"Old" People Writing for Teens V

CoffeeBeans said:

This is totally me, but this is basically me from day one of revision. I am the worst. My first pass is basically "is it mostly English?" and after that, I become pretty useless. I also have a terrible habit of adding typos while correcting other mistakes (okay not literally typos, but similar incorrect words that don't actually make sense but also don't get flagged by spellcheck)

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Oh man, this is so much me! "Is it mostly English" is the best line about writing I've heard in a while.

Good luck with the interview, Sage!

My husband has been gone for 5 days (today is day 5) and I thought I would be super, super stressed because I'm not so good for extended periods alone with my kids, but it's been okay. Still stressful, but bearable. I hate that I get so stressed and short with them, so it's better if I have breaks. I thought I wouldn't get any writing done either, but that's gone pretty good too. Only real problem is that the stress affects my heart, and I lost 3 hrs of sleep Sunday night due to heartburn and then had to be up early and get 3 kids ready for school (which also affects my heart) so Monday was a pretty rough day in terms of health. Today is a home day with the twins so we can bum around as much as we want.

Ha, Sage - Sediment Girl sounds like she'd fit right into your last series!!! (BTW what are you doing with those MS's?)

I went to a Don Henley concert last night. It was so good. I'm probably showing my age a little, but I was probably the youngest one there! Jewel opened for him and usually I don't really like her, but she was AMAZING. The whole thing was so good but it went late and I'm super tired today.

My novel WIPs are not ready for the Beta Project, but I might do a revision on one of my shorts and submit it.

Spring Break was awesome. Two days of rest (including snow and ice, aka not leaving the apartment, but I ate plenty of pizza and other carby foods), one day of laundry and packing, and then the Eastern Psychological Association conference in Boston. Great fun, good networking, and lots of new food experiences as a first-time Boston visiter.

I got zero writing done, however, so now I'm in catch-up mode.

Sage, I love hearing about your work--it sounds fascinating. I attended an oceanographic summer school as a kid (along with the dinosaurs) and in our last year (high school) we got to do a research project with MIT on a(then) newly developed material that had the potential to clean up polluted harbor bottoms. I didn't go into science, but it still calls to me sometimes.

The last revision of my new YA is DONE, and Nice Agent Lady is working on a submission list this week. To take my mind off that I'm working on a short story about a girl gamer--in 1817 England--to submit to a friend who's putting together an anthology.

Kiwi: Don Henley's still going? Wow. I only know that one song, though: "Boys of Summer".

Thanks, Sage. Funny how opportunities open up galore all at once. A new direction beckons...

I love your fire doing rewrites, JTR. Your passion for your work is contagious!

Kiwi, healing thoughts to your cousin. I'm sorry.

I saw Smiley, I missed you!

Sage, glad you are feeling better. Your new opportunities sound exciting. I, too, am fascinated with your day job. I am no expert in career guidance, but I think this may be something you want to meditate on. Why are you unsure you want the PM position? If it is because it will require you to learn something new, leading to growth and change? Maybe it is the job you really want, but you have fear. If it is because the hours would hamper your life or the duties required are things you despise, then it may not be.

I gave up my editing job earlier this year to work in the library. I love my new job at the library, and they gave me extra duties that reflect things I truly love but have little skill in... graphic design. There is still a part of me that wishes I could have hung onto that editing job though, if for nothing else but my resume. I worked to get into that position and I hate to give it up completely. I found a part time gig recently, gathered my clips and was working on the editing test today.

Then I realized, halfway through the test, that I hated this test, and I might not even like editing anymore. As illogical and financially stupid as it may be, I think I am going to walk away from that career track entirely and use my extra time on fiction writing, maybe even promote a book or two I am very old and it is time to follow my passions and only do what I want, which may not always be the "right" things. Right now I want to be a part time librarian with time to garden and write novels until one sticks and I get rich and famous and let my poor, hardworking husband retire and open his hamburger stand.

Anyone see Beauty and the Beast? I was so excited to see this with my oldest son, who is 17. When he was a toddler, he was obsessed with this movie, and like most toddlers, he had to watch it everyday for two years, sometimes multiple times a day. I was sure he'd have some nostalgia to share, instead, he gave a scathing critique because of the gross historical blunders in the remake. I won't go into detail to ruin it for you all, but don't see this movie with an expert in European History. LOL.

Travelgal - yes, he's still going. He played heaps of The Eagles songs plus my favorite of his - The End of the Innocence. Still sounds exactly like he used to.

JKRowley - thanks for the healing thoughts. I'm hanging out to see Beauty and the Beast but it doesn't open here until 30 March! My daughter (11 yo) asked for a movie voucher for her recent birthday and had already decided she was going to take me with her to see Beauty and the Beast (I have to pay though - she's not handing that voucher over to me ). I keep reading about people who loved it, so I hope I will too.

Whatever happens is what is supposed to happen. What an exciting time in your work. It is nice not to hear about growth rather than closings and layoffs.

And I didn't love Wonder either.

Kiwi - I like Henley and Jewel. That would have been a nice concert. Henley makes me think of summers with my mom. She and husband number 3 really liked him and the Eagles.

