Sorry about being away for so long. Geez, I really need to keep up with this. No excuses! Anyways...
I've been sort of a slacker lately. I just got rejected by Shaking Like a Mountain, but no worries, the story is still pretty good so I'll probably just send it somewhere else. Oh, and I never got anything back from the journalism workshop, so I guess I didn't get in. But really, how many teenagers are willing to give up eight consecutive Saturdays to go to a journalism workshop in DC? It can't be that many I imagine. Well, it's fine.
The good news is I've started writing a book with my best friend! Hahahahaha. It's a nonfiction book: Girls 101. Or, well, I think that's a little cliched, but I figure we'll find a good title soon enough. It's about the stuff guys should know about girls. We're really not that complicated! Things like how not to be awkward, creeper vs. crush, ideas for dates, stuff like that. Plus it's funny! XD (btw: I'm not usually this girly when it comes to writing, but might as well try a new genre/audience, you know?) If you have any ideas for it, post a comment!
Anyways, happy writing!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Snow Days Are For Reading
Oh my gosh, we're snowed in again. AGAIN! This never happens. Ever. For example, last year, it snowed maybe twice. I live in a wimpy district that'll close school before it even starts snowing. We got one two hour delay and one snow day. On the snow day, all the snow was melted by noon. But this year, we got a whopping 54.9 inches of snow this winter; thanks to two blizzards. The earliest I'll be going back to school on monday. And I haven't been to school since last thursday. Wow.
I guess I should be doing productive things with my time. (*cough, cough* writing) I haven't even finished the homework that was due last friday! hahaha. However, I have been finally getting through The Catcher in the Rye. J.D. Salinger (the author) died not too long ago. I still don't know quite why the novel is titled "The Catcher in the Rye" because it has nothing to do with catchers of any sort and I'm more than halfway through. Anyways, I've been tackling this great long list of classic literature, and figured I might as well get through this one. It's mildly entertaining. What I love is the main character's personality. He doesn't like phonies. He's very frank with everyone. And he notices those little habits about people that make a person annoying, or cute, or whatever they happen to be. There's not much of a plot. Yet, the book has managed to keep my interest.
Which reminds me-- good stories are really about characters, aren't they? They don't need extraodinary things to happen to them. They don't need lucky coincidences and perfect entrances to make you want to keep turning the page. Because face it, you'll follow a character you love (or love to hate) anywhere, whether that's to the top of Mount Everest or just back and forth to work everyday. Keep that in mind when you write. Make your story about the character, and not about the things that happen to them.
I guess I should be doing productive things with my time. (*cough, cough* writing) I haven't even finished the homework that was due last friday! hahaha. However, I have been finally getting through The Catcher in the Rye. J.D. Salinger (the author) died not too long ago. I still don't know quite why the novel is titled "The Catcher in the Rye" because it has nothing to do with catchers of any sort and I'm more than halfway through. Anyways, I've been tackling this great long list of classic literature, and figured I might as well get through this one. It's mildly entertaining. What I love is the main character's personality. He doesn't like phonies. He's very frank with everyone. And he notices those little habits about people that make a person annoying, or cute, or whatever they happen to be. There's not much of a plot. Yet, the book has managed to keep my interest.
Which reminds me-- good stories are really about characters, aren't they? They don't need extraodinary things to happen to them. They don't need lucky coincidences and perfect entrances to make you want to keep turning the page. Because face it, you'll follow a character you love (or love to hate) anywhere, whether that's to the top of Mount Everest or just back and forth to work everyday. Keep that in mind when you write. Make your story about the character, and not about the things that happen to them.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Teen Ink
Just fixed a broken link on my sidebar. The YA Review Network just moved it's website. Btw, have you ever checked out those links? You should. Talk about great resources (plus inspiration and motivation when you read the other amazing writers on there).
I think I'm going to start reviewing them. Just so you have some background on them. I guess I'll start from the top. Teen Ink. It's perhaps the biggest and most updated of them all. They publish a monthly magazine full of teen writing and artwork. Let me be the first to tell you, they publish quality. That's why it is incredibly hard to get published in the fiction or poetry sections. I was published for a piece on Obama. They are always looking for quality college/music/movie/book reviews. Especially college reviews.
Either way, everything that you submit is published on their website. Some are chosen for the magazine. The profile that you create gives you incredible feedback, like average rating, number of views, number of comments, number of ratings. They also have good forums, but some are sparsely participated in and they monitor comments profusely.
I'd say if this is your first time looking to get published, this is a good place to start. You can submit as many as you want about anything you want. The circulation is in the millions. Millions. Think of the millions of teens who could be reading your work.
It's just a click away.
I think I'm going to start reviewing them. Just so you have some background on them. I guess I'll start from the top. Teen Ink. It's perhaps the biggest and most updated of them all. They publish a monthly magazine full of teen writing and artwork. Let me be the first to tell you, they publish quality. That's why it is incredibly hard to get published in the fiction or poetry sections. I was published for a piece on Obama. They are always looking for quality college/music/movie/book reviews. Especially college reviews.
Either way, everything that you submit is published on their website. Some are chosen for the magazine. The profile that you create gives you incredible feedback, like average rating, number of views, number of comments, number of ratings. They also have good forums, but some are sparsely participated in and they monitor comments profusely.
I'd say if this is your first time looking to get published, this is a good place to start. You can submit as many as you want about anything you want. The circulation is in the millions. Millions. Think of the millions of teens who could be reading your work.
It's just a click away.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Midterms and Cop-offs
Sorry for the long break. Midterms were stressful. And there was a snowstorm, so that was distracting. Haha
Anyways, I got some good news! I'm an honorable mention in Merlyn's Pen Humor contest. Yay!! I've been trying to get published there for ages. But I guess the third time's the charm! I wrote about playing scrabble. That always has some -uh- interesting results. at least in my house! :)
Just something that has been bothering me- why do teenagers insist writing the stories that have been done and overdone again? I'm on goodreads and people keep inviting me to answer polls about stuff, like what should they write about (and then the answers were all cop-offs of twilight, pretty little liars, and harry potter). Or naming their characters, which are almost completely identical to Edward and Jacob in both personality and nature. People, please write about something original. Nobody wants to read another lousy copy of twilight unless it's an unusually funny parody (like this one: http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/my-rejected-twilight-screenplay/). Writing something unusual will help you get published, too.
:)
Anyways, I got some good news! I'm an honorable mention in Merlyn's Pen Humor contest. Yay!! I've been trying to get published there for ages. But I guess the third time's the charm! I wrote about playing scrabble. That always has some -uh- interesting results. at least in my house! :)
Just something that has been bothering me- why do teenagers insist writing the stories that have been done and overdone again? I'm on goodreads and people keep inviting me to answer polls about stuff, like what should they write about (and then the answers were all cop-offs of twilight, pretty little liars, and harry potter). Or naming their characters, which are almost completely identical to Edward and Jacob in both personality and nature. People, please write about something original. Nobody wants to read another lousy copy of twilight unless it's an unusually funny parody (like this one: http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/my-rejected-twilight-screenplay/). Writing something unusual will help you get published, too.
:)
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