Friday Reads

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

In this haunting, richly imagined novel, Victoria Schwab reveals the thin lines between past and present, love and pain, trust and deceit, unbearable loss and hard-won redemption.

My take: I inhaled this book. The writing style is so lovely, the mystery is intriguing, and the characters so heart-wrenching. I can't wait for the next book in the series, and Victoria Schwab has found a permanent fan in me! I would highly recommend. 

Fierce, seductive mermaid Syrenka falls in love with Ezra, a young naturalist. When she abandons her life underwater for a chance at happiness on land, she is unaware that this decision comes with horrific and deadly consequences.

Almost one hundred forty years later, seventeen-year-old Hester meets a mysterious stranger named Ezra and feels overwhelmingly, inexplicably drawn to him. For generations, love has resulted in death for the women in her family. Is it an undiagnosed genetic defect . . . or a curse? With Ezra’s help, Hester investigates her family’s strange, sad history. The answers she seeks are waiting in the graveyard, the crypt, and at the bottom of the ocean—but powerful forces will do anything to keep her from uncovering her connection to Syrenka and to the tragedy of so long ago.

My take: This is another book with drool-worthy prose. The story is so rich, too! The plot is so intricate and the world Elizabeth Fama created was simply engrossing. I was rooting for these characters... even when you knew doom hung over them. Another one I would suggest putting on your to-read list. 

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

My take: This was such a fun read! Definitely a unique take on the Cinderella fairy tale. Marissa Meyer got me to care about her characters so much that I was sitting on the edge of my seat when they faced danger... and my heart broke when theirs did. Another sequel I have no choice but to buy on the day it's released.

What are your recent adored/must recommend titles?

Writerly Wednesday & A Writing Prompt: Creating Characters

Some writers are amazing at setting. Some have a knack for twisty-turny plots. Me? I love writing unique characters. And of course I have my own steps I like to go through when developing characters. So, let's do an awesome list post because I like those. In no particular order, here are 3 ways to really get to know your characters.

1. Make their playlist - It's no secret that writers like to make playlists for their books, and a lot of times, those playlists include songs that the writers thinks one or more of the characters would listen to. But we can take this a step further. Everyone has certain music they listen to when they are in a certain mood. Do you know what your character likes to listen to when they drive? How about when they're cleaning their room or exercising? Or when they've just had a huge fight with their boyfriend/girlfriend? Put those songs on your playlist, too. You never know what that could inspire.

2. Know their favorites - All of them! Food, song, color, TV show, movie, cuss word, cereal, Powerpuff Girl, etc...

3. Know their childhood - I don't mean "they grew up in the suburbs as the daughter of a divorced workaholic father." I mean "how did they get that small scar on their elbow when they were seven?" or "what was their favorite type of candy when they were ten?" All those little things you remember about your own childhood helped to shape you and they did the same for your characters. Also, once again, you never know what those things will inspire.

And here's where the writing prompt happens! Take a character, could be one you've written already, one you're working on now, or a brand spankin' new one, and tell me something about their childhood. Could be a scene or it could just be a scene in which they remember something.

For example, here's a small excerpt of something I'm working on now that came to me as I thought about what my character liked to do as a child (pardon the TOWNNAME thing, I'm horrible at names and haven't come up with one yet, lol...):

The town of TOWNNAME, Kansas, is flat. Flat in every way you could think of. The landscape is flat. The colors are boring. It's like the architects of every building didn't realize there were other materials besides brick. Hell, even the people are flat. Flat personalities, flat jobs, flat ideas. And if a person stays in this town too long, they start to become flat, too. It's like when I used to press flowers and leaves in big books. You take something that's three dimensional, that has tons of character, and you stick it in a book then close it. You let it sit somewhere for a long time and sheet after flat sheet combine to make this one heavy mass that crushes that once full-of-life flower.

So, what things do you do to get into your characters' heads? And please post your prompt or link to it in the comments!

