Write a story based on a note left on a post it. What does the message say? Who wrote the message and who is the receiver of the message? Stories begin with a simple action that becomes something bigger. Be creative and have some fun!
#writing prompt # teen writing
Over the last few months I have been finally paying attention to #Twitter. I found lots of pitch competitions like #DVpit, #Kidpit,#ADpit. The following on twitter competitions where writers with competitor manuscripts create a one to tow sentence pitch for their books. Agents and editors look at the pitches and many writers have found their agents that way.
In addition to the ones I mentioned there are many more #Twitter pitching events. If you go to Twitter and search the following up can find examples of what a #Twitter pitch looks like and everyone is very helpful.
DVpit is coming up on April 25th. This pitching event is for underrepresented writers. such as LGBTQ, minority writers, and disabled writers. Basically writers who have not been given opportunities to have their books published. Don’t worry there are lots of pitch events so everyone DOES get a chance. Wish I knew about #Kidpit it was on April 4, 2018. Get a #Twitter account if you don’t already have one and follow hashtags above and find agents to follow. That’s how I discovered events.
Write a story about this place. Is it an alien world? Perhaps it’s a fantasy world. Describe the world and the people who live in it. When describing the setting of a story I like to think about the rules of the world and how the structures/buildings add to the story.
There’s a reason why Twilight takes place in a town nestled in the woods and in a town where it rains constantly and why Divergent takes place in a world that has been destroyed by war and now has a wall surrounding it. Why does this world look like this?
#teen writing prompt # fantasy prompt. We creative and have some fun.
There are many ways to land an agent. One way is to submit a query letter. A query letter tells the agent about your book and yourself. Query letters should be one page in length. The other way is pitching. I recently won a pitching event at the Montclair Literary Festival. This pitching event, Pitchapalooza has helped many writers sign with agents and publishers, turning them from aspiring writers to published writers.
We were only given one minute for our pitch. The pitch introduces your story’s protagonist and what makes your book unique. I think it’s always a good idea to start with comparisons to allow agents and publishers the chance to “picture” your book.
For example the pitch for Hunger Games . YA Gladiator meets Running Man. Two children to each of Panem’s 12 districts are chosen to fight to the death in gladiator games. When Katniss’s younger sister is chosen she decides to take her place.
I just started following literary agents on Twitter and discover a pitch competition on @DVpit. Agent Beth Phelan started this competition where underrepresented writers can pitch their novel to agents. It’s a great opportunity. The YA day is April 25th. For those of you that aren’t considered underrepresented writers there are other pitching and submission chances.
Look up an agent you are interested in a follow them. I’ve connected with a few agents this way. Twitter is more than just posting what you ate for dinner or did for the weekend. It can be a resource to getting an agent.
#agents #twitter
I just finished reading The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. This book was powerful and timely. The book is sort of nod a to the Black Lives Matter movement but not in a “in your face” kind of way. It tells the story of the friends and loved ones who lost someone to an unjustified police killing. It’s heartbreaking and honest. The story centers on the life of a teenaged girl named Starr Carter. Starr navigates between two worlds. One, Garden Heights, a low-income neighborhood that most people would deem as the ghetto. Garden Heights has gangbangers, drive-bys, and poverty but it’s also a place where people care about and love each other. The other world is the world of Williamson, a posh prep school in a predominately white suburb where she desperately tries to “fit in.” She has a white boyfriend, rich friends, and a chance to have a better life. Her two worlds couldn’t be more different, and because of this, she hides her life in the Gardens from her prep school friends.
One night while leaving a party with her childhood friend Khalil, the police stops their car and kills her unarmed friend, leaving Starr and the key witness and the only person who can fight for justice. She’s torn between speaking up for her friend and torn between keeping a low profile so she can continue blending in at Williamson.
She soon learns that it’s impossible to do both and soon finds her world crumbling when she is called to testify against the cop who killed her friend. This book will take you on an emotional journey that has you rooting for Starr as she tries to do the right thing.
It’s hard not to think about the deaths of other unarmed men and woman who the justice system has failed, but in the midst of reading the story, you’ll enjoy a beautiful coming of age story filled with teen crushes and first loves. It’s the kind of combination that keeps you wanting more until the very end.
Write a story based on this picture. Where is your character headed when he/she comes across this warning on the tracks?
After you’ve created a list of which YA agents you’d like to submit your manuscript to there are a few things an agent will request before he/she requests your entire manuscript. The query letter is one and the synopsis of your book is the other. The synopsis basically plots out your story along with your Protagonist’s emotional journey. It doesn’t have to retell ever detail but it should retell the story from beginning, middle, and end.
There are two great articles about writing a synopsis. Just check out the links below. The tough part( writing the book) is over and now it’s time for you to reap the benefits of all your hard work.
https://www.janefriedman.com/how-to-write-a-novel-synopsis/.
http://www.how-to-write-a-book-now.com/how-to-write-a-synopsis.html#
Check out these great classes at The Writers Circle. It’s not to easy to start registering. All these classes are taught by published authors.
I recently finished my book after about 9 drafts. I read several books on revision and Walter Mosley’s book This Year You Write Our Novel, one of my favorites which suggests that writers look at each character and follow their character arc/ story in your book. It was hard work but taking a look at each character one by one as they helps to allow you to focus on mini-stories and interweave with overall larger in your novel.
I also had several people who read YA (Young Adult Fiction) read by book and that led to more notes. After years of writing my book, Bait I decided to create an agent list. Every writer thanks their agent in the acknowledgement section so after I read a YA novel that I enjoyed I wrote down each name of author’s agent and researched the agents. Right now I have ten agents, three of which I plan to write a query letter to. Each agent has a list of what they want you to send if you are interested in having them represent you. Most lists want a letter and in the letter you tell them about yourself and your book.
Start making your agent list as you read your favoriate books. One day you’ll need it.
