What I Learned in My High School Library Club Today…

Quick Update: Awesome news, friends. I entered YATopia’s contest and just won my first query critique, by author/blogger/former literary agency employee Jodi Meadows. Woot! To keep up with the spirit, I included a link to her website with her name. Check her out. She’s badass.

Song Stuck In My Head: “Rich Girl” by Gwen Stefani. Orchestra class is learning songs from movie Fiddler in the Roof, including the original “If I Was a Rich Man”, so not too random. Maybe. :/

So, I went to my high school’s fourth Library Club meeting this week. There’s only four regular members and monthly, if even that, meetings. Our purpose: to provide input on which books get ordered. Rather neat power. For instance, I got one of my favorite bloggers Tahereh Mafi and her first novel, Shatter Me, on the top of the list. However, since today was our biggest turn-out, I made some keen observations for my fellow YA writers out there. Some common sense, some interesting. Check it:

1. Power of a Name

Series AND author brand names are still big. Most of our orders were sequels to books we already had, or popular authors like Cassandra Clare and Rick Riordan. While stand-alone novels are always good, most modern teen readers seem to enjoy riding a story beyond one book. As long as the concept is fresh, that is. (Translation: PUT THE VAMPIRE IDEA DOWN! STEP AWAY FROM THE WEREWOLF LOVE STORY!)

2. Get Out the Popcorn

Movie adaptations don’t have to be Harry-Potter size to have an effect. While The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’s success led to us ordering its sequels, I Am Number Four and Beastly didn’t exactly blow up at the box office. Yet, not only is Beastly one of the most checked out books, but I Am Number Four’s sequels made our list. They also make books easier to recommend - I’m proud to say I successfully convinced a girl to at LAST check out the Hunger Games. Muhahaha. Only took how long before the movie? Pssht.

3. Not Too Feminine After All

The boy-girl ratio of YA readers isn’t too dramatic at my school. Out of our eight members this meeting, three were boys and five were girls. They were also mostly seniors, but I’m guessing that’s more because freshman and sophomores are afraid to join clubs than anything else. However, there is somewhat of a time period (around fourteen to seventeen) where a teen reader might slow their reading intake. That age is also usually when they start transitioning from young books to more adult material.

4. Find Your Niche Audience

Tastes vary here. A bunch. For instance, one girl admitted to being a fan of old, archaic and even foreign versions of stories. Then another girl is big on the author Tamora Pierce. And then there’s me, the weirdo who drifts back and forth between the random vampire series and music-themed indie novels. While bestsellers might attract both avid and fair-weather readers, don’t hold back from writing in an odd genre if that’s where you thrive. Your audience is out there somewhere.

5. Standing Out

Word of mouth is valuable. A lot of authors and book/series names were shared, and I know they’ll get checked out, even bought. So don’t be afraid to get yourself out there and make your name known. Today’s writers need more than just a kick-ass story to survive in this publishing world. You never know when or how your future fans will hear about you, so make everything count.

Okay, peeps, that’s all for now. But stick around later this week for a blog on CW’s version of the “Secret Circle”, as part of my series on TV shows. I had one last week on Napoleon Dynamite. Hopefully journalism class will die down enough that I can continue next week too.

And since my blog has been a tad bland as of late…time for LOLcatz apology! (Man, it seems every one of my posts has these now...)

Later!

NAPOLEON DYNAMITE...the TV Show (That's Right. I Watched It.)

Quick Update: Hectic two weeks back from winter break. My biggest highlights: getting to ride in a hot air balloon (for FREE!), learning how to blow bubbles with gum (only took me seventeen years), and finding out next week's spirit week is medieval-themed. Woot.

Song Stuck In My Head: "Flagpole Sitta" by Harvey Danger. It's a 90's song. I fell in love.

Okay, so today and hopefully next week will be sort of a TV-themedd series of blogs, starting with an animated series that just premiered last Sunday night as one of Fox's mid-season replacement. :) Read on.

Whether you were a budding preteen or a young adult yourself in 2004, It’s likely you remember the ridiculous, fantastical, and quirky NAPOLEON DYNAMITE movie. You remember the tots. The ligers and llamas. The Vote For Pedro badges. And, of course, Jon Heder’s crazy dance scene.

While a lot of critics questioned the movie’s comedy, ND managed to gain a cult of fans who quoted it, bought every merch possible for it, and found their inner geek through it. Now, only eight years and apparently one videogame later, the Idaho-native dweeb is back. You can now watch Napoleon, Pedro, Deb, Kip, and Uncle Rico every week during Fox’s “Animation Domination”. If you’re willing, that is.

