Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies by Deborah Halverson
Blog Tour with Deborah Halverson, Author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies
Story Connection:
Deborah, thank you so much for being a guest on the Story Connection Blog. Congratulations on the publication of your new book, Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies. As someone who has worked on both sides of the fence, you are definitely in a unique position and are certainly well qualified to write this book! With the popularity of YA fiction (it has its own section in major bookstores now), your book is going to be very popular with aspiring and even veteran YA writers. I am going to ask you questions from your perspective as both an editor and a YA author (Big Mouth and Honk If You Hate Me). First from the editor’s point of view… What inspired you to start your blog, DearEditor.com? It’s such a plethora of FREE information for writers!
Deborah Halverson:
I spent a decade as an editor with Harcourt Children’s Books, making the conference rounds and hanging out with writers, so I was aware that it’s pretty common for a writer to slump back in her chair and hurrumph, thinking, “Jeez, if I could just ask someone this one quick question and get a clear answer, I could be move on already.” That’s what DearEditor.com does. You ask that question, I give that clear answer, and then you get to move forward with confidence.
My decision to start DearEditor.com came about because I became the mom of triplets, which made working full time at a publishing house impossible; I was required full time at my own house. So I left Harcourt to freelance edit and write my own novels for young readers while I raised my tiny trio. That was rewarding (and exhausting) on both fronts, but I began feeling disconnected from the world of adults—especially the world of writing adults. One day I was thinking about how I wanted to be out there talking publishing again, and I thought about writers despairing over questions I knew I could answer, and then my mind wandered to Dear Abby’s Q-and-A format, and then the idea for DearEditor.com popped into my head. I went live with the site five days later and have been having a great time with it since. I get to help others while getting my fix of book talk. Huzzah!
Story Connection:
What are the most common mistakes new writers make when submitting YA material to agents and/or publishers?
Deborah Halverson:
Sending a query letter that lacks a tight, compelling hook is a big and very common submission boo-boo. A hook is your one-sentence statement of your book’s concept, its audience, its fit in the current market, and the key twist that makes the book stand out from the others in that market. I know that’s a lot of stuff to cram into one sentence, but you’ve got to do it—and in a way that is tantalizing as well as informative. Think of your hook as your pitch line for editors, your pitch line for your readers once the book is published, and, if you write it early, your mission statement for yourself, keeping you focused through the many months or years it takes to finish the manuscript. Here’s a quick hint to help you write a strong 50-word-or-less hook: Look at the Cataloging-in-Publication data on the copyright page of any novel on your shelf. See the part labeled “Summary”? That summary sentence tells librarians and library patrons who the star of the book is, what the story’s about, and what features distinguish that book from all other books of the same theme and topic. It’s the perfect example of a query letter hook statement! (Behind-the-scenes secret: Assistant editors write most of those summaries when they apply for the CIP data.) Study a bunch of CIP summaries to get a feel for how you can hit all the necessary points as concisely as possible.
Story Connection:
In chapter 5, you talk about creating teen-friendly characters. I love how you talk about the protagonist as a hero with goals, flaws, vulnerabilities, and core strengths. Why do you recommend that a writer outlines his/her protagonist’s character before they begin writing his/her story?
Deborah Halverson:
Your protagonist will flesh himself out as you write—it’s a strange and beautiful inevitability. You’ll learn his interests and quirks as you push him through your plot points. But in order to design that plot, you must first give that character a skeleton. Writing a “thumbnail” sketch of your hero does that. If you know what your character wants more than anything, you can write a plot that puts his want in dire jeopardy. If you know his flaws, you can write a plot that forces him to confront those flaws. If you know his core strength, you can set the stage throughout the novel for a climax that lets your hero use that strength to overcome his flaws and attain his goal.
Story Connection:
So many writers are interested in writing a series. What is your definition of a series and do you have any advice for would-be series writers?
Deborah Halverson:
A young adult series must have a compelling and unique hook. (That word again!) Editors must be able to see exactly where the series fits into the marketplace, and then they need to know why it stands out. You’re asking those editors and booksellers to make a big commitment in terms of time, money, and shelf-space—you’d better tell them why your series will sell book after book. Then, of course, write great characters that readers will care about enough to buy book after book.
Story Connection:
When I visit schools, I always tell students that the best writing comes from re-writing. Do you recommend revising as you go or just pushing the story out and revising later? What advice can you give regarding self-editing and revisions and when is enough enough?
Deborah Halverson:
The fact is, you’re more likely to get the darned manuscript done if you just push through. If you try to perfect the first chapter before you move on to the second, and so on, you’ll spend just shy of forever on that first chapter only to find yourself returning to change it yet again when something unexpected happens later in the story to up-end all your hard work. At that rate, you may begin to feel like you’ll never finish your book—and that’s hugely discouraging.
Story Connection:
As an editor, have any of the writers you’ve worked with taught you something about the art of writing that you have taken to heart?
Deborah Halverson:
Editor is one of those jobs in which you’re always learning something knew. I bet I could name a specific thing I learned from every book I’ve edited! Each book and each writer has its own idiosyncrasies, strengths, and challenges. That may sound sickeningly cliché, but it’s the darned truth.
Story Connection:
As a writer, have you ever been stuck writing a scene or during character development? Are there exercises that you recommend to help with so-called “writer’s block?”
Deborah Halverson:
Remember what I just said about pushing through the first draft? I have to beat myself with a wet noodle to leave my early chapters alone and move on! Perhaps it’s the editor in me, but I find it difficult to write new stuff when I know there’s yucky placeholder stuff preceding it. Ick! Author Mary E. Pearson wrote a fabulous sidebar about defying writer’s block for Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies. My favorite tip of hers—which I use myself—is to write a short jacket flap-type synopsis to try to understand what the book is about. That exercise forces you to pinpoint the key events, plot threads, and themes in the book, which can help you refocus and make decisions about what should happen next.
Story Connection:
What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Deborah Halverson:
I hope they’ll feel inspired to push past the ugly placeholder stuff and to experiment and embrace the discoveries that result. Above all, I hope they’ll walk away with a writing style that is wholly, joyfully their own.
Story Connection:
Finally, what is your “mantra” or favorite quote?
Deborah Halverson:
In ninth grade, a man spoke to my English class about improving our memories. He told a version of “Beauty and the Beast” in which the Beast’s castle had a gate with a maxim woven into the ironwork: “Be bold, be bold, lest thy heart’s blood run cold.” When I’m faced with an opportunity that frightens me or a challenge that defies me, I repeat that line to steal my nerves. Works for writing, works for life.
Story Connection:
Thank you for stopping by The Story Connection Blog today. I am excited about your fantastic book. So many writers are going to benefit from your expertise, guidance, exercises, and no-nonsense advice. Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies will likely inspire a new crop of YA writers. Better make room on the shelves!
Deborah Halverson, Author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies
About Deborah
Deborah Halverson is the award-winning author of Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies and the teen novels, Honk If You Hate Me and Big Mouth. Armed with a masters in American Literature, Deborah edited picture books and teen novels for Harcourt Children’s Books for ten years before leaving to write full-time. She is a frequent speaker at writers conferences and a writing teacher for groups and institutions including UCSD’s Extension Program. Deborah is also the founder of the popular writers’ advice website Dear-Editor.com and freelance edits fiction and non-fiction for both published authors and writers seeking their first book deals. For more about Deborah, check out her website DeborahHalverson.com.
Note from Dianne:
If you would like a chance to win a copy of Deborah’s book, comment on this blog post and your name will be entered into a drawing! Two winners will be chosen and notified on August 2, 2011. Good luck!
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