Author Interview with Cat Winters

If you follow me on Twitter than you know I read IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS last month. You'll also know that I FLIPPIN' LOVED IT. Not only was the story line refreshing and unique, but there's not a whole lots of books that actually creep me out, and this one definitely made me shudder. I even had a difficult time sleeping one night, and THAT is saying a lot.

Also, it doesn't hurt to mention that the main character is named Mary Shelley Black, and I'm quite obsessed with anything Frankenstein related, so that was a major plus to me. Not to mention all the awesome references. I immediately fell in love with Cat's writing from the first page and seriously cannot wait to read more from her. Her writing is dark and beautiful, and right up my alley! Cat was super amazing and agreed, through deadlines and late notices on my part, to interview with Life of Writers. I am so very exited to share it with you. Enjoy!

How did you get the idea for IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS? Did it come from personal experience with ghosts? (Do share!) 

I’ve been fascinated by ghosts since I was about seven or eight, and I grew up reading eerie novels and watching scary movies, like the creepy old Disney film THE WATCHER IN THE WOODS. I was convinced my room was haunted when I was a kid, but looking back, I think my ghosts were the product of a girl with an overactive imaginative.

The historical setting of IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS fell into place before the characters even emerged. In the late-1990s, I stumbled upon the history of Victorian and early-twentieth-century séances, and after learning the history of 1918, I knew I had to write a book about WWI, the Spanish influenza, and Spiritualism. The right story idea didn’t come along until 2009, when a chat with my agent, the discovery of archival spirit photography, and further historical research led to the creation of the novel you see today.

You've really captured the world in which the era was set. How much time did you spend studying the history? Where did you find all of your research?

Thanks! Like I said, I first started studying the history of 1918 back in the 1990s. I took a break while working on other writing projects, but when I revisited the idea of penning a WWI-era book, I dove into the time period even further and found fascinating details about American paranoia and the horrors of the Spanish influenza.

I’ve shared some of my favorite reference books, history-related websites, historical images, and 1918 movies at http://www.blackbirdsnovel.com. Other research materials I studied included WWI letters, personal accounts of the Spanish influenza, and literature from the time period. I conducted research all the way up to the final stages of editing to make sure everything stayed as accurate as possible. My historical slang dictionaries became some of my best friends. :)

I have to ask, because you know how much of a fan I am of Frankenstein. Why did you pick Mary Shelley for your character's name? What is it about Frankenstein that you love so much? 

Mary Shelley Black arrived in my head with her name already attached to her. I think it has something to do with the fact that long ago, while attending a writer’s conference, I dreamed that the author Mary Shelley was still alive and trying to publish a FRANKENSTEIN sequel, with no success. I thought about turning the idea into a short story but never did, so I think the name Mary Shelley has been lingering inside my brain all this time.

I added a few other nods to FRANKENSTEIN throughout IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS. One of the reasons I love Mary Shelley’s novel is because she was a nineteenth-century woman who set out to beat a small group of male writers at telling the best horror story, and she did a bang-up job at it.

Have you ever done a seance? What was your experience like? If not, would you ever take part in one? 

I used to try holding séances at slumber parties and in little tents at Girl Scout camps, but no spirits ever came though. I’m currently in talks with another author about potentially hosting a séance to promote our novels, but that would probably be more theatrical in nature. I wouldn’t want anyone like Mary Shelley Black coming along and saying my spirits were flimflam.

What is it you love about writing YA horror? Will you be sticking with the genre throughout your writing career?

I loved Gothic horror novels as a teen, so it all goes back to the books that originally made me passionate about reading. I’m drawn to tales of tragic figures, family secrets, and atmospheric settings. I have a feeling I’ll stick with this genre for at least two more novels, and then I’ll probably set out to write something completely different to stretch my writing muscles.

Can you tell us anything about your next project? We're all dying to know! 

My next novel, THE CURE FOR DREAMING, is coming Fall 2014 from Amulet Books, the same publisher of IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS. It’s the story of a seventeen-year-old girl whose father hires an up-and-coming young hypnotist to cure her of rebellious thoughts...and the treatment doesn’t go quite as expected. I’ve pinned some clues about the novel on a Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/catwinters/the-cure-for-dreaming/.

