Guest Post by Shannon M. Parker Hello, loyal Ingrid’s Notes followers! Most of you know that Ingrid’s YA debut, ALL WE LEFT BEHIND will publish in 2015 from Simon Pulse. My own YA debut, CRUSHING, will publish under the same imprint in 2016. And, as if being this Ingrid-adjacent wasn’t awesome enough, she and I…
“This book needs to be read!” Assistant editor, Rachel Abrams, of Harper Collins shared her insight as to how to get an editor to say these very words, at the 2010 SCBWI So Cal Writers Day. The following is her recipe on how to hone your craft and make your writing the very best it can be. Your…
So you’ve finished the first draft of your young adult novel. Where do you go from here? Well take a few cues from editor Anica Rissi, (from Simon Pulse) who shared her insights on how to identify what’s wrong with your manuscript and then fix it. She spoke at the 2009 SCBWI Los Angeles Conference. The following…
Ask a middle grade reader if they would rather read a boring book from start to finish or shave off all the hair on their head. What do you think they will pick? Shaving their head of course! Yes, boredom is our biggest enemy when it comes to middle grade readers. Boredom is like punishment, so…
In 2008, I entered the Warner Brothers TV Writing Workshop Competition. Though I did not get selected for the program, I was in the top five percent. The studio invited those of us who “didn’t quite make it” to the WB Lot for a little insight into what might help us make it in future…
Was that an earthquake or did you just rock my world? Okay, we may not be trying to pick-up girls, but we are trying to pick-up readers. First lines and first impressions are important! And it’s amazing how much a first line can tell you about a book; including tone, character, and intrigue. What does…
At the 2009 SCBWI Los Angeles Conference, editor Courtney Bongiolatti (Simon and Schuster), and agent Dan Lazar (Writer’s House) shared their views on what they look for in young adult and middle grade book openings. It all boils down to five main ingredients: 1) Age Immediately understanding the age of your character helps the agent/editor to get…
Perhaps we should start at the beginning… As this is my first “notes’ post, I thought it only appropriate to begin with beginnings. What will grab a reader/editor/agent and make them crave more? The following notes are author Maralys Willis’ thoughts on the subject. The Ugly Truth About Beginnings Caution! Your beginning may become an ending! According…