Let’s get to the review, shall we?

There isn’t an exact premise. The Napoleon Dynamite TV show doesn’t even to seem to be a continuation of the movie. For instance, his older brother Kip isn’t married like he was at the end of the film, since it‘s more comical if he‘s a geek pursuing online relationship interests. If the show had a premise, it would be throwing the characters into a cartoon version of the already cartoon-ish world they exist in.







The main difference is the perspective. While Napoleon Dynamite the movie was the world’s perspective of an extremely odd character, the show is more the character’s way of seeing the world. Since the show is animated, there are no longer limits. However, someone of the movie version’s humor came from live action. Would you rather see a cartoon geek break-dance onstage or a live action one who has no idea what he’s doing? Exactly. Movie-Napoleon would only claim to have mad ninja skills stolen from the government. The TV Napoleon might have an episode where he actually becomes a warrior master.



Yet, we can’t forget the pros. For one, all the original actors are back to voice their characters. I gives the show a more natural feel - besides, if someone other than Jon Heder had voiced Napoleon, the show wouldn’t stand a chance. Since it’s a part of “Animation Domination”, there’s also a chance for more outrageous antics and jokes that couldn’t fit in on any other channel. Of course, this might ruin the movie’s famously kid-friendly rating. So far the show’s puns have strayed away from cursing, gore, or “toilet” humor. Will the innocence stick?

One of the show’s biggest pluses is how it does remain loyal to the film’s main entertainment: awkward geeks with superb vocabularies and big dreams. If you think about it, if it wasn’t for the nerds of Napoleon Dynamite, actors like Michael Cera and Jesse Eisenburg wouldn’t be the household names they are today.



An interesting subplot in the TV show is Deb and Napoleon’s relationship, something only hinted at before. The show is not subtle at all about Deb’s crush on her friend. However, it’s also clear that Napoleon isn’t exactly capable of romance. Whether this plotline is a pro or con is yet to be seen.

In its own way, the ND show is more or less a tribute to the original. While the storyline and jokes are original, there’s no shortage of references to tots and Uncle Rico’s golden football days. This is neat right now…but it could get very old, and very fast.

My best advice for the show would be to stick to the original jokes. The original jokes so far have been the most outstanding. They got such great characters - use them!

All in all, if you’re a fan then you should definitely give the show a chance. Even if you don’t laugh, you’ll at least relieve the year 2004 and find yourself renting Napoleon Dynamite for memory’s sake. Think of how far we’ve come since then! Juno. Superbad. Easy A. Now if only we could have such a cult classic in the YA world…you know, without vampires.

Take care, peeps. Oh, yeah, and vote for Pedro. All your wildest dreams will come true. ;)





Favorite Quote From Show:

Principal (I think it was the principal): Young man, let's go talk in my office.
Napoleon: No, we'll go to my office.
Principal: You don't have an office!
Napoleon: Okay fine then we'll use yours.

Real Teenagers Vs. Fictional Teenagers (Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Post)

Quick Update: For those who didn't see my tweet about it, right now I'm decked out in Nerd/Fangirl gear. Twilight t-shirt. Harry Potter "Hogwarts" robe. Panda backpack. Oh, and three little kid tattoos on my face - "Team Edward", "Team Jacob", and a lightning scar. Muhahaha....

Song Stuck In My Head: “Steady as She Goes” by the Raconteurs. It’s a very catchy song. I love the beat.

Okay, my eyes are still burning hot thanks to waking up WAY too early, but here we go. For the first actual WRITING, PUBLISHING, and the TEENAGER post in an era or too…we shall debate fictional teenagers and…well, the ones in reality. Hopefully I can consider myself knowledge enough in this area, being an adolescent who only writes YA-aged stuff.

Also, I am very bored and feel guilty for not posting as much. And, begin!

FICTIONAL TEENAGERS know much about themselves. They can tell you their favorite color, their favorite band, how they got that scar on their cheek whenever they glance in the mirror. They’re pretty confident with their sense of self identity.



REAL TEENAGERS need a minute when you ask what their favorite song is. They also freak out whenever they see a new scar because how they supposed to know how they got it?

FICTIONAL TEENAGERS have a way with words. Since all their dialogue is specifically tailored to their personality and style of speaking, there’s no need to worry about it sounding less intelligent than they really are, or out-of-tone.