Tell us one secret thing about your writing technique. 

When I really need to get away from the distractions of my house to write, I head to my favorite indie coffeehouse and order a cup of hot chocolate with chocolate whipped cream on top. Both the location and the drink are heavenly, and I typically make great progress. 

Cat Winters's critically acclaimed debut novel, IN THE SHADOW OF BLACKBIRDS, is a nominee for YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults. Publishers Weekly called this YA historical ghost story/mystery "a masterful debut novel...deliciously creepy" (starred review) and Booklist said it's "unconventional and unflinching" (starred review).

Winters's second novel, THE CURE FOR DREAMING, is coming Fall 2014. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two kids. Visit her online at http://www.catwinters.com.

SeCrit #7 (Query)

Thank you to everyone who shared their work with us! If we had time to critique them all, we would. Also, if yours wasn't chosen to be critiqued this time, then please feel free to submit to future "SeCrit" events.

And on to the query. Keep in mind that these suggestions and changes are one opinion, and the author should feel free to keep or tweak whatever they want:

Dear Secret Critiquer, 

Quarantined in the Tower, twenty-three-year-old Florence Shu works alone in her lab researching a cure no one’s come close to finding in fifteen years. Her mentor’s true unmerciful character, revealed when Flor’s relationship with Jay Charmont is discovered, makes her begin questioning for the first time both her role in the Tower and the reasons why they’d give its protection to a homeschooled pathologist. Jay’s sudden return makes it impossible to ignore her growing doubts or the potential danger. 

At the Tower, Jay discovers Florence broke his heart to keep him away—and she didn’t do it by choice. His return will get Flor in trouble if he’s caught. The kind of trouble that almost got her killed last time. He’ll leave again to protect her, but when he comes back he’ll take more than the vaccine. He wants a future together, and Flor is finally willing to follow him out of quarantine to have one. 

But when Jay doesn’t come back on schedule, Flor knows something’s happened. She has to make a choice: stay safe or go after him. Faced with the extent of her mentor’s treachery, she decides to take her chances outside and find Jay. Flor’s flight from the Tower ignites a search for a secret lab, uncovering an old conspiracy and long-term sabotage that’s all but annihilated humanity. The cure is there, somewhere, but Jay and Flor aren’t the only ones looking for the truth. 

The first of three planned romance novels, The Tower is a science fiction reimagining of Rapunzel, complete at 60,000 words. The sequels would follow secondary characters in the same world. I am currently abroad in Berlin and working on my next novel.
Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Critique:

Dear Secret Critiquer,

Quarantined in the Tower, twenty-three-year-old Florence Shu works alone in her lab researching a cure no one’s come close to finding in fifteen years. [This is a great hook!] Her mentor’s true unmerciful character, revealed when Flor’s relationship with Jay Charmont is discovered, [Two things about this line: why would her mentor reveal his true character after learning about Flor's romance? And two, it would be beneficial to know more about who Jay Charmont] makes her begin questioning for the first time both her role in the Tower and the reasons why they’d give its protection to a homeschooled pathologist [Is this her mentor?]. Jay’s sudden return makes it impossible to ignore her growing doubts or the potential danger. [Ah, so Jay has returned to the Tower. Maybe insert this detail earlier on.]

At the Tower, Jay discovers Florence broke his heart to keep him away—and she didn’t do it by choice. His return will get Flor in trouble if he’s caught. [Okay, so the fact that he's there is a secret. Again, it would be great to have this information in the beginning. It would be fairly easy, I think. You could use something as simple as 'his secret return'.] The kind of trouble that almost got her killed last time. He’ll leave again to protect her, but when he comes back he’ll take more than the vaccine. He wants a future together, and Flor is finally willing to follow him out of quarantine to have one.

