Field Trip Friday: July 23

Our weekly trip around the field of YA with stops at the most helpful, interesting or otherwise entertaining news.

THIS WEEK IN WRITING

- I'm a week late, but agent Sarah Davies posted the final installment in her fab "How to Write a Breakout Novel" series.

- Agent Mary Kole on the market for male main characters.

- Author Shannon Whitney Messenger on learning to trust yourself.

- Author Jody Hedlund gives tips to moms (or anyone) trying to make time to write.

- Do you need a crit partner? Let The Words Flow can hook you up.

- Victoria Strauss on the importance of self-editing.

- Got my edits... now what? How to deal effectively with critical feedback, from author/editor Cheri Lasota. (via @bakersmark)

THIS WEEK IN READING

- Can fart jokes save boy readers? The AP says "pbtthththhth." Oh wait, no, they say maybe

- Real sweat and blood go into a book. Literally.

- NPR on why libraries are the new cupcakes.

- Designer Lisa Novak shows the alternate mock ups for Flux book covers she created. (via author Karen Mahoney, who scored an awesome cover for her book The Iron Witch.)

- Persnickety Snark started posting their Top 100 YA Books list on Tuesday.

THIS WEEK IN GETTING PUBLISHED

- Agent Jenny Bent suggests that in querying, you follow the rules for the most part, but don't be afraid to let your freak flag fly. Just a little.

- Need a blog post topic? Check out this list specifically for writers. (via @LynneKelly)

- Why double last names can be problematic for authors, from agent Jessica Faust

- How to benefit more from conferences, by Jane Friedman

- Agent Mandy Hubbard took a whirlwind trip through New York publishing and comes home with a full report on trends. (Hint: MIDDLE GRADE.)

- No need to mention your age, warns agent Sarah LaPolla. After all,

"...did Mozart ever say 'Sorry guys, I know I'm only six years old, but I'm about to blow your mind?' No. All he did was blow people's minds! No apology offered or needed."

- I am writing this post with my hands. Agent Janet Reid on overwriting in your query.

- Author Lisa Desrochers walks you through the process of editing your book after it's sold.

- Sometimes things don't work out: Agent Mary Kole on leaving your agent 

- Mary Kole also addresses writers and social media. Author Jodi Meadows (congrats on your book deal, Jodi!) has a response, and author Natalie Whipple has a two-part series on the same topic.

- Agent Jennifer Laughran clears up some common publishing myths. My favorite:

"Picture books are easy to write. OR, YA writing is fine, but eventually you should 'graduate' to writing grown-up books.  Errr... screw you."

THIS WEEK IN CONTESTS

- The Rejectionist wants to know what rejection means to you. Win a mix CD made by le R herself!

THIS WEEK IN OTHER STUFF

- I love this amazing "fashion show" of covers at Publishers Weekly, where florals, branches and windblown hair are IN.

- Congrats to Maggie Stiefvater, whose sequel LINGER debuted at #1 on the NYT bestseller list!

THIS WEEK IN THE RANDOM

In follow up to last week's Old Spice library love: New Spice Library Guy (via Bookninja)

field trip friday Friday, July 23, 2010