REAL TEENAGERS…. “No way”, “you’re kidding!” “are you cereal!?” “Omigod, I love that show!” are among the more popular phrases of choice when it comes to them. And though they do have a certain personality to their words, sometimes it’s hard to tell them apart.



FICTIONAL TEENAGERS fall in love with eerily (handsome/smart/mysterious) fictional teenagers, and never have to worry about chemistry or whether they’ll get along. After all, meeting your eternal soul mate in the school hallway is a bit too common when it comes to YA books.

REAL TEENAGERS are lucky if their “meant-to-be” relationship lasts more than a week.

FICTIONAL TEENAGERS tend to have a grasp on their goals in life, where they see themselves going, what their passions are. They already know what they’ll major in come college. They got it all planned out.

REAL TEENAGERS are clueless. Fifty percent of them say they’re going to be doctors and/or surgeons when they grow up. Until they figure out they have take way more classes than the usual college student. And that’s why God invented the “cubicle job”.

Personally, though it could be that I’ve watched too much Diablo Cody movies where her teenage characters lived in a more heightened reality, fictional teenagers beat the crap out of real ones. But that could be bad. Any sort of character that’s a bit too perfect will raise eyebrows. When you start realizing your characters live in an odd, even cliché world, just try to remember your own adolescence. How swell was it? Exactly.



What sort of major differences do YOU guys see in fictional characters? When compared to real ones, that is.

Okay. My fingers hurt. So see you next Friday (hopefully) when I give you guys my fan girl review of the film INCEPTION! Later!

WHAT TEENAGERS DON'T WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS...Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Pt. 2

Quick Update: I feel famous. Kimberly Pauley (a.k.a author of "Sucks To Be Me: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire [Maybe]) is following me on Twitter after I talked to her on there. Crazy or what? I'd definitely recommend her books though...unless you don't want to laugh....

http://www.kimberlypauley.com/

So, anyways, while I wait for more questions about the YA genre to come in to answer, how about a sequel to my earlier post?

My own, personal list (as in, please do not go psycho and say I'm wrong or that I left out a million things) of things YA readers DO NOT WANT FROM YOUR YA BOOKS!

1.WE DO NOT WANT LESSONS SHOVED IN OUR FACE. Of course, the idea of every novel, story, etc. is theme. Theme is a good thing. You learn values through fictional characters, and see the consequences of common sins. However, I'm sure parents of adolescents are quite aware of what happens when you tell them what they did was bad...glazed-over eyes and repetition of the word "whatever". i.e... Say a YA protagonist lectured that shoplifting is naughty will not have the same effect of a YA protagonist shoplifting, and facing the police afterwards. It'll also give you a chance how the character handles themselves in panicky scenarios.

It happens to the best of characters, I suppose

2. WE DO NOT WANT A MENTION OF SOME EXTREMELY OLD FIGURE IN MEDIA. Yes, it is nice to know about that one legend that existed in the 60's...but if every celebrity, musician, actor your characters talk about require either a quick trip to Google, Wikipedia or a parent, that'll just waste time readers could be spending on your story. The same with dictionary terms, too...when I was younger, there have been books when I had to have a Word Document dictionary open while I was reading. Shouldn't be necessary!

3. WE DO NOT WANT CLICHES! AGH! Are you curious by what I mean? I'm sure a lot of you have seen or heard of this, but, Joelle Anthony’s old list gives a good idea of it. Hmmm *random idea* perhaps I should make a list of my own? Anyways, there are characters and scenarios that show up in teenage...everything! Be original. And if you're going to take an idea, at least breathe your own self into it. We can't all be Megan McCafferty.

Save the teenage cliches for spoof movies!

4. WE DO NOT WANT ASSUMPTIONS! Yeah, you think you know teenagers. They all go on Myspace and obsess over that mouse-voiced Justin Beiber...Bieber? I have no idea, which is exactly my point. Just as adults are, teenagers are extremely unique, impossible to define, and unexpected. That book-smart nerd boy in your book who seems to get flawless A's, is in every honor roll program at his school, and makes his momma proud might attend "parties" on Saturdays that are very un-Harvard. The school's resident, er, "female dog", might volunteer at a shelter, and maybe dealing with that and her fellow students makes her so bitter. You never know! And trust me, there are plenty of teens who have no Myspace. Some even have FACEBOOKS!



And lastly, the one I KNOW you've heard before, but cannot be emphasized enough...