JKR - I'm waiting to see B&tB with my 21yo daughter. It was also her favorite for 2 years and we watched it almost every day! I've heard mixed things about it, so I'm not going in with high expectations, but rather looking forward to nostalgia with my only daughter who will be getting a big girl job in May. I feel old, but also despondent that I can't really help her anymore. She still comes to me all the time for moral support, but she doesn't really need me. *sigh* That whole growing up thing sucks. I'd keep them 8 years old forever if I could. Younger is a lot work, and older gets mouthy and snarky. 8 is perfect.

As I was falling asleep I had inspiration about a scene for revisions which I'm really happy about (but of course can't remember everything) but then I sit down to the computer and realize that I forgot to plan out the scene I'm supposed to be working on next. So I guess I'll just sit here for a few minutes and contemplate . . .

Sage: good to hear your interview went well. Fingers crossed
Jtrylch: oh no, 8 is the golden age? My oldest turns 9 in May. That means I only have one chance left with the youngest one!

I'm seeing B&B with two friends on Friday. I expect it to be okay and sweet. Emma Watson! Also, I kind of secretly love Luke Evans

I've heard Luke Evans is wonderful in it. Not so much Emma Watson or the music or the singing. But I've also heard people who loved it. So it's mixed. I'm going to enjoy it uncritically and take it for what it is.

After spending the last two months hating my opening pages, I finally figured out how to fix them. All I have to do is replace the opening with a modified version of Chapter 3, then move Chapters 2 and 4 to follow it. I'm going to have to spend the next few days doing that, but it fixes so many problems.

I'm a little concerned that I start the opening chapter in the present narrative, drop back for a flashback, then keep things going, but I'll see how it works out. Regardless, I have much more faith I'll get some bites in the Beta Project in a few months with this version.

The main complaint I've been seeing about BatB is that it felt unnecessary. That this version didn't really add anything to the version that was already there.

That was my experience, ManInBlack. The stuff from the animated version was done better in the animated version and the stuff they added in, didn't really add anything. Is there any reason why we had to have all this stuff about Belle's mother given that it goes nowhere and only proves that Belle, like nearly every other lifeform, had a mother?

Sage said:

3 pitmad likes for me, all small publishers, all for different pitches. One is a no-go. One is Curio$ity Qui11s, which is a decent small publisher, but I seem to remember there was some reason I was putting it low on my list of decent small pubs. And the last is Ent@ng1ed, which I quite respect. I know really great agents sub to them, and they've had some hits that ended up in bookstores. And the favorite was from the assistant to a really great gal who was on AW for a really long time and has since become an editor there.

But I've barely started querying, so it seems like it's too early to send to a small pub, even my favorite one.

(ETA: Well, her wishlist practically describes SCWWGC, so no wonder I got a fave)

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Well, at least it's something, so good on you! What's the time limit from pitching to submitting? I imagine the publisher/agent specifies that?

I thought the Cinderella movie was saccharine rubbish, but that prince was cute. Gimme "Ever After" anytime. Drew Barrymore kicked ass while being classy and honorable all the while. Weren't helpless heroines supposed to have died off last century? I only saw that cos there was nothing on the telly and I was brain dead from correcting compositions.

Sage said:

3 pitmad likes for me, all small publishers, all for different pitches. One is a no-go. One is Curio$ity Qui11s, which is a decent small publisher, but I seem to remember there was some reason I was putting it low on my list of decent small pubs. And the last is Ent@ng1ed, which I quite respect. I know really great agents sub to them, and they've had some hits that ended up in bookstores. And the favorite was from the assistant to a really great gal who was on AW for a really long time and has since become an editor there.

But I've barely started querying, so it seems like it's too early to send to a small pub, even my favorite one.

(ETA: Well, her wishlist practically describes SCWWGC, so no wonder I got a fave)

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Still, congrats! Getting a nibble from Entangled is not a small thing...

Sage said:

When I heard about the LaFou controversy (eye roll), I had hope that there would be more to the movie than the original, but it sounds like there's still very little added or different.

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I was actually shocked that that was a controversy. I had just kind of assumed that LeFou had romantic feelings for Gaston because, well, the guy does go to an awful lot of trouble on his behalf and c'mon, he starts the song number that is dedicated to proclaiming how awesome and manly Gaston is! Who would have been shocked by the idea of this guy being gay?!

Emma Watson did do okay as Belle, though there wasn't really a lot for her to do, and the movie was very pretty to look at. Call me shallow, but I have gone to movies just for sheer aesthetic enjoyment alone. The world is so much brighter and more beautiful on the silver screen and it's better plotted.

About the only change I support with the live action version is how they tried to clear-up the timeline snarl from the original movie. I would talk about it, but I'm not sure if anyone on this board would be anal-retentive enough to care.

Emermouse said:

I was actually shocked that that was a controversy. I had just kind of assumed that LeFou had romantic feelings for Gaston because, well, the guy does go to an awful lot of trouble on his behalf and c'mon, he starts the song number that is dedicated to proclaiming how awesome and manly Gaston is! Who would have been shocked by the idea of this guy being gay?!

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True... although I think they should also acknowledge and celebrate Cogsworth and Lumiere's life partnership.

Saw Beauty and the Beast last night. Lovely film, so I'm not disappointed with this adaptation. BUT: As for LeFou, he IS a disappointment for anyone who's waited for a gay character in Disney. He's an old stereotype, and he's not good representation.