Welcome to YA & Children's Lit http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698 Dragonchilde As some of you may have noticed, we've got a new forum name, this year! By popular request, we've dropped "Youth" in place of the more accurate Children's Lit. Please note that this forum is for the discussion of the WRITING of YA and Children's Lit. It's not a gathering place for people who read it, or who are young adults or children. ;) Discussion of individual YA books goes to Fans and Critics, while you'll find our young people over in Age Group: Teens Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:26:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1343 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1343 BWBB Hello to YA writers. At the beginning of the year I set myself a challenge to complete one of my novels that I've been working on. It's still in working progress. However, since discovering NaNoWriMo this year, I think I will achieve my goal. No, I don't think I will. I am going to do it! There, I've said it. It's a completely new idea that's been floating around for a few months, but it's this last month that the plot for The Junk Room, has taken on a form. I've been using Scrivener to collect my ideas, pictures etc -it's been a godsend-and hopefully the story will find its way out. All the best. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 01:38:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_3332 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_3332 jefferyedoherty Hi BWBB, congrats for being the first participant post on this forum. Good luck and I hope you achieve your goal. I'm writing a junior novel this year which should be around 30000 - 35000 words (unedited) so I'm planning to get a start on the 2nd book in the series as well to make it up to the 50000 word mark. I've been using Scrivener for Windows for my planning too. What a great program. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:52:30 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6001 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6001 Beacon80 I've started to move towards YA, because when I wrote up a list of all my story ideas, half of them fell under that category. Young Adult is selling really well right now, and if I'm lucky, maybe I'll be published by the time my niece is old enough to read my books. This is going to be a challenge for me, as I've never been a teenage girl in high school before (I don't know why I almost always have female main characters, but I do), and it's also dealing pretty heavily with religion (I'm agnostic myself). But I've started reading Dark Divine, since it deals with both those subjects, and whatever doesn't kill me can only make me stronger, right? Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:15:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9127 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9127 Lexicon Welcome fellow juvenile lit writers! This year I'll be writing a YA novel, HAARPER. Beyond the title, the MC's name and a vague idea that my antogonist is germs, I have no idea what I'm doing. But as a self-proclaimed pantster, I'm cool with that. Hugs and best luck to you all~ Tue, 11 Oct 2011 10:37:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9440 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9440 stephandrea_ Hey, everyone! This year I'm writing a YA dystopian, which is a genre I haven't actually written before, but I've read a lot so I figured I'd give it a try. (Usually I write YA fantasy, although I did try contemporary a few years ago...it didn't go too well.) All I have for a plot is what I wrote out on my profile at like 7 this morning (PRE-coffee!), so I don't even know if it makes sense. As a general rule, I'm a pantser. Nice to meet you all! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:52:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_11878 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_11878 Rahnawyn101 Hi guys! I'll be writing a YA novel this year (surprise, surprise!) and though I have the vague ideas for a plot meshing about in my head, I'll probably wait until 12:01 am on November 1st to actually figure out what's going to happen, whoops. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:17:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_16743 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_16743 wyrdsmyth Hey everyone! I'm new to the YA genre since last year, having previously been writing romance novels. But now I have an story about an ordinary 14 year old boy that needs to be told. My exams finish on the 16th so Hopefully I can write at 3333 words per day! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:23:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_16859 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_16859 AnnEliseMonte I'm in the exam situation, too. I'm not too worried, though, since I'm an honors student in half my subjects and passing well enough for the rest. I've also written a novel before, so I know I'm capable. Good luck with your exams. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:45:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17315 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17315 plswriter I hope to write my 6th novel in my "High School Series" during Nanowrimo. And then I plan to kill everyone off … okay, just kidding. I am getting a little tired of angst, though, but after teaching high school for 34 years, what would you expect? LOL and OMG! Maybe I'll try mystery animal stories next year … Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:51:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18608 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18608 Lady Skylar Hello everyone! i'm going to try and write a children's novel this year, aimed at the 9 - 12 age group. I've been helping in a fourth grade class as part of a program at my university, so I'm hoping that maybe since I know the age group, I can write for the age group. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:04:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18886 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18886 Kristen_Lorene Greetings fellow crazies (because, really, you would have to be crazy to write for children, right? And I mean that in the best possible way...) ANYways, this is my first year with NaNo, and I am going to tackle a YA fantasy novel. Going to be lots of Egyptian mythology in the story. Can't wait! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:03:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20078 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20078 necoon Hi all - I'm writing a dark quasi-contemporary YA novel (I would say it's "urban magical realism", but that just sounds weird). I've got characters, a general setting, and a vague plot direction - that's about as planned as I get. The story's been bouncing around my head for six months, though, so I can't wait to get started! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:36:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20749 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20749 Mssplash Hi, everyone. I write children's poetry and I'm a picture book author. I've finally decided to take the plunge and write one if the middle grade novels that's been banging around in my head. I just have to figure out which one to tackle. This is my first time here and I'm really looking forward to the challenge and the fun. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:53:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_22019 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_22019 Chautona I fit here too! :) My target audience is somewhere from 12-17 but I hope to make it fit the feel of Narnia or Potter in how it appeals to a very broad age range. I did that reasonably well with my Wynnewood series, so I'm going to try for it again. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:12:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_23417 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_23417 EricASatchwill This is my first time venturing into YA waters (my other series is far more adult-oriented.) I'll come right out and say that this is partly a reaction to the recent noise about agents pressuring writers to 'straighten and whiten' their YA characters, and partly me writing something I wish I'd had available to read when I was younger and needing characters I could relate to. Even with that agenda of course, the story will be what it will be, and I'm excited to see what will come out of it :) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 03:26:20 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_24722 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_24722 A. C. Moore After a foray out into the world of genre literature for "just beyond the range of YA" folk, I've been drawn back in to the YA world as my writing friend kept throwing book recommendations at me. So a Dystopian YA it shall be for me this year, a style I'm quite fond of both for my own writing comfort and reading preference. I actually came up with this idea 10 days into the August Camp Wrimo and wanted to scrap all that I was doing for that and start anew, but I felt so bad for the MC in that story that I vowed to put this one aside until NaNo haha Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:00:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_27764 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_27764 GlassCannon Hey all. This is my very first NaNo, hoping to use it as the kick in the butt I need to finally move from fanficition to original fiction. I have a couple of novel ideas that I've been kicking around for years, but the characters from the YA-leaning one have been more talkative in the last few months than the others, so that's what I'm going with. I tend to be a very slow, very perfectionist writer, so I'm hoping that keeping the goal of 50,000 *rough* words in mind will help me break out of my perfectionist ways, at least for a first draft. I'm looking forward to the experience of writing quick and dirty, and to getting to know these teenagers who have taken up residence in my head. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:26:44 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_34208 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_34208 nobody_knows Hello everyone!!! Once again, I am trying my hand at YA lit!!! My novel this year has a got a little bit more of a serious theme to it, as it deals with a form of anorexia and rape. Two very delicate subjects that I hope will work together nicely! I've never really been on the forums before, so I'm really keen to meet new people, especially those who are wanting to have a little banter in procrastinating next month (which I do a lot!) and to keep motivation levels going as well! Hopefuly this year won't be the year of "I think I'll change halfway through!" Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:23:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_35077 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_35077 wyrdsmyth Thanks, you too! (Unfortunately I need to study a bit more.) :P Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:25:00 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_38628 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_38628 jefferyedoherty Hmm... Mystery animal stories. Sounds fun. "Inspector Tom and the Case of the Missing Mouse" Jeff Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:38:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_41937 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_41937 FiresideLyric Hello to all fellow YA/Children's Lit. writers! I am a newbie writer and this is both my first attempt at writing a novel and NaNoWriMo. I plan on writing a compilation of short stories, poems, and even some lullabies to be read at bedtime. My inspiration is my 16 month old daughter. I am not looking to mass market this book, but simply obtain a copy, so that I can have my wife read it to our toddler, as she grows, then give it to her when she's older. I am also totally blind and life has brought me many challenges, none of which I haven't conquered. 50,000 words is a definite challenge for me. I will admit though, I am very critical of my writing and often wonder how it could be worded or rephrased to sound better. (Probably why I've never written a novel before! lol)I've heard about giving your inner editor a month long vacation, but this could be the true challenge in writing, in my case. My concern: How can I prevent myself from sitting in front of my pc staring off into nowhere-land, while twiddling my thumbs and not typing? Good luck to everyone...I'm sending friendly hugs and a warm smile to you all! :-) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 06:10:23 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_42215 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_42215 JMGilligan Hi everyone. I'm writing YA for nano this year, that much I know; the question is , which story? I have one story that I've been researching/outlining/plotting for months now, but keep coming up with more prep to do before I actually put words on a page. I want to write that story for nano, but there's a hitch. I'm worried that with all the prep work I've done, I won't be able to turn off my inner editor. Can you be too attached to a story to make it a good candidate for nano. If I don't end up going with the plotted story, I've got several others ideas to try. I just need to figure out which story is best suited for the furious writing that nano demands. Any thoughts? Jaime Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:01:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47567 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47567 jefflion Hi, This is my second NaNo but my first attempt at YA (and also my first novel in English). I'm so excited! (And terrified, but that's another story). Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:08:21 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_47669 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_47669 jefflion I hear you! Yes, there is definitely such a thing as "this story is so important and I'm planning it for so long" syndrome that can be problematic for NaNo. All I can say is that you shouldn't force yourself to start before you're ready, so maybe another, simpler idea is more suitable for NaNo. On the other hand, I know what is like to do the endless research and outlining without he actual writing, and it's bad, bad, bad! So it's important to start writing the first draft, even if you think you're not ready for it. Sorry. This wasn't really helpful, I guess. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:15:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47764 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47764 JMGilligan It's always helpful when people agree with me. :) No, honestly you described my dilemma perfectly. I'm trying to decide if I don't want to write my current WIP because I'm not quite ready or if I'm just being chicken. I think, in the end, I will probably go with the one I've already plotted because I know myself. If I go with a new story idea, I will spend more time developing the characters than actually writing. And then Nov 30 will be a sad, sad day. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:49:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_48209 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_48209 Veela-Valoom This will be my 4th Nano! I always write YA. I have the basics of a story and really OUGHT to get the outline underway but well....this is NanoWriMo & I wrote wrong my first story with an outline in the spring (and it went really well I might be a reformed panster) But work has been so busy and while I have a story idea its not one of those OHMYGOSHMUSTWRITEORDIE ideas. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:27:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_50079 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_50079 Kristen_Lorene This is exactly how I write, and why I have never finished a full novel before. I need to learn to just get it all out and edit later, but my inner editor is usually louder than my inner writer. Ugh. I wish you luck! Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:16:45 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_51484 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_51484 celestemy Newbie here! My first NaNo. A friend of mine did/attempted it last year. I've finished a book and have now discovered the easy part was writing! Trying to get it published is a whole other animal, although it's still early days yet. To ease the pain of waiting, I'm going to start on my second book and hope this process will get the majority of it down. Wish everyone the best of luck! Only a few weeks left till we can get going. