Teens Writing for Teens, the 5th

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CharacterInWhite

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Hello, hello. Thanks for your feedback on that again, btw. It's my first attempt at a non-contemp or literary book for YA, so I really have no idea what I'm doing, haha.

I know the feeling. I have this grand idea for a Spec Fic project that feels like it could very easily spiral out of my control. I'm probably going to sit on for years while I work on the significantly more publishable Mystery Saga instead.

@amp

When in doubt, ask. I know it's shitty if they lie, but if you make your concerns obvious to them they may consider your feelings.
 

amlptj

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Oh yeah i asked him a million times. He said he was fine and just really tired. He lives at my house with my family, so i even asked my mom to check on him when he got home. Just got a text from her saying he's just really tired. Guess that's probably it, i'm just a hypochondriac.
 

inkspatters

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Hey, my debut is a mystery! Kind of. Well, they called it a thriller in when it sold...but I think it's really just a contemporary with mystery elements, lol #genreconfusion

Ally, you're a hypochondriac for other people! Which is pretty awesomely caring, if you think about it :)
 

amlptj

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I still dont know what the hell to classify my first book. I always though it was like a Thriller. But several had told me its a UF, or SF.... I just dont know anymore.
 

CharacterInWhite

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Hey, my debut is a mystery! Kind of. Well, they called it a thriller in when it sold...but I think it's really just a contemporary with mystery elements, lol #genreconfusion

Ah, a kindred spirit! I was worried I'd be all alone in my obscure corner of fiction where neither YA nor Mystery are accurate labels D:
 

inkspatters

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When in doubt, call it contemporary. Unless it's fantasy, lol.

Ally, maybe it's a UF or SF thriller? I know my new WIP is a dystopian thriller. It's possible to blend genres, and that's where most of the confusion comes in.
 

amlptj

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I really just dont know. I get very confused on genre designations.

Its set in the real word, but its kind of a speculative fiction in the sense there is a different history the world doesnt know about.

People say its UF or SF because my Characters are F.R.E.A.K.s, which truthfully after 9 books still no one knows what they "turely" are, best guess is the next step in human evolution. There entire being is based around the "Fight or Flight Theory" and it gives them special ability (NOT superpowers for all this can be explained by real science and are only slight extremes of what real people can do.)

I say its a Thriller pushing a bit into Horror, based first on the Monster, a shape shifting speices that is trying to take over the world, and because the whole book as a very suspensful feel to it, with some good scary parts.

Its also been called a mystery, because the entire book revolves around the MC's trying to figure out 1) why they are the only "humans" on earth awake and why they are F.R.E.A.K.s and what that means 2) what the hell the Monsters are 3) how to return everything the way it was. But their is a giant mind screwing twist at the end!

So i guess its a SF, UF, Thriller, horror, mystery.
 

amlptj

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Hey, my debut is a mystery! Kind of. Well, they called it a thriller in when it sold...but I think it's really just a contemporary with mystery elements, lol #genreconfusion

Ally, you're a hypochondriac for other people! Which is pretty awesomely caring, if you think about it :)

Yeah I've been a hypochondriac my whole life, it also manifests if something is wrong with family or friends. Caring yes, but still crazy. Will stopped telling me things that are wrong with him because i jump to conclusions. Like he gets headaches alot... and i was freaking out for a long time he should get a CAT scan to make sure he doesnt have a brain aneurysm.

Funny thing is alot of my former Bio professors thought i should go onto med school, for my extensive medical knowledge (all because of my character who is a genius in med school) and because i love to dissect things and i'm good at it. I attributed that to my horror weirdness. If only they knew i wouldn't even share a bottle of soda with a extremely close friend.
 

inkspatters

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Ally, it sounds like a UF thriller to me? Since UF can encompass all those other things like horror elements or what not. But obviously I haven't read it, so I can't say for sure. I tend to like genre splice books best, though. So yay for mixing things up!

That's interesting and funny about your profs thinking you should become a doctor. A lot of my teachers randomly thought I should become a doctor, too -- which is funny, because I am an aimless arts (well arts/law. But I haven't gotten to the law bit yet) student who fully intends to major in useless things like English and Philosophy and has a strange interest in physics.
 

amlptj

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Pip a MC in LofF is the Doctor of the group. he is a genius (like smartest person who ever lived kind) and the shit i had to research to make sure every word out of his mouth is accurate is INSANE. It started off with basic first aid and develped into knowing everything humanly possible about human biochemistry and anatomy. Had to look up things like "Quickest way to kill a person" "Drugs that can kill in minutes" "Different kind of medical stitches" "Pressure points" and that was only for usuful stuff in the books. Pip often randomly go on scientific rants for no real reason... hehehe. By my freshman year of highschool i'm pretty damn sure i could have passed CCats or whatever they are called for students to pass medschool.