5. WE NOT WANT TO BE TREATED...LIKE INFERIORS! Today's teen readers aren't all bumbling, Disney-channel-watching fan girls. I am glad to say I have friends who devour Anne Rice and Stephen King just as much as Stephanie Meyer and Scott Westerfeld. So, slow and simple reading, elementary-school worthy vocabulary, plenty of "OMG's" and "totally!", and characters with crushes on those scary Jonas Brothers...well, they just make us think you underestimate us. That you underestimate your audience.

There was a book series I read once (will not say the name, so no one is offended) during my post-Twilight phase. The hook was very vampire and werewolf-ish, and seemed like it would be interesting. Yet, the writing...was just wretched! A little kid might have written it. The plot could be predicted at the very beginning. The dialogue seemed like a bunch of Youtube comments. And it was a series!

Teen fiction is truly an amazing thing. They are stories of people growing from kids to adults, learning all the lessons that will mean their future. And yes, it's wonderful to write for them. Just be sure to have some respect for the mind of the teenager.

NOT NECESSARY!

Thanks for reading, and a huge thanks for subscribing when it comes to some of you! I feel like jumping up and dancing every time I see a bigger number on the followers list. Of course, that would only terrify every person in the room, so I try not to.

Bye! Stay tuned next week for another segment!

WHAT TEENAGERS WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS...Writing, Publishing, and the Teenager Pt. 1

Quick Update: HA! I thought of something to write about, maybe multi-posts, too. Cue: evil laugh. And since I'm following (and being followed) by some cool new writers on Twitter, why not?

Obviously, as a pre-published author, YA reader and YA myself, I can say that my favorite genre is pretty much exploding on the market right now. See below:

Vampires and werewolves and fallen angels, oh my!

There are not many differences between YA and adult literature, if we get honest. There is still sci-fi and romance, fantasy and mainstream, issues and conflicts. The main contrast is and will always be: the audience.

So, here is the official WHAT TEENAGERS WANT FROM YOUR BOOKS.

1. We want smart, funny dialogue. Not simplistic, short sentences that have triple spaces on page. Sarcasm may be a no-no in a lot of genres, but we can never get enough. If the narration is satirical and can generate a laugh or two, we read on.

2. We want new characters. Yes, we all know cheerleaders are evil demons living inside tanned, bleached blonde teen girls. Move onto a new monster please. (Like, Jennifer's Body...Jennifer was on the flag team, not a cheerleader). How about the chess club captain or the track star being the antagonist for once? Everyone has a motive...you just have to look deeper.

Jennifer's Body's Flag Team Villain

3. We want romance. No, this does not indicate a book chock full of declarations of love between two teenagers. This would never happen, anyways, especially in contemporary YA. "I love you" is thrown around more carelessly than ever these days. How about romance elements? Where the hero/heroine have their issues, and the boyfriend/girlfriend merely acts as a shoulder to cry on, an ally who knows how to kiss? If love is the main story at hand, then do not mirror Nicholas Sparks. Be original with your lovers and their relationship. You're a human*, so hopefully you know how humans express and feel emotion.

*If you are not a human, then you are excused.

4. We want to be shocked. We want twists at the end that make us scream "What the (insert curse word here)" and then force us to keep reading so we look for a resolve (which should also be included. If things are predictable, and I can already tell that Whatshisname will get the girl and defeat EvilVillainGuy, then you fail. However, keep the shockers to a minimum. Bringing in a demented evil twin who has yet to be mentioned at all will not shock us, it will only mean a negative review of your work.

Er...best EvilVillainGuy I could find, I guess...

5. We actually kinda want cuss words and "bad" stuff. I can remember reading "Breathing Underwater", one the required books, and the three kids in my group got all giddy because someone said a swear on the first page. I was pretty shocked; I mean, back then, I just finished a Scott Westerfeld book where it was a common, REALISTIC thing. The truth is that teenagers today are just like the shows Family Guy and South Park: perverted and yet a little intelligent when it comes down to it. We watch Shane Dawson videos and listen to Lil Wayne. It's a new generation, I guess. But, the idea of of censoring YA is beginning to thin. Just be natural!

6. We want sad stuff, in the case of the girls. I'm not speaking for myself (I sold my soul for a chocolate chip cookie two years back) but my peers seem to love books that end with people dying. A popular choice is the Outsiders, which remains one of the most beloved required readings ever. You know how many people sobbed over the ending? And dogs dying in fiction is pure tradition yet legend. Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows are classics. Yet, so are I Am Legend and Marley & Me. Tears are the best attraction.



This is all I can think of for the moment, but the post is sorta lengthy anyways. Any questions or suggestions? Perhaps I should make these multi-posts...

Thanks for reading! :)