But when Jay doesn’t come back on schedule, Flor knows something’s happened. She has to make a choice: stay safe or go after him. Faced with the extent of her mentor’s treachery, she decides to take her chances outside and find Jay. Flor’s flight from the Tower ignites a search for a secret lab, uncovering an old conspiracy and long-term sabotage that’s all but annihilated humanity. The cure is there, somewhere, but Jay and Flor aren’t the only ones looking for the truth. [Love this entire paragraph.]

The first of three planned romance novels, The Tower is a science fiction reimagining of Rapunzel, [Cool!] complete at 60,000 words. The sequels would follow secondary characters in the same world. [Since this novel could serve as a stand-alone, I would consider removing this fact from the query. It can always be mentioned when you have your agent or that first sale!] I am currently abroad in Berlin and working on my next novel.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Again, thanks to everyone who submitted and special thanks to the author of this submission! And remember, folks, we want to encourage all of you to add your own thoughts in the comments.

Inspirational films for the YA writer

I don't know about you guys, but movies are very inspirational for me as a writer of YA. Seeing young adults react to situations and hearing their cadences and slang is so helpful in my own writing process. So, today I'd like to throw up some of my favorite young adult movies.

Can't Hardly Wait

So, maybe I'm dating myself here, but I feel like despite this being a very 90's movie, it still carries a lot of what it feels like to be a teenager. It deals with the different high school stereotypes, the realization that graduation is a sort of end of an era, and that first love euphoria. Plus, Seth Green is genius.

Any John Hughes Film

Again, I'm dating myself, but these films just feel timeless to me. There's not much I can say about these that hasn't already been said. If you haven't seen them all, what is wrong with you?

Easy A

This is a more modern teenage voice that I adore. Again, not much I can say. Watch it, love it, and be inspired.

Mean Girls

I did a post similar to this one a while back on my blog. For that one, I asked my teenage niece for movies she and her friends quoted all the time. Mean Girls was the first one she said. It's laugh out loud funny, witty, and has some of the best one-liners.

The First Time

This is the last one I'm going to mention since this post is already long and picturey and I could go on for a while. I just watched this movie yesterday. I wasn't expecting much and was super shocked (and elated) that I got so much more. This felt like a YA contemporary novel come to life. I highly recommend it!

And there you have it. A jumping off point for inspirational films for the YA writer. But let's continue the conversation because I always need more! 

Do you have some films or even TV shows that are great representations of the teenager's life?

Writing Wednesday: Creating Dynamic Sentences

We all have our strengths as writers, yes?

Mine is creating pretty prose. At least, that's what I think it is based on feedback and my own sense of my writing. See, my story ideas always start with a sentence, something that pops into my head and burns itself into my eyeballs until I have to make up a story to go with it. Here are two that have turned into novels so far:

"Where do you begin to look for a girl made of scars and stardust?" 

"There's tragedy in our chemistry; my grief and his longing are combustible."

And these sentences came for the manuscript I'm working on now:

"They aren't really soulless scraps of metal and mortar. Frankly, this robot is just as human as I am--the threads of copper weaving through my hair, the click, click, click of my engineered heart. We're made of the same stuff on the inside." 

So I'm pretty okay in the beginning with the ideas and snippets of paragraphs, and at the end when I'm editing for stronger sentences. Everything else in the middle takes a lot of freaking hard work. And revision. So that's why I'm not going to write today about fixing plot holes and creating excellent thrillers. I'm going to write about this one method I use to write kickass sentences.

If you're reading back through your story and you're feeling like something is off, like you haven't quite given a sentence or paragraph that punch that you need to get your point across, try this: On a sheet of paper, write down a list of the most important nouns in that paragraph (or page, even). I'm sure you'd have at least one per sentence, but maybe more. Got it? Great. Here's my list for one paragraph:

Robot
Light
Hope
Chest

Now think of an occupation, preferably a dynamic one. It could be anything: chef, carpenter, teacher, salesman, race care driver, electrician, etc. On the other side of that sheet of paper, make a list of a bunch of verbs that would go with that occupation. So, for example, if I picked a professional swimmer, I might write down these verbs:

Slice (through the water)
Spray
Splash
Flip
Kick
Paddle
Soak
Drench

Okay, now try to snap the two together: The robot's wiring sliced through the back panel, soaking me in dread. There was no way I'd be able to fix this; I didn't have the tools. But then a speck of light splashed across the metal, and hope kicked up in my chest. Maybe I could save it.

