rest of the book is rather thriller-like. Plus, there’s a sex scene later on that I’ve been concerned about. And my character starts out the book drinking to blur the line — is she drunk or dreaming or having a vision or is it all real???
Also, the ending is not a HEA—not at all.
I don’t want to underestimate teens as I know they deal with these issues and might eat up something with more edge.. But, I have read adult books with YA pacing (which my book definitely has) and I devoured them. Quick and compelling, but I didn’t feel I was having to change my frame of mind to read YA.
A publisher told me that the adult market is more lucrative than YA, but that I should take note of where I want my career to end up and what my platform already is and such… So I think I have my answer, but if anyone wants to weigh in, I’d greatly appreciate it!
Which option would you pick? a or b???
After being flogged and taking some time to revise on my own, I have totally different ‘first five sentences’ for my prologue and first chapter.
As an agent (just pretend—and if you are, well then pay attention 
), would you find these first few lines intriguing enough to continue reading? Is there any interest there?? [a poll will be at the end of this post. if you'd participate, that'd be swell!!]
* * *
FIRST FIVE OF PROLOGUE::
Ankou enjoyed delaying pleasure—stretching the game out until he couldn’t stand it any longer. Killing a faery was a rare occasion, occurring literally once in a blue moon. He had been released for a single waxing and waning cycle, just like twenty years ago, and twenty years before that. Each generation Ankou was granted such an opportunity, he made damned sure to savor every moment.
The blonde lovely had given birth as the sun rose one morning early during his freedom. Her agony was a tantalizing appetizer. Next to consuming an entire soul, fear and pain came second.
– (Ok, so that was 7 lines… It’s my favourite number =)) –
FIRST FIVE OF CHAPTER ONE::
The current was keeping her under for far too long, but Alexis wasn’t about to give up. She thrashed her arms and kicked her legs as hard as she could until a small beacon appeared ahead of her. Either she was close to opening her eyes for real, or she was succumbing to the strength of the water.
The seaweed that had been caught about her legs was now a help rather than a hindrance.
and i’m quite happy.
the editor didn’t love it, but he *liked* it enough.
most importantly, he only corrected one small bit of writing!!!!
chapter one is far from being as it should be—i’ve even been working on a new opening, which i briefly spoke of on giveagirlapen.com last friday. i sent my work in knowing it wasn’t *ready* so i’m beyond chuffed (i love british speak!) that this flogging went as well as it did.
pleasepleaseplease check it out!
comments either here or there will be greatly appreciated =)
xx
My serial blog on building and maintaining your personal platform or brand has been updated!
I have a new post up this morning at giveagirlapen.com.
Check it out and learn something about this crazy business we’re attempting to enter.
=)
So, I have recently changed my book from YA to Adult, and have also added the ‘thriller’ tag to it.
One early reader described Avalon as “in essence—YA Fantasy; in design—twisted Adult Fiction”
Hmmm….
Especially given the ending (which of course I can’t give away), I’m wondering as of late, how dark is too dark?
If you hop on over to my blogspot, you can see my most recent post titled ‘first five sentences’ gives just that. Two sets of them, along with my blurb.
A hint—the end of my blurb…well, I’m not saying to expect the worst as she does the right thing, but… The right thing isn’t necessarily all hearts and flowers and unicorns..
If you get a chance, let me know ‘How Dark is Too Dark?’
I’m already scouting out smaller houses such as Soft Skull and the like… I’m not opposed to the idea at all, but I also don’t want to be labeled as only writing dark fiction. Twisted, maybe. But not like, go home and read and cut yourself dark…
I don’t want to be typecast..
My next project, which I’ve already started, is an odd, realistic sci-fi/fantasy based on quantum physics… That could appeal to a lot more people thank a dark, urban fantasy would, right? Or no??
Food for thought.
* * *
p.s. I just decided that I’m going to attempt to turn this into a longer essay for a rather important yet long-shot opportunity, so any and all feedback will be genuinely appreciated. More so than on any other post… thanks =)
first five sentences are up — 16 submissions are posted.
stop on by and give your thoughts =)
(as of right now, there’s only one post above the first critique, so they’re easy to find…)
i’m sure all the writers would appreciate it
xx
i’ve not really the time to post today, but i found a phenomenal post on querytracker.net — the blog, and i figured i’d share it with other writers.
it will help every single one of us, so have a read!!
i look forward to printing it out and using it when i revise
The Top 10 Mistakes Writers Make
xx
check out my blog post from earlier this week.
the girls at if you give a girl a pen… (she’ll write a book to go with it) are offering free peer reviews of the first five sentences of your WiP.
details are in the blog, so link to it and send your stuff in!! =)
xx
-e*
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’tis quite interesting. June 29, 2009
Tags: blog, blog comments, blog views, blogspot, comments, reading, wordpress, writing
when i look at the stats on my blog, i wonder why people stop by and what they think of what they see.
mind you, i’m not here for tons of comments or feedback—i started this to keep track of everything i’m doing while i write my book. it just sounded like a good idea to start this the week i started my book.
it took me a while to realize i should actually post or else the blog is pointless, so i began posting at least once a day about 2 1/2 wks ago.
in that short amount of time, i’ve received over 600 views, and, unlike blogspot, wordpress doesn’t count your own page views. so i know others are looking at my page.
but really, i wonder what they think….
on saturday alone, i had over 70 page views, yet only two people commented (one person left four comments, as she’s a doll) and the other person (i think) was just trying to get traffic over to his own blog…
so, out of, say 60 views (if i assume the ppl who commented looked a few times each), no one had anything to say…
now, i’m curious as to whether anyone will comment on this post and give me an answer—or at least their take—as to what’s going on…
1) do you, as blog readers, usually just peruse and not comment,
2) do you, as blog owners, care if ppl leave a note to say they stopped by and to tell you what they think of what you’re offering, &
3) again, as blog readers, do you find that you are attracted to sites that don’t live up to what you think they might be?
—i’m just trying to understand.
i know that i don’t always leave comments. i haven’t the time. but the blogs i truly love, i spend too much time leaving comments…
i suppose it’s good that b/w my 3 blogs i average at least one hundred views per day—heck, what unpublished writer would complain about that? i’m not even complaining at all… i love that anything i write is being read. i’m just wondering….
feel free to comment…lmk your thoughts *non subtle hint*
k, i’m off to write. well, nap first so i have some energy, but then write.
ttyl
xx