Thursday, April 21, 2011

[Writing] Some of that Writer Input I was telling you about.

Not only do I hope to give those who read this blog some input on the novels that I think are shining in the YA genre, but also some input from a YA Writer herself. Over the next few months I hope to post on topics including "characters that sound similar but aren't", "writing is like a marathon", and "writer tough love". Until then, here is some info about me as a writer to wet your palate.

A little about me and my writing experience: 

The very first instance I remember creating stories was probably when I was about 4 or 5. I had gotten together a bunch of toys and had created this whole elaborate story line (a princess was in danger, a prince helped to save her, there were some evil henchmen) which I actually think was stolen partially from Beauty and the Beast. I remember being so excited about the story that when I had come to the end of the tale, I tried to set it up again and act it out for a 2nd time.

As I reached the ability to write my ideas down on paper, I did so how ever often I could. At the time, it didn't even occur to me that I could physically write these things down. My first full length, written out story was a fanfiction for Amelia Atwater-Rhodes nyeusigrube vampire world. That was my crack. I started writing fanfiction (fiction written by using already existing literary works and expanding upon them) like it was my business. I believe I have about 15 or 20 different stories for about 5 of my favorite shows as a middle/high schooler. Sadly, I was only ever able to finish perhaps one.

To this day, my inability to finish a story I have started still haunts me. My process is one that most writers would caution against. I like to work out a story in my head, and then, when I feel comfortable about it, I write it down. Slowly and surely, I've been putting myself through "write it down" boot camp, which actually propels my stories further. A lot of my stories also come from dreams I have. My very first novel series came from a dream that I had that was so vivid, I was forced to write it down. As I began to ask why certain things occurred in the dream, the story itself came to me.

As of now, I am working on two stories in two seperate veins. One only needs its ending, and the other two are currently being written. Writing, to me, is a release. It gives my brain a chance to take all of the things it sees in one day and allows me to form those thoughts into ideas, those ideas into voices, and those voices into characters who try to find their way in the worlds around them.

Monday, April 18, 2011

The Break's Almost Over

Long time no update.

Because of my first internship with my masters degree, the site has been inactive for awhile. Starting at the end of May, I will begin updating again with many books at once that I have been reading over the course of the semester!

See you all in May!