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:05:44 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_54487 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_54487 CCM Hi everyone. I'm so glad the name has changed and that this forum will now be for writers of Children't lit! This is my 4th Nano. This year I am going fantasy/humor and I am hoping I end up with something interesting. I am also a children't librarian, (k-6) and I read a LOT of kid lit, Looking forward to sharing this journey with all of you; Sharpen those pencils!\ Cathy Sat, 15 Oct 2011 12:34:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_72180 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_72180 notyourtypicallibrarian Hello brave souls! I only heard of NaNo Thursday of last week. I shared my literary ambitions with a friend, and he recommended visiting this site. I am scared to death, to say the least, but I am going for it! I am not attempting to write the novel of my life during the 30 days but simply complete a story from start to finish. I want to write something that my students will enjoy, so I have been asking them for ideas and feedback. If I have a positive experience with this, I will bring the youth program into my library next year. For now, this is just for me! I haven't been so excited about something in a very,very long time. Good luck to everyone! Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:34:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_74171 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_74171 Ender Delphiki I am a returning author, having won last year. But, I never posted on the forum until after the month ended. That being said, I'm Andrew Sephus! That is, my pen name is Andrew Sephus. Call me that or Ender, whichever you prefer. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:57:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_90031 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_90031 jefflion It's great to see there are other authors who use pen names. I thought I was the only one. (I use J.F. Lion as my pen name, but it's a subject to change. Still, it's good to know I'm not the only one). I love your avatar, btw. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:13:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_93845 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_93845 Ender Delphiki The avatar was made for me by thepillsburydoughgirl but since they removed signatures in the site upgrade I can't really give her the credit she deserves for having designed it. I like your name since saying 'J F' sounds like 'Jeff', which then makes a good first/last combo Jeff Lion as well as the classic two-initials-and-a-name that many publishers prefer to put on the books of YA. My own pen name comes from one of the forms of 'Drew' which is 'Drewseph'. With a little toying it becomes Andrew Sephus. I'd use Ender Delphiki if it wasn't a name taken directly out of Shadow of the Giant by Orson Scott Card. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:56:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_96369 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_96369 idzen hi there Am I the only one writing for a younger audience? I plan for my story to fit to the 4-6 yo age group, maybe a bit older, since the MC is going to grow older at some point. That said, my name is Ida, I'm 21, I'm from Denmark, and will therefore write in Danish, this is my third NaNo, I've never finished one, and I wont this year either - I have had to make a compromise and only write a few of the short stories this book will consist of, since I have a lot of other stuff going on in my life at the moment. But that said - I will give it my best shot to write at least two of these stories, maybe 3. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:46:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_97541 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_97541 Billybo Hi there, I'm a newbie here and just wanted to thank you for posting about Scrivener. I'm having a look at it and it looks like it's a great system for getting organised. I'll investigate a little more but thanks for bringing it to my attention. Good luck with your novel this year! Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:24:30 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_98016 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_98016 jefflion Jefflion is the name of my blog, so that how I picked J.F. Lion (because I wanted a gender-neutral name). I'm a girl, btw, and I never intended to present myself as a male. (But I didn't want to use my real name). And as much as I understand your wish to use Ender Delphiki as a pen name, I think Andrew Sephus works better. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:39:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_98211 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_98211 donne.r Ida, the reason most of us don't write for 4 - 6 year olds for NaNo is that kiddos that age are still listening to picture books ... which are generally under 1000 words, often much less. You'd have to write 50 of them to get your 50000 words. That said, if that's what you want to write, and you're aware of the constraints... I say go for it! Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:40:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_102308 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_102308 idzen I know that 4-6 year olds usually are listening to picture books, but my idea is that these stories should be a bit longer. I remember the best stories my dad could read out loud at night was the ones where there where fewer pictures, and more text. So I'm going for around 5000 words per story, and I think i will be able to write 2 or 3 this year, with all the stuff going on in my life at the same time. but thanks for explaining why you think others aren't going for this age group Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:32:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106575 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_106575 jefflion My favourite book when I was 6 was "The Wizard of Oz". Sure, I forced my parents and my grandmothers to read it to me. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:29:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_107271 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_107271 need_more_coffee Yeah - The Wizard of Oz is a great read-aloud for that age. As are things like the WInd in the Willows, The Hobbit, Tom Sawyer, etc.... I totally agree that if it's a captivating story, young folks have an amazing capacity for attention and interest. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:38:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_108302 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_108302 Gwyneira Hywel Hi! This is going to be my fourth NaNo and my first YA. I'm going for a mainstream with romance aspects because it's in high school, so lots of angst! Yay! lol. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:43:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_117598 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_117598 McDiablo Hey, all. This is my second attempt at NaNo and YA. I decided on a whim that I was going for it again this year, despite not having an idea for a story (I am a plotter, through and through). However, I came up with something last week and I'm quite excited about it! I've even stayed my hand and not planned too much. I've got a few major plot points figured out, but either than that I'm going to give this "going wherever the story takes me" approach a try. Am I scared? Ohh yes! But, this time around, I'm looking forward to getting started and putting that fear in its place. Let's do this! Tue, 18 Oct 2011 19:51:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_118589 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_118589 Peggy51 I'm a newbie, and a rebel. I am also working on a related collection of children's stories (hence the rebel). I hope to write enough new stories to finish the story book. I'm excited about giving this a try. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:29:16 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_128568 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_128568 Kitkatzini I write a little and this Is my first year at nanowrimo so I'm playing it safe with some teen fiction. Any ideas what to move on to? Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:20:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_133892 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_133892 gbostic5 I downloaded the beta version for windows yesterday, and I'm loving it so far. :) Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:32:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_134127 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_134127 tomato-greens Hey! It's been years since I was active in the NaNo forums, but this is my seventh year doing the challenge and, uh, I guess probably my seventh year writing fantasy YA, too. (Sadly, of those seven years, I won just once, in 2009; I gave up last year somewhere around November 3, so I really hope to make up for lost time this year.) I just moved across an ocean and NaNo is a little bit of home I want to have with me. Nice to make your various acquaintances! Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:09:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_143304 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_143304 roragray This is my first official NaNoWriMo. I did a trial run on my own in June when life was less hectic. I learned a lot from that adventure! Rora Gray is my pen name and my online identity at this point. I am attempting a YA novel because the characters in my head fit that genre best. I have never been a fan of outlines, but with the crazy schedule I will have in November it may serve as a way to keep me on task. That being said, I have yet to actually create one! I think I may sneak a few hours before November to write a summary type outline and then just see where it takes me. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:55:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_144876 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_144876 Ronka Hi! This is my first NaNo, and I'm really excited. I'm a big fan of YA--most of the ideas I come up with are geared towards teens, so that's what I'm writing this year. What I've got planned is a superhero story about a teen who joins a super-team but ends up on the run when he discovers that the heroes are corrupt. It kinda mixes mystery and adventure and, of course, superheroics. This is hopefully going to be my first complete novel, knock on wood! Very excited. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:58:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_149308 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_149308 AdrienEtienne I realized that I've been posting on here without having introduced myself here. I'm Adrien Etienne (I have a last name too, but I don't tend to post it places like this... I'm not sure if I'm going to use it or something else as my writing purposes last name, but I'll probably use my real one). This is my third year doing NaNo (2008 and 2010 being the other two), and hopefully it will be my second win (I finished my novel in 16 days last year). I wrote a fantasy novel last year, and looking at it, it may end up wandering its way into YA, but this is my first concerted attempt at writing YA. One thing that is consistent in everything that I write is that I have predominantly queer characters. Adrien Etienne Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:23:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_167525 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_167525 suepernz Hi everyone, my first young adult comes out in January, While I was writing it I came up with an idea for a sequel so that's what I'm going to write during November. I'm a pantser so only have a rough idea of where I'm going with my book about red dragons. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:41:20 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_167596 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_167596 Sleekwriter Hey, all. This is my eighth NaNo and my first as a Rebel - I'm already almost 13K words into a YA contemporary novel and I refuse to put it aside just because November's almost here. I will NOT count the existing words toward NaNo, though - there will be 50K new words this coming month! I've "won" every year I've participated. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 08:16:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_169724 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_169724 jenn.bakerhenry Sweet! Last year I attempted mainstream fiction and this year I'm writing my YA LGBT contemporary piece that I've been plotting for a year. Excited to finally scribe the thing! Happy writing everybody! Sun, 23 Oct 2011 18:13:20 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_190612 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_190612 JenC_P Hey! I'm attempting NaNo for the first time this year, so hopefully this doesn't end too terribly. I've finally settled on a YA steampunk set in 1890s Boston. I'm pretty excited about the inspiration for this one -- I've taken a real lost map (called the Inventio Fortunata -- done by a nameless monk in the 1300s who sailed the North Atlantic and claimed to have found the North Pole) and based my whole "alternate" society on it. Good luck to everyone! Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:02:44 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_201946 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_201946 aly_blythe Hullo! This is my first NaNo and I'll be attempting YA. I can't help it, I love the current trend for goth-lite-dark-romance type stories doing the rounds. I wanna write one too! I reckon pantsing it through NaNo is the way to go.... Good luck everybody and see you around the forums! Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:42:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_212071 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_212071 Lisa Rose Hi all! This is my first NaNo and I'm pantsing it with a lot of the people here. Gotta say I'm pretty nervous but I decided to reward myself with chocolate every time I reach my daily goal. I probably am going to need a workout goal too... hmm Anyway, I'm writing a YA dystopian novel that I've been thinking about for a month or so. Good luck to everyone! Wed, 26 Oct 2011 06:18:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_228446 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_228446 truecolors Hey hey! I'm ready to do this. I've been wanting to write a YA book forever so... why not now. Here I am. Let's go! :) Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:09:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_242229 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_242229 Sunny_Signs Being only 17, I assume that all and any story ideas bouncing around in my head are destined for the YA genre, at least for now. How could I write anything else; I have no idea what thoughts an adult MC may have, as I am not an adult. But I desperately want to make my novel at least somewhat sophisticated; refraining from stuffing it top to bottom with annoying YA cliches such as paranormal romantic interests, love triangles and overly witty/snarky teenaged female narrators. My novel is an alternate universe setting on a world plagued by war; my MC is a 17 year old slave who is sold by her masters to the army, where she is forced to fight in the bloody, never ending war. In this novel there are no love interests. None. I am determined to be one of the few YA novelists who's book contains no, "my blood raced at the sight of him"s or, "he's the one; I just know is"s. So that way, love triangles are not even an option. But does anyone have any other ides pertaining to keeping my novel off of the, "I've read that story in a different book" shelf? Wed, 26 Oct 2011 22:32:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_243037 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_243037 Cathrine_M_Nunn [quote=Sunny_Signs].. I assume that all and any story ideas bouncing around in my head are destined for the YA genre, at least for now. How could I write anything else; I have no idea what thoughts an adult MC may have, as I am not an adult. [/quote] If you make these kind of assumptions, you'll only hold yourself back from reaching your true potential when it comes to writing. A “young adult MC” =/= “young adult novel” and an “adult MC” =/= “adult novel”. The reason most YA have a young MC is because of the target audience. However, there are adult novels that have YA as MC. The novel that you've provided here and on your profile makes me honestly think that your story is more in line with a novel an adult would be interested in. So, you should always write your novel first, then decide who the target audience should be. Or, decide who your target audience is going to be. The other piece of advice I have for you, is focus on writing the rough draft of your story before you think of working it into something that will be amazing and working the cliches out with the help of an adult mentor so that your story is ready for publication. Work on building up your vocabulary, but in the same token avoid using purple prose, along with avoiding the nomenclature you are using for naming your characters and such. Writing takes practice and a lot of learning and you have to honestly get a feel for your own writing, among other things. The next thing is, while it is nice that you don't want to write the next Twilight so to speak, that doesn't mean you should avoid romance all together. It can be done mildly, not to mention without love triangles and even without having the feelings returned. My favorite adventure series have always had a little touch of romance to them, like Martin and Rose from Brian Jaques' Redwall series, among other series which were in fact not sappy at all. Let your story unfold the way it needs to without restricting yourself. The last thing to point out is, right now I think you are in the self-insert phase of your writing. I mean, your character happens to be the same age as you and also female. Don't be afraid to let your story go into Mary Sue territory this time around, because you can always go back and rewrite it so it is a better story, and this will be the best way for you to develop your own style, not to mention second and third times through make for better fleshed out characters. Focus instead, on the goal of that fifty thousand words and letting the story unfold. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:36:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_259665 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_259665 kathleenkudlinski.com Hi All - I write painfully slowly - so I decided this year to jump onto the NaNoWriMo bullet train. Wheeeee! (Sares me silly) Glad I'm not alone! My target age is m/g, the level where a protagonist can still fight to save the world - and win. Got a guy character, yet un-named (but I have days before the train leaves the station, right???) Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:20:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_265278 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_265278 Dan Dawer Hey everyone. My name is Dan, and I teach middle school Language Arts (6th and 7th grade), so naturally I'm writing a Young Adult novel. My novel, Switch, is about high school debate, and other competitive activities that drive teens crazy: wrestling, college applications, bullying, standardized testing, winning trophies. I hope I actually finish! Sat, 29 Oct 2011 20:57:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_290649 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_290649 Discordcat Hello all :) This will be my first 'proper' nanowrimo attempt, nor the half-hearted effort I've put forth in the past. I had planned to spent this month working on a YA fairty tale that's been plagueing me for some time, but last week a new idea burst into existence, all singing and all dancing, and refused to leave. I'm attempting to write a fantasy story aimed at the 16+ audience, as a vague estimate. Still a lot of planning to do as it's such a recent idea, but I've got the fire of a new story burning through my veins so hopefully that'll help pull me through. Always looking for buddies and people to talk to. Best of luck to you all :) Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:50:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_291473 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_291473 Kevin Armes It took me three years to complete the first, of what I always hoped would be, a series of YA novels. I have decided to attempt NaNoWriMo this year to try to speed up the birth of the second. The first is set in Cornwall in true Enid Blyton style but the second will take 12 year-old Reece Winner to The Maldives. I have visited the country several times and always wanted to write about it. Earlier this year, with the book in mind, I visited again and stayed on islands inhabited by locals rather than on a resort island. The research was invaluable and I hope will produce a plausible novel in one of the most stunning locations in the world. Failing to do it justice actually terrifies me more than writing 50,000 words in a month. My only regret is that I cannot be there for the whole of November to write it. :-) Sun, 30 Oct 2011 04:23:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_294728 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_294728 nanno Greetings from Ireland, I live in Belfast at present and this is my second attempt at NanoWrimo. Yesterday, I did a complete about-turn regarding my novel idea (as it were). I'm now going to write a children's book with a Christmas theme. This indeed could be considered by some (not least myself) as jumping on the crimbo bandwagon, but I've always loved the festive season and am 49 going on 9, so kids and Xmas it is! I'm delighted to have found this forum since I was actually searching to see if I was allowed to write a children's book. The genre title list hasn't caught up with the changed forum title yet. Enjoy what's left of your October freedom! :-) Sun, 30 Oct 2011 07:50:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_296853 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_296853 smccabe29 Hi All, This is my third NaNo, and my second attempt at YA. I hope that by the end of the month that I'll have a revision "worthy" story -- the other two weren't! Please "Buddy" me -- especially if you're in the Charlotte, NC area -- as I need all the encouragement and motivation I get! Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:46:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_304393 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_304393 little.fox Hello everybody! This is my first NaNo, and I'm insanely excited! I will be attempting to write a YA novel I've had bumping around in my brain called "Virgo." However, I also have my senior project to do so I can, you know, graduate college. But I can totally balance both, right? d: Please feel free to buddy me and/or chat! Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:29:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_306731 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_306731 Michael Gwynplaine Hi, I'm Michael. I'm completely new to narrative writing. Well that's not entirely true. When i was in fourth grade I wrote a nine-page story called Vivotilto which starred me and all my buddies from class. In the story our buddy Cedric was kidnapped into outer space, and me and the rest of our gang broke into Nasa and stole a spaceship to go rescue him. One of my more inspired moments as a writer. Since then i wrote two short stories in college, short as in three pages long. And then just two years ago, i wrote a short story that was one page long, one of my best peices yet. I've never quite been able to recapture the inspiriation that came so easily to my fourth grade self that allowed to write a lengthy NINE PAGE story. However, i've always felt deep down that I am a writer, and in the last year or so, after hitting 30, i've felt more and more compelled, and i sat down six months ago and wrote a ten page peice of total crap that makes my stomach clench in embarassment and fatigue just to think about. It was a literary piece (or was attempting to be) about two adult brothers who get mixed up in drugs and one of them ends up dying. Uninspired and dullsville. I realized then that i hated writing. It began to sink in that maybe my deep-rooted belief that I was a writer was just a dream, and would-be wish that i should just let go. And then just about two months ago, i got an idea for a fantasy book. BTW< I love fantasy, i always have since I was kid. It was my favorite genre. But