Teens Writing For Teens (v2)

Horserider · Nov 20, 2009

So the two girls that I've talked to said they loved New Moon. Any other spoiler-free opinions?

DAMMIT. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ent...shes-potter-midnight-ticket-sales-record.html

Geek_Pride · Nov 20, 2009

I liked it

Loved Jacob!

All the things I want to talk about is spoilery...

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

Is that a spoiler, HR? If so... I don't want to see it lol

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

GP how is Through Her Eyes? I can't wait to be a nice beta and help your ego

Haha, I can't get enough of that. When you said that a month ago I was like awww... I feel loved

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

No spoilers in the link - it's about ticket sales.

Geek_Pride · Nov 20, 2009

KC36 said:
GP how is Through Her Eyes? I can't wait to be a nice beta and help your ego Haha, I can't get enough of that. When you said that a month ago I was like awww... I feel loved

Hehe! You so are

I'm excited to send it to you!

I have the most important scene to write. I just can't get myself to write it XD

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

Currently introducing more of the protagonist's future love interests. I never used to be a big fan of having a female protagonist and a cast full of hot guys, but I'm starting to warm up to it. :tongue

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

Parametric said:
Currently introducing more of the protagonist's future love interests. I never used to be a big fan of having a female protagonist and a cast full of hot guys, but I'm starting to warm up to it.

Hahaha gotta love hot guys! :tongue

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

KC36 said:
Hahaha gotta love hot guys!

I'm actually more about the hot chicks, but I'm learning that hot guys are an important feature of YA. :tongue

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

Haha Para

I want to write a twist on Mean Girls. I actually did have an idea for that, but I realized I didn't want to write about a homeschooled girl after some comments on a thread I started about homeschooled students. So . . . I needed a way the girl could be awkward in her school setting without the whole "new girl" thing. So I think and I think and then it comes to me. She undergoes a transformation from the quiet girl to bombshell. Then the popular girl will befriend her since suddenly quiet-girl-turned-bombshell catches the eye of hottest guy in their grade. Thoughts?

ETA: If that is already a novel . . .darn....

Elusive · Nov 20, 2009

Hot guys induce swarms of squealing fangirls. Squealing fangirls buy lots of books.

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

Elusive said:
Hot guys induce swarms of squealing fangirls. Squealing fangirls buy lots of books.

HAHAHA!! THAT IS SO TRUE!!! lol

groovyville · Nov 20, 2009

lol elu that is true

peachiemkey · Nov 20, 2009

Horserider said:
So the two girls that I've talked to said they loved New Moon. Any other spoiler-free opinions?

DAMMIT. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ent...shes-potter-midnight-ticket-sales-record.html

It is a sad day for humanity.

She undergoes a transformation from the quiet girl to bombshell. Then the popular girl will befriend her since suddenly quiet-girl-turned-bombshell catches the eye of hottest guy in their grade. Thoughts?

It's been done. Think of yet another twist and you'll be golden.

Hot guys = love, although I prefer to see pictures... I think writers should take advantage of the whole you-can't-actually-see-them thing and write about nerdy, skinny guys with wonderful personalities. If it really bothers someone, they can imagine them as hot. lol

groovyville · Nov 20, 2009

peachiemkey said:
I think writers should take advantage of the whole you-can't-actually-see-them thing and write about nerdy, skinny guys with wonderful personalities. If it really bothers someone, they can imagine them as hot. lol

hahaha isn't that Harry Potter? LOL

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

KC36 said:
I want to write a twist on Mean Girls. I actually did have an idea for that, but I realized I didn't want to write about a homeschooled girl after some comments on a thread I started about homeschooled students. So . . . I needed a way the girl could be awkward in her school setting without the whole "new girl" thing. So I think and I think and then it comes to me. She undergoes a transformation from the quiet girl to bombshell. Then the popular girl will befriend her since suddenly quiet-girl-turned-bombshell catches the eye of hottest guy in their grade. Thoughts?

I'm familiar with this idea from reading Harry Potter fanfiction, specifically Pottersues. There's like an entire category of Makeover Sues out there, in which canonically not so hot characters like Hermione get an implausibly successful makeover.

