Writing and Selling the YA Novel

Remember the first day of school?

Can you recall the feeling of walking into each new classroom wondering which of your friends would be there, where you would sit, and what the teacher would be like? Well, this is a school for two—you and me. You can sit wherever you'd like, but I have to warn you: Although you'll change subjects from period to period, I'll be your teacher for every single class. That's why I thought I'd start by telling you a little bit about me and my teaching style.

First of all, I hope you'll be comfortable, but do have your pen and paper ready because we will be using it. I believe the only way to learn how to write is by practicing again and again and again. So, yes, there will be lots of homework.

Some of you might be thinking, "Uh-oh, this teacher is strict. Homework on the first day of class?" But you can relax. There won't be any homework until the school day officially starts, and although I am

strict (you'll read more about discipline later), I'm also one of those teachers who really cares about her subject.

And her students.

So here's a little bit of information about me.

I like to tell people that I know books from every angle. It's true.

The daughter of a librarian, I grew up reading aloud with my parents from the time I was very small. I started out sitting on their laps, listening to the sounds of the words. As I grew older, my whole family passed the books from person to person, each one taking his or her turn to read a passage.

It was this love of reading that prompted me to accept a volunteer position after college working with adult students on basic reading skills. Reading had always been something I adored, so why not share that with others?

I worked as an adult literacy tutor for two and a half years before returning to my home in New York. The question "What should I do next?" was never far from my mind, but fortunately for me, a friend recommended I apply for a job at a literary agency. To my surprise, I got the position. This was the start of almost five years at Curtis Brown, Ltd., where I was privileged to work with many top literary agents. I watched manuscripts move from unpolished gems to the bookshelves of Barnes & Noble, from the slush pile to a contract, and from an agent's desk back to the author for another try.

This was invaluable experience, especially since I was also writing my own books. I wrote my first full-length novel in high school, but I was always writing "just for fun," lacking the confidence to submit my work. Even while working in publishing, it was still a long time before I showed my writing to anyone. I was convinced that as soon as people saw what a horrible writer I was they'd lose confidence in my ability to critique manuscripts or judge query letters and my job would be at stake.

Sharing my work was a risk, just as it is for you, but I'm certainly glad I did it. My first published novel,
Fat Kid Rules the World
, was named a Michael L. Printz honor book and has been a Junior Library Guild selection and a YALSA Best Book for Young Adults. I now have four novels published with more under contract, and my books have been translated into Japanese, Korean, and Italian. Each book has been made into an audiobook, and I've even had a movie option for
Fat
Kid Rules the World!

Of course, getting published doesn't mean you necessarily get rich (more on that in math class), so what have I been doing besides writing books?

Well, I couldn't work full time and still produce novels on deadline, so I left my job at the literary agency and got a job at, you guessed it, a local bookstore. Where else? For the next two years I stood behind the counter watching customers browse the shelves, hand selling my favorite titles, sadly boxing up books for returns then happily ordering new ones from publishers' catalogs, and occasionally catching the unsuspecting customer checking out my own titles when they were on display.

I've followed my books from start to finish, moving from reading to teaching to agenting to selling, and all along I've continued to pursue my greatest passion—writing. Now I write, speak at conferences, visit schools and libraries, and critique manuscripts.

Do I know books from every angle? Well, I'm certain there are one or two I haven't covered—so to help me out, I have some wonderful teaching assistants ready to take up the slack. At the end of every chapter you'll hear directly from teens all across the country about every subject we discuss. If there's one thing you'll hear from me again and again in this book, it's that teens are smart, articulate, and know their minds. So how could I not let them speak for themselves?

Participating teens come from a school in New Mexico, a soccer team in New Hampshire, libraries all across America, teen reading Web sites, and numerous individuals who responded to my request for teens ages twelve through eighteen willing to fill out a questionnaire about teen reading. Responses were wonderful, and it was difficult to choose which answers to quote, but I've tried to choose the responses that best represent the majority, while at the same time giving you an idea of how diverse teens are in their opinions. I can't wait to share the wit and wisdom of today's teenagers with you.

So, what kind of teacher will I be?

Hopefully the kind who can share real-world knowledge and inspire you to go farther than you thought possible. I've been privileged to see publishing from the inside out, and I'm excited to share my experiences with you. Now, if you're ready to start your school day and learn more about writing novels for young adults, let's open up your locker and see what's inside.

Writing books for publication is not an easy task. There are many authors competing for a limited number of slots on each publisher's list. How can you make sure your book catches an editor's attention? How can you be certain the material you've produced is well written? Is there a magic formula for success?

We all wish such a formula existed, but writing is a personal journey that takes a lot of hard work and dedication. The material you create will naturally reflect your own style, voice, and life experiences, and there's no way to guarantee that what you have to offer is what a

publisher will be looking for at the time you submit your work. That's a truth that cannot be sugarcoated.

However, having said that, I can assure you that the more you learn, the more you increase your odds of success. There are many tools you can use to improve your skills, make your work more marketable, and best of all, help you create stories that readers will return to again and again.

Here are a few of them:

• determination

• perseverance

• creativity

• intelligence

• willingness to explore

• ability to practice

• learning from the experience of others

• Web sites

• magazines

• conferences

• writers' groups

• reading

These are just a few of the tools within your grasp. Undoubtedly, everyone's locker is different, and you surely have some opportunities that are uniquely yours. Intimate knowledge of your subject matter? A friend in the publishing business? Experience writing in other fields? Take time to look around and inventory what you have at your disposal. Don't discount anything that might help you along your path. That teenager lurking around your living room just might be the perfect source of inspiration.

Oh, and here's one more very important tool: Your schedule.

Books like this can be invaluable because they not only allow you to carve out time in your busy life to study your craft, they also offer a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know to succeed.

So, here's what your school day will look like:

Homeroom:
Here, we'll discuss your motivation for writing teen books. This is the time to look at how YAbooks differ from their adult or juvenile counterparts, and see what defines YA literature. Plus, I'll reveal my number one, most important piece of advice.

1
^st
Period: History.
Names and dates won't be dull when it comes to learning the history of books written for teenagers. Knowing where YA literature started and what has been accomplished by the authors who came before you can enrich your stories and allow you to innovate.

2
^nd
Period: Gym.
Many of us loved or hated gym class with a passion when we were in school, and isn't strong emotion exactly what fuels a good book? Here we'll explore what makes an idea great, where ideas come from, and how to implement them once you've found an idea you want to work with.