since becoming an adult, i never gave myself persmission to write it. I also enjoy YA fiction, but always took myself and my craft too seriously. HA! My craft. As if. But now that i had let the dream go, writing young adult fantasy became an option, and the wheels started turning one night on the living room couch, and they haven't stopped since. I have 30 pages of notes and a fifteen page plot summary. Everyday, i just sit and let the ideas flow. I've never experienced anything like this, and I dare to hope that my life may be taking off in a new direction. Yet. I haven't written a single word of a draft. That's right, no actual story. The total number of narrative pages I've written in my life time is still somewhere below 30. Am i scared? I am so scared. I know enough to know i am a shitty writer. I don't have the skills. Maybe I finally have some inspiration, but i don't have the skills. Yes, in fact, I lied when i said i hadn't written a single word of the draft. I wrote two paragraphs. And they were horrible. The two paragraphs I wrote fall SO SHORT of the novel i want to write, that it scares me. I'm scared to write a horrible novel. But I HAVE to write this story. So a couple of weeks ago, when my girlfriend off-handedly told me I should do NaNoWriMo, i said, YES. And so I'm doing it. I'm doing it. A month from now, I'll have a draft of this novel, and it doesn't matter HOW it comes out or WHAT it is. I will have done it. This is crazy, but here goes. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:31:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_306774 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_306774 suziewong Hi I'm new to Nano this year. I thought about it last year but chickened out. This year I have a new story kicking at the door. Not totally planned yet but I tend to start of with a plan and then go off on tangents madly. I'm writing for 12years and up but not totally YA. (I think) depends on what happens during the writing :) Don't know if I will manage the 50 000 word target but will have a good try. Anyway it will get the thing written. My story (at the moment) is New Zealand based story of a secondary school pupil coping with drugs, violence and uncertainty about his sexuality. Nothing too explicit but there for those who may be struggling themselves. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 17:01:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_307379 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_307379 danmetcalf Hi all. I'm going for a new YA paranormal story this year (I've two unpub'd children's books, written the slow way) with a male protagonist. Can anyone help me decide on one thing: whether to write First of Third person? I've always written first (he said, they did this, etc) but have been told be editors and peers that it's not the done thing in YA at the mo. First person (I said, I did this, etc) adds some immediacy to the writing but means that I'll have to stick with the main cahracter for the whole story. I can't 'cut' away and show the reader something that is ahppening without the main char's knowledge. Conflicted! Let us know if you have a preference (especially if you're a target audience member, IE, you're young adult, 14-18 yourself. I'm 31 and feeling ooooooold.). Laters Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:19:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_319045 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_319045 danmetcalf Michael - You are NOT a shitty writer. There are plenty out there, sure (head to your library and take a look). Try going into Nanowrimo with a positive approach, or at least with the attitude of 'well if that hack of a writer can write that garbage and get it published, then I sure can'. The purpose of nanowrimo is to get something written - I think chris baty once said the trick was to try not to write a fantastic novel, but soemthing that would not make someone want to vomit. Best of luck. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:25:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_319119 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_319119 Susantm This is my second time to do NaNo. I was a winner in 2007 with a contemporary women's novel. This year I am going for middle grade, because that is the level I most enjoy writing for. I had been unsure about actually trying this year, but attended a writing conference a couple of weeks ago and got talked into it. I then talked my children's writing critique partner into also trying. I am working hard to get my notes and outline ready for (yikes!) tomorrow! Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:29:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_328790 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_328790 Skylah I'm not in the age demographic (I'm 27) but I read a ton of young reader books. I greatly enjoy third person. Although editors might like "I," I'm a fan of knowing what multiple characters are thinking, feeling. I toyed with the same concern for my young reader novel and finally decided after asking myself a couple of questions - does my character know something someone else doesnt? Does everyone else know something my character doesnt? Does my reader need to know the threat against the main character before the main character does? In my case, my readers need to know the danger before she does. So I chose third person. I hope this is sort of helpful. (It may not be, it's just how I worked this out in my own head). Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:19:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_336201 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_336201 Skylah Hey Michael. Your self doubt sounds pretty normal to me. I question my ability every day. I'm terrible at structure and the editing process so I question whether I have the ability to make something worthy of people saying...I'd read that. Nonetheless, I know it's in me somewhere, otherwise I've been in love with writing since I was 7 for no damn reason and I refuse to believe that. That being said...if you're worried that you're a crappy writer...frankly, write the crappiest novel your crappy writing skills can put out. But don't you dare give up. You can tweak and fix and elaborate later. You can finesse it all you want...in time. Right now, get the crap on the paper. All of it. From shit grows the prettiest of flowers. Don't deprive the world of your flower. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:27:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_336383 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_336383 tsm38 I am writing a YA Fantasy-Paranormalish-romance story this year. I think I may have attempted NANOWRIMO every yearsince it's been running with no sucess. This year though I am hopefull that I will make it to 50,000. I am a Graduate student in the Sciences who also teaches so it will be a challenege to find the time to write. However, I am looking forward to taking the time for something not school related. I have always wanted to be a writer of YA fiction since I was a kid. I have a few story ideas screaming round and round in my head but I think I have finally decided on one. It takes place on an Native American reservation in the American SouthWest. It takes place in present day but involves a group of Native Americans who were cursed by a skinwalker and turned into Mustangs back in the Wild West Day's. Skinwalkers creep me out sooo I hope I can stick with this story to the 50,000 mark. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:02:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_339964 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_339964 danmetcalf Very useful, thank you. I think it will be third person. It's probably one of those things that it pays not to get too hung up on. Ta muchly... Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:31:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_342989 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_342989 Cathrine_M_Nunn I agree with the others. Think of things in a positive light and remember that you are aiming for a rough draft, not a finished piece of work. Aka, don't worry about spelling, or going back and fixing some of the smaller details until you finnish your draft. that is how writers work. