Middle-grade author (and ex-literary agent) Nathan Bransford has some encouraging words of advice for writers who doubt the novelty of their stories:


What often stops would-be writers in their tracks is that their first efforts aren't very good. And they know it. The voice sounds like another author's voice, the plot feels like an imitation of a book they've already read, and it doesn't start out feeling particularly original.

As with every writing problem, there is only one remedy: Keep writing. Keep pushing on.

You can write your way to originality, you can write your way to a voice, and you can write your way to a unique plot. It may not start out that way, but if you keep pushing through and keep trying you'll end up in a place you never knew existed.

Don't give up. There are still plenty of worlds to be discovered.


Read the entire post here.

And while we're at it, Nathan sums the writer's journey here.

In publication news, best-selling author of the DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE trilogy, Laini Taylor's final installment has revealed the title (get ready for this): DREAMS OF GODS AND MONSTERS.

How awesome is that title!

But it'll only be out on ... 29 April 2014.

Yup, Chloe Moretz pretty sums it up.

In the meantime, I've got some catching up to do:

 

 

Finally going to read THE RAVEN BOYS, after having it for months on my Kindle!

 

Also, I just finished Sarah Dessen's THE MOON AND MORE:

 

 

 

 

I know a lot of people think her books are pretty formulaic and nothing much really happens in them, that they're just about normal teenagers going about their lives and learning stuff as they go along. But therein lies the beauty of her stories. They're not about supernatural creatures, they are particularly dramatic, the stakes are life or death, but they're about relatable characters we would like to root for, maybe because we find a piece of ourselves in them. Her characters either start out content with their lives, until someone or something comes along to show them how much more they can have and deserve to have; or they are dissatisfied in some way they can't pinpoint, and someone or something comes along to help them face their problems, thus bringing about closure or acceptance or a change for the better.

I read my first Sarah Dessen book, KEEPING THE MOON, when I was fourteen. It was about self-esteem and friendship and the usual stuff that girls my age then were concerned with. It wasn't preachy, and didn't talk down to the reader, but I got so much out of it. By then, I was hooked, and devoured every book of hers she had ever written. Dessen took NINE YEARS to finally become a full-time writer, having taught creative writing at Chapel Hill North Carolina University and bused tables for a living before that. But she's totally a YA star now, with her acclaimed books and huge fanbase. There are some books that change your life, and I think KEEPING THE MOON, and later THE TRUTH ABOUT FOREVER, are one of those that changed mine.





Yes, it's been a while. I'm done wallowing in those rejection letters. Now I'm still awaiting replies from agents while I query more of them.

In the meantime, here are some writing links I found useful:

On introverted writers

Tips for writing a really good "shitty first draft" from Writer Unboxed

12 Famous Writers on Literary Rejection, from Aerogramme Writers' Studio

Lately, I've been drawing inspiration from classic children's stories like Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. Ever since I saw this picture of Super Junior member Lee Donghae, my mind has latched onto the idea of a modern Peter Pan.

 

And:

 

 

Doesn't he look just like a Peter Pan? That twinkle in his eye and that smile! *fangirl mode on*


And then there's this quote from J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan:

 

 

 

And this, from Alice in Wonderland:

 

 

 

  

Gotta love magical realism - there's just something comforting and promising about them. This is the vein I've been writing in for UNTIL MORNING, the first draft of which I completed a week ago: whimsical, romantic, funny and somehow sad. At least, that's how I hope it turns out.



Next up, I'm finally going to try and finish writing FIFTEEN MINUTES DOWN SUNSET AVENUE, after letting it languish in My Documents folder for too long as I worked on BLOOD PROMISE and UNTIL MORNING. Until then, Peter Pan can wait.

And the responses stream in

I've been querying literary agents for BLOOD PROMISE, and while a lot of the response was promising, none of them quite hit the mark. I'm getting more personal responses (i.e. elaborate emails on why my work is rejected) rather than form rejections these days, but it's hard not to get beaten down by rejection. If anything, the blow is harder because you realise you were THISCLOSE to getting a nod from an agent. You begin to wonder if your story is really not good enough to be published. And as my list of agents to query starts to run out, my hope of ever getting BLOOD PROMISE out in the world is fast diminishing.

Here are some personalised rejection slips from agents who have requested partials and fulls (as in, pages of the manuscript):

 

Dear Joyce,

 

Thank you so much for sharing BLOOD PROMISE with me. I would absolutely love to read the first 100 pages, sent as an attachment in .doc or .txt. format. Also, if you could let me know whether or not other agents are looking at partials of fulls, that would be helpful, as well. I look forward to reading more!

 

 

Warmest,

Jennifer

Jennifer Azantian

Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency

 

 

 

And here's her follow-up after I sent her the pages:

 

 

 

Dear Joyce,

I really enjoyed these pages from BLOOD PROMISE. I feel your writing is very strong, but I didn’t connect with the story in the way that I need to in order to request the remainder. I also think the use of multiple POVs made it difficult to become invested in any of the characters. I’m sorry to not have better news for you, but I’m sure another agent will feel differently. I wish you the best of luck on your writing journey.

 

Warmest,
Jennifer

 

 

Here's an initial response from Ms Sara D'Emic:

 

 

Dear Ms. Chua,

Thank you for your query. You have a great premise and I enjoyed your sample; I'd love to read more. Could you please send first fifty pages, along with a complete plot synopsis (each in a separate word doc)? I look forward to reading.

Sincerely,

Sara D'Emic

 

 

 

But it ultimately didn't grab her. Here's her reply after I sent her the full (after requesting for the partial, she asked for the full):

 

 

Dear Joyce,

Thanks again for sending this over. Unfortunately, I have to pass at this time. You're a strong writer but the narrators of each section had very similar voices. And while the world was unique I felt lost in the mythology at times, and would have liked to be brought more into the world. April and her brother being changelings was one of the most intriguing parts of this and I wanted that to be concentrated on more. These were just my impressions though I hope they're helpful. I wish you the best of luck.

 

Sincerely,

Sara D'Emic

 

And another:



Dear Ms Chua,

Thank you for the opportunity to review BLOOD PROMISE and for your
patience in awaiting a reply.

I enjoyed reading your sample pages and can sense that there's a lot that
works well here: solid world-building, an interesting premise, and a
memorable cast of characters, just to name a few elements I like. I
particularly appreciate how you effectually capture the sights and sounds
of April's environment, drawing me into the rich setting and her plight as
supplies dwindle. I think she really leaps off the page as a fully-fleshed
character; her relationship with her brother is both complex and belivable
-- something readers will be drawn to.

Unfortunately, though there is much to admire, I just don't love it enough
to represent it in today's competitive marketplace. This is just my
opinion, of course, and hopefully another agent will have another
perspective. I wish you the best of luck with BLOOD PROMISE and all your
future literary adventures.

Best wishes,
Kathleen Zakhar
Harold Ober Associates Incorporated



And another:



Dear Ms. Chua:

Thanks for the opportunity to read the sample pages of BLOOD PROMISE.

With regret, I'm afraid I will be passing on this one. While I remain
intrigued by the concept of your novel, and found your opening
chapter compelling, I felt the motivations of some of the characters
didn't always come through clearly on the page (e.g. Sean's decision
not to tell his father about finding the body or being questioned by
the police).

Sorry I couldn't give you a more positive reply. Thanks for thinking
of me, and best of luck in your search for representation.

Regards,
Jennifer Jackson
Donald Maass Literary Agency
http://www.maassagency.com/


Disappointing responses they may be, I'm still extremely thankful these agents took time to offer detailed feedback on my story. Now, on to reworking this damn book because heck I am going to make this work.