3 Concepts Writers and Readers Must Know
The YA Author Rendezvous is a collective effort
of 70+ talented and motivated authors.
We got our start through our founder, Patrick Hodges, who couldn’t find
the group he needed on Facebook - one that caters to young adult, middle grade,
and children's audiences and authors. So
he took up the cause wholeheartedly to create a group based on trust, kindness,
and true friendship. Together, we’ve
established ourselves as a group that prides itself on honest to goodness great
writing that engages and enlightens readers.
Whether you are a writer, a reader, or
both, here are 3 concepts you must know:
1. Love. Without admiration for your craft, you'll be
stuck wondering why you bother. If you
want to share your work or your review of someone else's writing, you must find
it worthwhile, and the first step is to know why it's important to you. I love writing young adult fiction just as
much as I love reading it. My novel, 'Freshman
Fourteen,' is an embodiment of all my favorite parts of the YA genre
– love, friendship, teenage angst, and bull-headed conflict that always gets in
the way.
2. Criticism. Knowing how to understand and use critiques,
positive or negative, will strengthen your craft. The same is true with reading or
reviewing. Allowing others to disagree
with your opinions will establish your opinions as increasingly credible. That which you find praiseworthy in your
writing or someone else's, somebody may disagree about. This doesn't make it easier to deal with
negative ratings about books you've written and books you want to read. Negative reviews can be turn-offs, but as
authors and readers, we must compel ourselves to see writing objectively.
3. Characters. Make them shine for who they truly are, based
on looks and personalities, and also on who they grow to be. You may end up with characters you don't
recognize, but these make for the best, most well-defined ones. One of my favorite characters in 'Freshman
Fourteen' was Mrs. Gribble. She started off as a secondary character, yet
quickly morphed into a necessary nuisance.
And characters aren’t always people, but sometimes ideas or even
inanimate objects!
Best of luck in all your future writing
and reading endeavors – these concepts will help bring about a stronger, more
purposeful focus.
Written by Beth
Rodgers, an author, editor, and college English instructor who lives
in Michigan with her husband, son, and soon-to-be new baby. Her debut novel, 'Freshman Fourteen,' was
released in October 2014.
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