My problem with these stories is often thematic. They tend to give very problematic messages, like:

You can't be interesting unless you're spectacularly hot.
If you don't look like a film star you should be unhappy with your looks and constantly try to correct them.
Looking hot is all-important. No other form of validation - academic success, achievements, etc - is worthwhile.
Girls are only meaningful as objects of sexual fantasy for boys.
If you're not being slavered over by guys you are an inadequate person and should change yourself.

So I'd be a little wary of reading a makeover story unless I felt confident that the author would be respectful of the underlying issues, and not present me with a character who is ugly and therefore worthless until she becomes Barbie and therefore wonderful.

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

peachiemkey said:
Hot guys = love, although I prefer to see pictures... I think writers should take advantage of the whole you-can't-actually-see-them thing and write about nerdy, skinny guys with wonderful personalities. If it really bothers someone, they can imagine them as hot. lol

I'm not big on pictures for fictional characters. If the character isn't presented as attractive (whether that be physically or in some other way) in the narrative, then pictures are kind of cheating.

groovyville · Nov 20, 2009

i don't like pictures in my books, not even pictures of people on the cover
I like to imagine the people all by myself with no help from an illustrator

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

Hmm.... another twist.. ay?

Oh shit! What if that's my version of a male POV romance? Instead of a girl.. it's a guy... eh I don't think that works either lol.

What if it revolves around a certain thing.. um singing? (that was my original homeschooled girl's premise) She is tone deaf and wants to improve and a popular guy notices her so jealous popular girl tries to befriend her. And when popular guy starts a band, both girls want to impress him with their singing capabilities, except MC is still tone deaf. Triple perspective novel? LOL it's going to be a triangle. It can be another 4-POV novel if i add in a mystery boy or just another boy lol. This could actually be really interesting I think.

Girl 1 is tone deaf and wants to improve her singing voice by joining the choir. Girl 1 has a class with Boy 1 and they start talking a lot. Girl 2 is jealous. When Boy 1 starts a band, Girl 1 really wants to try improving her voice and Girl 2 joins the choir, too. Boy 2 is Girl 1's best friend. Boy 2 is thought to be gay, but he actually isn't and secretly likes Girl 1.

Thoughts? LOL

ETA: And if I really want to keep the singing a major theme for all 4 characters, then Boy 2 can be the lyricist for Boy 1's band.

Becky · Nov 20, 2009

Just got back from New Moon. Omg loved it!

No spoilers, but it was great!

Horserider · Nov 20, 2009

That seems to be the general consensus at the moment.

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

http://www.simonandschuster.com/multimedia?video=36437630001

Dudes. I want to read it so badly now! I just ordered it online!

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

KC36 said:
http://www.simonandschuster.com/multimedia?video=36437630001

Dudes. I want to read it so badly now! I just ordered it online!

That trailer does considerably less for me than the cover, which is at least striking - heck, even the title is more unusual than the muddle of cliches in the trailer. The trailer is all like, "Yeah, this is yet another hot supernatural bad boy falling for an ordinary girl at school". Yawn.

KarlaErikaCal · Nov 20, 2009

I liked the trailer. It was suspenseful with the music. I always like suspense in anything lol.

Parametric · Nov 20, 2009

Unfortunately, suspenseful music is the one trait that I can guarantee you won't be present in the book. :tongue

Yeah, I don't know. Cliches are okay, but I need at least the suggestion that there's a unique and interesting twist on them. The trailer is all cliche, no twist.

I mean, what part of it apart from the fallen angel stuff doesn't also fit Twilight and everything else? Dark and mysterious, young and beautiful forever - check, Twilight. Protagonist has no idea school could be so dangerous - check, Twilight. She's falling for the walking cliche - check, Twilight. Now there are generic unspecified bad consequences - check, Twilight.

I don't see the appeal, I guess. I want to know why I would want to read this book, not somebody else's take on the exact same stuff, and the trailer doesn't say anything unique or different.

Teens Writing For Teens (v2)

Ever onward

Fight For Your Right To Party

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YA romance writer in love with love

Fight For Your Right To Party

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kick-ass extra something special!

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Jesus Only! <3

circuits in the sea

Jesus Only! <3

Jesus Only! <3

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Ever onward

YA romance writer in love with love

YA romance writer in love with love