Subjectivity (and Why it Sucks)

Recently, I participated in a contest on the “Adventures in YA Publishing” blog called Pitch Plus 5—and won! Well, I was one of two grand prize winners, but it’s still a win. It was a fun and exciting contest, and I loved reading so many different stories/pitches. But it also taught me more about how subjective the whole publishing market is.

For each round of the contest, we were scored by anonymous judges, ranging from bloggers to published authors to literary agents. By the last round, I got a lot of contradictory feedback. One judge thought my opening image was super strong, and another thought it was really weak. Someone else was confused by a story detail, another didn’t have a problem understanding it.

Basically, subjectivity is the worst. The actual worst.

I was also subjective about some of the stuff I was reading. One entry really wasn’t for me at all, but a lot of other people enjoyed it. I loved another that wasn’t getting love from anyone else. Agents function this way, whether we like it or not. If your story resonates with one, great. If not, then keep going until you find that one.

If you’re anything like me and second-guess EVERYTHING, then all this contradictory feedback can be detrimental. Somehow, you have to find a way to focus on what’s working and what you can do to tweak what isn’t working.

The important thing to take away from it? Your book is never going to please everybody. So write it for yourself, and for those who will rave about it—because they will. If you love it, chances are someone else will too.

What Makes Us Girls

Maddie couldn’t complain about the world spinning; she had relinquished that right after her third fireball. The cinnamon still burned in her throat, hot and sweet. Clumsily she applied a liberal dose of lip gloss and ended up making her chin smell like strawberries.

 

Cassidy was in another world altogether. That one must have been spinning too, because she was swaying on her bare feet, holding her high heels by their straps in one hand. The other hand drifted through the air, tracing invisible words.

Connecting with Characters

“What’s your favorite part about writing?”

Simple—my characters. Who doesn’t enjoy relating to fictional people? They show us truths and flaws about ourselves we may not have previously understood. When you write your own characters, you shouldn’t just describe an interesting person, but allow the reader to see why they’re interesting in the first place.

What You Don’t Know Can’t Hurt You (Or Your Writing)

“I expect what you’re not aware of would fill several books, Dursley.” – Mad-Eye Moody, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

If you’re a writer, chances are that you will come across the saying, “Write what you know.” However, I have always looked upon this saying with some skepticism. Frankly, I don’t know that much, especially when I first started writing. If I only wrote what I knew, I would be writing books about cake, Doctor Who, and funny cat pictures I find on the Internet.

Therefore, I believe that you should always try to write what you don’t know.

The Beginning of the End: Starting Your Novel

It’s one of the very first questions you ask yourself when you’re about to begin the novel you’ve been pining to write: how, exactly, do I begin this thing?

I think most writers, especially those just starting out, pick the wrong place to begin. I myself have been a victim of the “wrong beginning” syndrome, but I’ve found some valuable advice to help me plan how the story should start off.

The Pros and Cons of “Said-Bookisms”

Recently, a rejection letter of mine emphasized an issue that I had never heard any editor complain of in my work before.

“The said-bookisms are too distracting,” the editor had bluntly expressed.

“Said-bookisms?” I mumbled to myself. “What on earth is a said-bookism?”

Why You Should Love/Hate Your First Draft

Is there nothing as simultaneously thrilling and horrifying as finishing the first draft of your story? Unless you’re a stuntman, probably not. Depending on what kind of writer you are, you tend to lean towards one or the other: excitement or trepidation. No matter what side you fall on, don’t worry; there will be some reason for you to love or hate your first draft, and always a way to use this to your advantage.

How to Find Time and Motivation to Write

When your personal and business life seem to gang up and rob you of your time and energy—while probably harvesting a couple organs while they’re at it—it can be difficult to tell yourself it’s okay to sit down and write. Not only does guilt get in the way, but you’re just too damn tired. Thankfully, it is possible to still get some writing done even when your calendars, celestial or otherwise, aren’t aligned.