That was just a quick example I came up with on the spot, and it uses a ton of those words (you may only need one or two) but it's actually really fun when you use it when editing. It's also really fun if you're having trouble coming up with a new idea, or you're stuck in your novel and don't know where to go next. Come up with a list of random nouns and try to throw them together with some dynamic verbs. It's crazy to see the stuff your brain comes up with!

Happy writing!

Andrea Hannah is a YA writer represented by Victoria Marini of Gelfman Schneider. She writes stories about criminals, crazy people, and creatures that may or may not exist. When she's not writing, Andrea teaches special education, runs, spends time with her family, and tries to figure out a way to prevent her pug from opening the refrigerator (still unsuccessful). Oh, and she tweets a bajillion times a day, mostly about inappropriate things. 

You can find her on Twitter @: http://twitter.com/andeehannah

Drop her an email @: andeehannah@gmail.com
And visit her website @: http://www.andreahannah.com/

That One Time I Posted A Late Monday Post and Begged Your Forgiveness

Holy mother of epic fails.

Okay, so yesterday I was totally up on the schedule to post, and I was completely clueless about it. I have an edit-letter on the brain, and it's driving me slightly crazy, and that's my excuse.

This is my editing face. It's actually just how I look all the time now.

Seriously, this blog was legit hanging out in the back of my mind, and I was vaguely wondering if whoever was supposed to post was going to post, but when they didn't I thought to myself HEY I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND BEING TOO BUSY TO POST SO IT'S COOL, because I mean, if it was my turn to post, I probably would have forgotten to post too.

And then, well, irony.

So, much love to my fellow bloggers for not calling me out on my scatter-brained fail.

Right-- moving on now! Mondays are usually community creative writing days, which are my favorite, so here's a quick picture I came across the other day that will hopefully inspire you guys:

source: http://caleum.deviantart.com/art/red-Umbrella-II-65170325

 It reminds me of a painting that I saw in an art museum I visited on a school field trip once. I tried, and failed (boo), to find that same painting to also post here. But what I did find was the beginning of a poem I wrote about said painting, and then I scratched out a few more versus to "complete" it, and so here they are:

Cold winter

burns fire hot to her—

miss color and daylight in her soft

yellow dress tinged with flame,

a flash framed against a frozen

wasteland

—until it melts and leaves

nothing but scorched

dry rot and no need

for her life.

miss color, fire hot,

what will you do with yourself

when the desert winds blow

and he can shed

his winter coat (and you)

for awhile?

you do love a beautiful snowfall.

he loves checking his reflection

in the TV screen

because (of course you understand)

vanity is all there is—

life is a only a striving after the wind

(so it goes)

Today you’re alone but

so dignified, while you take

in the art and snowfall,

your footsteps echoing

off the priceless oils layered

without meaning—

off an amateur’s landscape

with all the wrong

shades of white

And no, poetry isn't exactly my forte, but my brain can't handle anymore prose right now after rereading FALLS THE SHADOW for the billionth time. So there you go. 

And now it's your turn! Wow me with your creative genius, everyone :) And then link to it in the comments and such, and feel free to share this prompt with anybody that you think might need a creative kick in the pants.

Stefanie Gaither writes YA novels about killer clones and spaceships, with the occasional romp with dragons and magic-users thrown in for good measure. Said writing is generally fueled by an obscene amount of coffee and chocolate, as well as the occasional tennis and/or soccer break. She's represented by Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary, and her debut novel, FALLS THE SHADOW, is forthcoming from Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers in 2014. You can add it on Goodreads here!

You can find her on Twitter @: https://twitter.com/stefaniegaither

Or drop her an email at: stefanie.gaither@gmail.com

And also visit her website @: www.stefaniegaither.com 

A WINNER!

