"Old" People Writing for Teens V

Borogov, Good luck on querying!

mellymel said:

Is there a way to check notifications? I got a notice for a notification but when I clicked on it, it disappeared. I don't know who it was from or what it said. I know how to get to my PMs, but not the notifications sent from the little star on the bottom.

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Those are Rep points. Click Settings on the top right of the forum window.

There's an FAQ about Rep points and comments.

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mellymel said:

Borogov, Good luck on querying!

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Thank you, mellymel!

It's been a rollercoaster of a first week — racked up three rejections, two fulls, and a partial so far. And on the day job front, I've got a second interview on Friday with a dream company (except that I'd have to move to San Fran, which is less than ideal), so my nerves have been jangling 24/7.

I need more vacation.

Congrats on the query progress Borogove! It's so stressful, but you're doing it!

I reread what I did for Nano during my trip. Gosh the beginning is terrible, but at least the end isn't. That's about all the useful progress I've made lately. No news on the critique or the partial...

Those are great stats, borogove! Good luck on the interview. Try some Olly-Goodbye Stress chews. I've been taking them to help me stay calm at work. They seem to be helping.

During the time that AW was down, I submitted two items to my university's literary journal: a historical flash about a teen girl and some issues related to the #MeToo movement, and a non-YA Sci-Fi script segment. These were also the first items submitted under my chosen pen name.

ManInBlack said:

During the time that AW was down, I submitted two items to my university's literary journal: a historical flash about a teen girl and some issues related to the #MeToo movement, and a non-YA Sci-Fi script segment. These were also the first items submitted under my chosen pen name.

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Nice! Good luck.

Good luck, MIB!

Borogove, getting two full and one partial requests in a first round is very good! Those rejections are going to regret that.

Good luck, MIB.

I followed a few of you on Twitter. If you see @MoonOverMadison, that is me.

Glad to see AW back, but I don't notice any differences yet. Should I?

Hello everyone Good to see the board back up and running. How is everyone?

I've not been writing, I picked up a copy of Ready Player One and have been stuck in there for the last week. I loved it, even if I found the writing style a little haphazard at the beginning.

But I intend to pick up writing again now I'm getting to the good stuff, I just needed a little break. I've thrown my MC and Villain into the same room so they can have a nice little chat. Oh, and the very building they're in is due to explode any moment so...

borogove said:

It's been a rollercoaster of a first week — racked up three rejections, two fulls, and a partial so far. And on the day job front, I've got a second interview on Friday with a dream company (except that I'd have to move to San Fran, which is less than ideal), so my nerves have been jangling 24/7.

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I live here in San Fran. It's not horrible, but it's expensive as F and traffic is a nightmare, but the pay, depending on your job, will most likely make up for it in spades.

Thrilled that my book, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, made it to no.1 in free Dark Fantasy books on Amazon.

Will Collins said:

Thrilled that my book, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, made it to no.1 in free Dark Fantasy books on Amazon.

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Nice! Congratulations.

Congrats Will!

There are four solid plot bunnies between me and getting any work done on the current MS. Brains are so unhelpful.

Will Collins said:

Thrilled that my book, A Darker Shade of Sorcery, made it to no.1 in free Dark Fantasy books on Amazon.

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Congrats!

CoffeeBeans said:

There are four solid plot bunnies between me and getting any work done on the current MS. Brains are so unhelpful.

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Excuse my ignorance but plot bunnies? I've never heard the term.

Speaking of plot, I've recently realised I've spent the entire 6 years on SL developing the wrong character. I've been focusing on the main villain, when he isn't the main villain at all. He's just a pawn of the real villain, who has been pretending to be the hero the whole time!

... [expletive deleted]

JFitchett92 said:

Excuse my ignorance but plot bunnies? I've never heard the term.

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Hahaha sorry. I do always think it's a more universal term than it might be... I learned the term from Nano, but the internet defines it as "From the metaphorical image of the writer's brain producing ideas with the abundance and speed with which rabbits are fabled to breed." also "An idea for a story (usually used to refer to fanfic) that gnaws at the brain until written."

I do think of them more like dust bunnies of the subconscious -- they roll around out of sight and reach under the bed until they are knocked free and then there's an unexpected clump of plot at your feet.

JFitchett92 said:

Speaking of plot, I've recently realised I've spent the entire 6 years on SL developing the wrong character. I've been focusing on the main villain, when he isn't the main villain at all. He's just a pawn of the real villain, who has been pretending to be the hero the whole time!

... [expletive deleted]

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That sounds AMAZING. Also, I'm over here dying because I've been on the same MS for a year...(with another half a first draft, plotting and various happening around it). Clearly, I have commitment issues.

On that note, the agent crit I got came back. The crit is helpful because I think it's all true, but unhelpful because I'm not totally sure how to improve any of those things. Given the state of life at the moment, I've decided it's concrete evidence I suck at life. Might feel differently tomorrow, but who knows.

Coffeebeans, I understand....completely.

I also got some agent and editor feedback on a WIP I thought was going to be the next big thing. It isn't. And requires a total rewrite anyway I go with this. One way is a bit of a copout but could make it marketable. The other would be super hard (like changing the voice of the main character entirely, and in a way that doesn't fit my concept for the story.)

I've been working on this MS for the last couple of years. I have a handful of novels under my belt already. I really thought I'd come out of this experience with a request for pages. Nope. Just a note that I am working in the wrong genre.

I suck at life, too.

I did hear multiple agents say that YA is harder to sell now. Editors bought a bunch of them a couple years ago and they are being released now. Yet it seems YA is getting SO much attention with the movie deals.

JKRowley said:

I suck at life, too.

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Ugh, that sounds like such a let down. I'm sorry JK. Maybe you'll have a brilliant lateral thought or see a way to make their suggestions work.

But, on the other hand, both you and I don't suck at life. We just had rough days. There are other days though, and hopefully those go more the way we are hoping!