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:46:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_345499 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_345499 LuLiLa This is the first time I have tried to participate in this though I do write often. I am wondering what catagory my story should go into though since technically yes, it is targeted for the young adult age group but I am also worried that some younger children might be scared by it so I'm not quite sure whether it counts as Sci-Fi or Young Adult, it is techincally a sci-fi ghost story written for young adults... Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:01:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_362753 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_362753 Cathrine_M_Nunn My word of advice is to write the novel, then come back and make the decision. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:15:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_363238 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_363238 LuLiLa Yeah, I have around 4,500 words done so far and a fairly good sense of what more I'll be writing, also I realized it may belong in the Horror/Supernatural section, all these catagories are confusing me since my story fits into three of them. I guess you're right, I'll just try to see which one it fits best once I'm done if I do finish. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:25:51 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_363602 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_363602 Patricia.McKelvy I am new to this wonderful event. I have a question and I am not sure where to post it but I figured this is the best place if any: I am not going to write a "Novel" but work on Children's Books (more than 1) within a series. Is this okay??? Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:37:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_366284 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_366284 Camila _Cam Hi! i decided to take the Nano Challenge this year (i skip the last year), i mexcited about my novel even when my plot its still weak. Honestly im not in panic yet, i will try only focus on writing and then edit. Im usally very critic with my writing too, so this is the mean reason i quit my stories even when i like the plot or avoid the writing (i guess you already noticed my english its not good, but still i want to be part of Nanowrimo experience by sharing all this experience with people around the world, not only with people from my region) So im very happy to be part of Nano writing a YA novel!! Im dont feel ready to write this book but i want to finish! Good luck!! Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:47:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_380104 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_380104 InkTrace Hi All, This is my fifth year doing Nano and my first realistic YA novel. "Kiss It Goodbye" actually sprang from my own experiences and the realization (due to my profession as a Teen Librarian) that there aren't many YA books that seriously take on the issue of teen pregnancy loss. I'm hoping, through writing this, I can make peace with my experience and help teens who have gone through this to not feel so alone. I just keep thinking - if I am taking it this hard, how would a teen handle it? Where could they turn for help to get through it? Especially a teen who decided she would keep the baby and was changing her life... Pregnancy loss happens to 10-25% of pregnancies (http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/miscarriage.html), so it must happen more often than we realize. I'm not sure how this novel will pull together, or if anyone will actually want to read it once it's done, but the characters have never been more solid in my mind. So, I'm giving it a shot. 30 days, let's see what happens. Good luck with your novels! Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:39:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_381175 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_381175 InkTrace First off, Michael, congrats on the 30 pages of notes and 15 pages of plot summary. That's one hell of an idea that has lit your fire and I would imagine that inspiration had you writing without a care in the world - the way you wrote when you were in 4th grade. Unfortunately, the older we get, the more we realize what's lacking in our writing. So, when we actually sit down to write our official novel, we keep seeing what isn't there. We know what great writing is (haven't we been reading it?), but to create our own? It is hard and it is scary. But it doesn't have to be. The truth is - you don't have to share this novel you are writing this month. So, who cares if parts of it comes out shitty. The more you write, the more likely you'll come up with literary treasures, too. J. K. Rowling has been quoted as saying she keeps thinking her next Harry Potter novel was worse than the one before it. If a successful writer never knows if she writes something great, then how can we? All I know - a writer writes. It doesn't matter if it is trash or gold. So, turn off that internal editor and just let it all out. You'll have plenty of time later to judge, edit, and improve. (Personally, I think the magic comes out in the revision, anyway) With your notes and plots, you're already in good hands (you've avoided the writing block wall!), so there's no reason why you can't do this. We're cheering for you. Now get writing! :-P (Seriously - it's day 2 and you have no word count posted???) Tue, 01 Nov 2011 23:56:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_381507 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_381507 dtfwriter Funny, writing about your teaching high school. Our teen just graduated and senior year nearly killed her, literally. ER visits and girl drama to the max. I'm surprised I was able to complete my first NaNo in the midst of that. And on another note, I happen to be writing Dog Leader Mysteries for children 8 to 12 yrs. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:40:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_396495 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_396495 Wooden Toaster Sounds awesome! This is my first year too, and I'm starting with a fanfiction since I've never done anything like this before. Afterwards, I can't wait to write some of my own stuff. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:16:35 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_426514 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_426514 Therealbnoffeepi I'm doing Young Adult about a young, isolated teen. However, it's not going particularly well but, I'll sort it out maybe. Good luck to everybody! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:38:32 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_435038 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_435038 danmetcalf Hi Patricia - I've seen others on the forums that are doing the same as you, so go right ahead! The aim is 50000w, so I don't think it matters how you write it. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:15:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_456653 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_456653 Miskumi Hello! I'm a newbie here as well, and I think my story will fit in to the YA category well. I have a pretty good start so far (8,061 words on day 4) but I'm still struggling with a title. Hopefully I can make some local friends that love to write as I do, and maybe at some point I will find a title. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:58:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_471692 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_471692 pumpkinonwheels Hi everyone! This is my first time doing NaNo! Of course, this is quite possibly the worst November I could have chosen to try it since I'm in my first semester of grad school. Plus this month is when all my papers and exams are so...we'll see how that goes! But I'm really excited about doing this because I have "Blank Page Syndrome" which when combined with my perfectionism and incurable procrastination means very little writing has been done recently. I think this is the intense kick I need to actually write something. I was going to write a story I've been planning for a few months but I don't want to feel too pressured for it to be done well - my goal is for it to be done. So I've switched to a brand new, shiny story that has the absolute bare bones right now but also a lot of potential. Well, at the very least, it has the potential to entertain me for 50,000 words! Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:19:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_480223 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_480223 Theresa Vaz Hi, I'm writing a novel for children aged 10-12 range. Its about bullying, homeschooling and mabye but not sure musical theatre. Right now the book is not really working that well, but I will perservere! Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:55:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_512712 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_512712 Linda Ulleseit Hi all! My first YA novel, On a Wing and a Dare (Nano 2009 novel) is coming out in March 2012, so I am spending this November writing the sequel. I just hit 10,000 words and I'm celebrating by playing in the forums. Happy writing everyone! Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:18:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_524961 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_524961 gbostic5 Congratulations! That's such wonderful news! I'm a retired teacher, and this is my first attempt at writing YA. It's actually YA Historical and my first time doing historical fiction as well, but I'm excited about it. I'm going to my first SCBWI conference (regional) this month and hope to learn more about writing in this voice. I hope to someday be as successful as you by getting it published. :) Again, Congrats! Gloria Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:10:35 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_547818 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_547818 Formerpoet I'm doing the same thing. I have an idea for a series and I'm hoping to finish the first book and get well into the second. I'm writin for 4-3th grade level. What about you? Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:12:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_557850 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_557850 Suzana Mazon I've had my "Hot and Hotter" series partially outlined, and rattling around in my head for several years. I am bound and determined to get the first book completed during this, my first Nanowrimo. Books 2 and 3 are banging around inside my head. They're pissed off that I won't deliver them into this world until big brother has been safely delivered, edited and pronounced healthy. Book three has a disaster that awaits this world and it's lurking there, just waiting to have its day in the suns. It's kind of fun writing in a way that anticipates changes in the story threads that will pop up later. Since I created their world, and the characters didn't bring ANYTHING with them except the clothes on their backs - I get to play god. The characters are struggling to survive, but they'll make it. They're resilient, funny, creative and good problem solvers. They need to be to survive. I just killed off Sarah today. I've known she was a goner for years, but it's final - it's on paper. None of the other characters miss her, in fact guilt is the main emotion - because no one misses her. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:31:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_559730 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=3#forum_thread_comment_559730 Suzana Mazon Hi Ender. Good choice of names. Beats Bean. Good Luck. This is my first Nanowrimo - I hope I can win like you did. Suzana Mazon Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:34:12 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_559810 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=2#forum_thread_comment_559810 lovelycatgirlmew Ooh everyone has really great ideas right now for their novels! Im joined nanowrimo for the first time yesterday, and so far im writing a YA novel for the YA age group :3 I hope my characters are as well developed as everyone elses, i barely started last night Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:00:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_587586 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_587586 Maiko_Chan12 Hey, I'm a NaNoNewbie and, well, I honestly don't know what to do, besides the plotline and setting, which is a bookworm who also happens to be a new student at a high school with its stereotypical social ladder(jocks, cheerleaders, goths, ect.). Basically, I need help. A LOT of it. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:56:15 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_629787 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=1#forum_thread_comment_629787 blowe4310 Hi everyone! I'm a teacher and a bookworm. I've been swimming in the "one day I will write and amazing book" pool for more years than I want to admit. Following spinal surgery last June, I haven't been able to return to work. I randomly decided to finally start my book, which, for all intents and purposes, I knew only was going to be a children's novel (series someday? I can hope!) So, over the last three days I have bombarded my husband, best friend, and mom with ideas. This morning I woke up with clarity. And then I stared at a blinking cursor for a bit before closing my laptop. A few hours ago, I decided to try again. The blinking cursor curses me. I decided to consult Captain Google for some tricks to get going, and happened to stumble upon NaNoWriMo!!! So, I am 10/11 days (I've crossed the midnight barrier) late to the party. I wrote 1,619 words tonight. Not bad, right? Right?!? I'm excited to have a community of nerds and procrastinators literally at my fingertips. I've got some catching up to do. But I am pumped! Magic fingers, away! Bridget Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:22:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_635241 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_635241 nanno I hope your YA novels are going swimmingly! :-) Can someone answer a question for me re Smashwords please? I uploaded my novel (which is a work in progress) on Smashwords. I intended to upload it in the NanoWriMo section but I'm not sure if it's actually in that section. Is there any way of knowing if it's in that section at Smashwords please? I've tried asking a question in the Help section at Smashwords but got no reply. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:56:27 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_646291 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_646291 bookwormlady Hi everyone! I'm writing a religious YA mainstream novel, hoping there's a market for it. My novel is about a sixteen year old boy who gets taken to Guyana, South America for a two week medical mission trip. My family and I have done some one week medical mission trips in Guyana and I'm using my experiences there for the novel. The tagline to the novel is, "Sometimes you have to travel pretty far in order to find yourself." Hope everyone is doing well with their Nano this year! Sat, 12 Nov 2011 14:01:15 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_662915 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_662915 anakis Hello, all! I'm a former middle school teacher/current educational nonprofit worker in the Bay Area planning a semi-autobiographical realistic teen issues novel. I haven't made it to any of the Silicon Valley write-ins, but I hope to soon! Anybody else writing something based on your own life? Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:31:21 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_699234 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_699234 kag2315 Okay, I am just starting, but where in the world do I write the novel at on NaNoWriMo, I feel lost I want to start writing but ummm I literally have no clue. Do I just use word processor??? Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:48:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_876812 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_876812 oliviaroach1 I love to read children's lit and this was my first year of Nano I wrote a childrens book... and it turned out pretty well! I think... Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:33:54 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_927107 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/young-adult-children-s-lit/threads/698?page=4#forum_thread_comment_927107