And the winner of Leah's awesome debut, THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD, is.....*drumroll*

Sarah Clift!

Sarah, please email your address to leahraemiller@gmail.com!

Thanks everyone who participated! If you didn't win, you should probably still go buy her book so you can enjoy all of its amazing adorkableness. Just saying. ;)

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Author Interview with J.R. Johansson

It's author appreciation Thursday! This particular author wrote a book called INSOMNIA, and though I haven't gotten my hands on it yet I'm fairly certain it's going to blow minds. Also, J.R. and I are both authors at Flux, and she's awesome in addition to her book. Just so you can get an idea of how awesome she is, here's a few questions that will help you get to know her better:

Hi, J.R.! Thank you for stopping by Secret Life today. Can you tell us a little about your writing process?

I struggle with drafting. It's by far the hardest part for me. I'd take a full month of revisions and edits over a day of drafting anytime.  I have to mull over an idea for awhile and then I write a very rough outline before I dive in. Once I'm ready, my process involves playing a little music to get in the right frame of mind for a story, then I turn off the internet and start typing.

I am so impressed that you manage to turn the internet off. I didn't know it could be done. But what was the hardest part of writing INSOMNIA?

I had never thought of myself as a darker writer let alone a thriller writer before this book. So the hardest part for me was accepting that not only did I enjoy writing darker stuff, but I was good at it. Then I got to go through and really bring that dark tension out. I haven't looked back since. :)

And we're so glad you didn't! What was your journey to publication like?

I think everyone's path is different. Mine was a little more on the crazy side. I got my agent, we went on sub, sold to Germany at auction in a couple of weeks, then sold to Italy and then it was a little bit before I sold here. It was backward, insane and totally incredible. 

It sounds like it! So what is your favorite part of the writing/publishing process? 

I love getting to know and work with other authors. It's an amazing community and I'm so happy to be a part of it.

So am I. And what advice would you give aspiring writers?

Keep writing... no matter what. That is the line that differentiates between someone who starts a book and someone who writes a book. And there are no two words that are more fun to type than, "The End".

Truer words have never been spoken. Thank you so much for stopping by The Secret Life of Writers, J.R.!

J.R. is a young adult thriller author represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. Her debut novel, INSOMNIA will be released in Spring/Summer 2013 with Flux.

She loves reading, playing board games, and sitting in her hot tub. Her dream is that someday she can do all three at the same time.

If you want to know more about J.R., you can follow her on Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook, or check out her website.

HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY LEAH!! (Plus, a giveaway!)

So, it's here. The day we've all been waiting for...

LEAH'S BOOK WAS OFFICIALLY RELEASED TODAY!!!!

Leah Rae Miller is one of the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet, and we're positively thrilled for her! So thrilled that it calls for a bit of dancing:

And now that we're done dancing, it's time for a giveaway, of course! We've got a shiny, sparkly signed copy of the year's most adorkable book up for grabs! Enter below! And leave your congrats for Leah in the comments!

                                                              

Born and raised in northern Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller still lives there on a windy hill with her husband and kids. She loves comic books, lava lamps, fuzzy socks, and Cherry Coke. She spends most of her days reading things she likes and writing things she hopes other people will like. Her YA novel, THE SUMMER I BECAME A NERD, is out now from Entangled Teen! You can add it on Goodreads here!

You can also find her on Twitter @: https://twitter.com/LeahR_Miller

Drop her an email @: leahraewrites@gmail.com

And visit her blog at: http://leahraemillerblog.blogspot.com/

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Friday GIVEAWAY! WOOT!

Hi, guys!

It's FRIDAY, and you know what? I want to give you something, just because you're awesome. That's right, a little giveaway for being you, no strings attached.

I'll be honest with you, I haven't been doing that much writing lately. I've been on a bit of a break, and so I've been doing a lot of other things....like coloring (it's ridiculously relaxing). So, here's a little something for your mini writing breaks that will help you from throwing yourself over the edge of your own plot holes.