In fact Pip and Laura are the reasons i'm afraid to fly anywhere.... I'm pretty damn sure i'm on some "no fly" list from the stuff i've had to search information on online. Like "how to make a home made bomb" "how to fly a plan" "effects of chlorform" "How to hot-wire a car" "How to pick locks" "How to beat interrogation tactics" and countless research on guns and different types of chemical bombs,

Of course i couldnt tell my bio teacher the reason i know how to dissect a pig, human, and Monster (the things in my book) at 18 was because i spend countless hours of research for a book. I eventually told her at the end of my second semester and she was like "If you put that much dedication into fact checking for FUN, why are you NOT going on to med-school?"

I just soooooo could not be a doctor. I dont have the patients and emotional stability to be one. Will's brother is a doctor for children with terminal diseases! I cant even begin to understand how he can do that... i'd come home every day and curl up into a ball and cry for hours after work.
 
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inkspatters

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I couldn't be a doctor, either. I'm flighty and afraid of blood. Quite a few of my cousins are doctors, though and while it seems stressful and terrifying to me they quite seem to enjoy it.

Your characters sound like a lot of fun! Have you been working on this series since high school then?
 

amlptj

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Grade school actually. Since I was 11/12. This March will mark 10 years I've been writing it! Although sadly with my problems, I'm STILL trying to get the first one off the ground, even though I've completed 8 and a third of the 13 books in the series.

I have a lot of friends going onto medschool and i take my hat off to them. I just cant do ALL that schooling. I even dropped my dreams of going to gradschool because after this year (if i graduate fingers crossed) i'm not going back for at least 2-3 years.
 

inkspatters

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Ah, see I want to stay in school forever. Five years to be done with law school, and then another two to get an MFA and then another few to get a PhD, probably, and then I want to lecture. So, I'll be at University for a while...:)

And wow! That's a long time. I don't think I'd ever manage to stick to one thing for so long. I'm a bit of a WIP cheater, haha.
 

amlptj

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well i write fairly quickly, and I'm utterly in love with my characters. So every book is a new and awesome WIP to me.

Although right now i'm really majorly cheating of LotF with TAJ... then depending on if my interest for The House comes back or not, i might cheat farther with CWII.

As for school good luck! I was suppose to go for 6 years in total. 4 years undergrad 2 grad. But after 4 years i just cant take it anymore! Plus i need to start making money!

Wow law! 2 of my characters are going on into the law profession. I thought schooling for that was only 3 years? Or is that just here in the US?
 

amlptj

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just emailed my boss and called out of work so i can study more! YAY! Shit i'm so screwed right now.... At least this professor isnt well known for failing people... so i'm hoping he will have pity on me knowing my situation and all.
 

Parametric

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It takes five years to get a law degree in Australia? Yikes. I escaped with my LLB after three.
 

inkspatters

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It's because they force us to combine it with something else at most places (you can't study law on its own). So I'll be studying arts and law concurrently and graduate with a BA and an LLB, but yeah, takes forever...
 

amlptj

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Ok that kind of makes sense now that you explained it. In reality to get a law degree here you have to get a bachelor degree in something, which takes four years and then go onto law school which is three.

Hell your route is faster!!!

And Para, i thought you were working in the publishing industry or wanted to work in it... why get a law degree?
 

Taylor_Writes

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Snow day. Second for this week. Hopefully I'll get some plotting done and start a little bit of writing.
 

amlptj

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snow days are awesome!!! Although i do hate snow....

Right now here it feels like freaking spring. I still cant wrap my brain around the fact its Feb. and 57 outside!
 

Parametric

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And Para, i thought you were working in the publishing industry or wanted to work in it... why get a law degree?

Publishing is a graduate career - you need a degree. Doesn't matter what the subject is. I did a law degree, then a specialist publishing degree, and now I'm trapped in endless job interviews. :tongue
 

inkspatters

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Publishing is a graduate career - you need a degree. Doesn't matter what the subject is. I did a law degree, then a specialist publishing degree, and now I'm trapped in endless job interviews. :tongue

Endless job interviews that shall hopefully result in awesome job offers :)

I live in Australia, so I never have snow days...
 
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