I present to you: COLORING FOR GROWN-UPS.

I'm not joking, this coloring book truly does exist and it's everything you ever hoped it would be and more. Here are some of the pages inside:

 


*dies* Okay, use the Rafflecoptor widget below to enter. Giveaway closes Monday and midnight. ENJOY!

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Writerly Wednesdays: On Writing Education

Hey Secret Lifers! Today’s post is going to be a bit short and sweet and to the point (if I can actually pull that off, haha), since I’m drowning in edits of my latest finished book, desperately trying to get it polished up and off to beta readers before the day is out.

So, here we go. Firstly, for those of you who don’t know much about my background, here it is: I’m 25, and well out of college, which I was lucky enough to be able to attend with the help of supportive parents (and yet still a crap ton of loans that I’ll probably be paying off for the rest of my life. Hooray!). I have a four-year degree in English, with a concentrated focus on creative writing. The school I went to had a fabulous Visiting Writer’s program, and I had the privilege of meeting and lunching with lots of published writers, and also attending classes taught by some of them. No doubt, I wouldn’t be the same writer I am today without them. 

Let me clarify that: I would still be a writer, but not the same one-- for better or worse.

Why am I telling you all this?

Simple. Because one of the questions I see all over the web, and one that I’ve even been asked several times myself, is: does any of that education matter? Do you have to go to school for writing? Take classes for it? Do the people who do all that have any sort of advantage in this field over the ones who don’t?

And here’s an annoying answer: it depends.

For me, personally? The structure of a classroom was invaluable. I can be sort of chaotic, and a bit of a dreamer and not enough of a doer, I’ll be the first to admit that—but having an instructor, and knowing that my peers would be reading my work, forced me to own it. It taught me to meet deadlines, to hold myself accountable and to start working on that discipline that is so invaluable to being a professional writer. It taught me to write—creatively—even when I didn’t feel like it.

But maybe you can already do those things. Maybe you don’t have the attention span of a moth in a lighting store. In that case, the benefit of a structured education might only lie in the making of connections, and knowing that you’ll have the (possibly influential) people at your alma mater to support you when you are published. You can make those same connections in other ways, too, though. At conferences, on writing websites—hell, these days, twitter might be better (or at least just as good) for making connections than school. I suppose a lot of it depends on your personality and resources.

As for learning the craft side of things? I did learn a lot of that at school too, of course. Probably nothing that I couldn’t have got from books, though, or from the wealth of resources available—for free—online or elsewhere. There are an almost overwhelming number of resources available to help you become a better writer if you truly want to be, which brings me to the other point of this post: to introduce a new page on the blog. 

If you look over to that nice shiny list of links on the left, you’ll see a new one for resources. We’ll be building that page up with some of the more useful websites, blogs, maybe even book recommendations that we’ve found helpful along our writing journeys. Some will be helpful to you, some probably won’t: but that’s true of most things in the industry (and life in general, I think): no one person’s journey will be exactly the same. What works for me might seem pointless to you.

Bottom line, then? Don’t let anybody tell you that you need a proper degree or anything like that, or that you aren’t serious about writing if you don’t pursue one. Likewise, don’t let anyone tell you you’re wasting your time getting one, either. The important thing is just to keep learning and growing—however you want to do that, I think, is up to you.

Do you have any writing resources you couldn't live without? Any great learning experiences/mentors/etc that have forever altered your work? Share them in the comments!

Stefanie Gaither writes YA novels about killer clones and spaceships, with the occasional romp with dragons and magic-users thrown in for good measure. Said writing is generally fueled by an obscene amount of coffee and chocolate, as well as the occasional tennis and/or soccer break. She's represented by Sara Megibow of Nelson Literary, and her debut novel, FALLS THE SHADOW, is forthcoming from Simon and Schuster Books For Young Readers in 2014. You can add it on Goodreads here!

You can find her on Twitter @: https://twitter.com/stefaniegaither

Or drop her an email at: stefanie.gaither@gmail.com

And also visit her website @: www.stefaniegaither.com