YA Highway

YA Highway teen contributor Kody Keplinger's debut, THE DUFF, will be published by Little, Brown/Poppy in September 2010. For more about Kody, visit our Who We Are page.

Recently, I was having a conversation with a published author whom I greatly admire when the topic of teaching lessons in YA fiction came up. She said that much of her negative feedback was from adults criticizing the “lesson” she was teaching young readers. This struck a nerve with me, as both a teenager and a writer. The subject came up again a few weeks later while talking to an aspiring teenage writer, concerned that she wasn’t teaching a “lesson.”

So today I want to speak to you both as a teenager and a writer, but mostly as a teenager who really, really loves to read YA books.

Your novel does NOT have to teach kids a lesson.

Here’s the cold, hard, honest truth. No matter what profound lesson you are attempting to teach – be it that kindness to others is important or that sex should be saved until marriage – it is not going to entice teens to read your book. No teenagers (well, not any that I know) go to bookstores looking for novels that are going to teach them lessons.

Teens read books because they are funny.

Teens read books because they have action.

Teens read books because they will be entertaining in some way.

I have never seen a teenager pick a book up off the shelf and say, “Oh, this is going to teach me how to respect my elders. I think I should buy it.”

Now, this is not to exclude accountability/responsibility for your characters’ actions. In the words of our own Kirsten Hubbard, “Lessons aren't necessary, but that doesn't mean we can write about free drugs for everyone and unprotected sex in alleys, ftw.”

If your characters are doing something dangerous and stupid, then maybe they should have a moment where they realize it was dangerous and stupid. Having a character learn a lesson is good – it’s a huge part of growth and character development – but setting out to teach your audience a lesson often comes off as condescending, and no teenager likes to be talked down to while reading a book that should be meant to entertain.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re looking up at that top paragraph and saying to yourself, “But you just said that one author got criticized for not having a lesson . . .” Well, if you look closely, I said that her critics were adults.

Honestly, there are some adults out there who believe that all children’s literature should teach kids a lesson. Some parents may get angry if your characters have sex or do drugs or use swear words, even if you DO hold the character accountable at the end. These adults might get upset and might complain, but, to put it simply, who cares about them? If you are writing YA, then you want to please teenagers. Sure, it would be great if you could make everyone happy, but that’s just impossible.

In the end, it comes down to your characters and your story. If your characters learn a lesson and it is important to the story, then go for it. But if your characters make a ton of mistakes and the story doesn’t really call for them to regret it or repent later, then don’t force it. Teenagers can tell when you’re forcing an unnecessary or uncalled for lesson upon them.

So next time you sit down to write and you come across the question of “What kind of lesson does this teach to my reader?” just remember that your reader isn’t seeking lessons. They’re looking for entertainment. And they are the ones you want to please.

~Kody Keplinger

What Are You Teaching These Kids?

If you've ever queried, you've probably longed for each agent's honest, uncensored thoughts about your letter. Now's your chance to hear them!

Joanna Stampfel-Volpe of Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation (our Kody Keplinger's agent) is holding a lightning-quick query contest tomorrow, February 27th. And by lightning-quick, I mean you'll have one hour to enter. Queries must be submitted between noon and 1pm EST tomorrow (between 9 and 10am on the west coast).

The contest is hosted by agent Kathleen Ortiz of Lowenstein Associates at her blog, Neverending Page Turner. Make sure you follow all the rules! And yep -- if your query is adored, you will certainly receive a request for pages.

Fastest Query Contest in the West

• 10 Rules For Writing Fiction from a slough of top writers, at the Guardian. On the flip side, advice on how to write-- from a reader, at Salon.

• Author Janet Fitch on why she reads poetry while writing

• Romance writer Keli Gwyn shares her plotting strategy in detail-- from a Post It note color legend to the exact measurements for drawing your grid lines. 

• Fascinating look at failure and how you define it, by Rebecca Brown (via The Rejectionist).

• Author Aprilynne Pike has some reassuring news about original ideas, neatly illustrated by one of THE MOST AWESOME videos ever. You must watch it and be amazed. 

• Inky Elbows has a list of agents on Twitter 

• Author Carrie Harris posted her guide to Queryland, including the helpful hint to never enter the email address until everything else in the query is done and proofed, in order to avoid "accidental emailage."

• Jay Asher on the security blanket of good reviews

• Magic Under Glass gets a new cover. Pretty!

• Author Sarah Dessen pointed out flaws with the Common Sense "age appropriateness" meter at Barnes and Noble's website. Sassymonkey and Publishers Weekly have some further comments.

• The Guardian examines the fascination with death in recent YA (via @colleenlindsay).  

• Several YA titles get the nod in this NPR piece about vampire lit.

• Twihards: The Cullens' house is not only for sale, but the price has been reduced! (Vampires or no, you have to admit, it's a sweet house.)

• What people are reading, broken down by city: Turns out everyone is reading Stephenie Meyer's THE HOST.

• Two YA Highway birthdays this week: Michelle and I both turned 30, on the 23rd and today, respectively.

• Congrats to Rachel at TWFT, who announced this week that she is now agented!

Field Trip Friday: February 26

There’s this thing that happens, and it seems to get worse with every novel I write.

You know, the thing where you get a decent way into a first draft, then you suddenly realise that everything has so much backstory it could probably fill an entire continent. All these long chains of events that happened which explain some of the reasons why Main Character With Mysterious Past is the way they are and why Huge Big Plot Catalyst Thing has to happen, and how this random thing links with this other random thing which links with this other thing which is actually really essential to everything.

A story, like a house, might seem big when you first go there, but it isn't really. There's only so much space. People don't want to read stuff that's crammed with every little thing that ever happened, because it's like walking through one of those scary houses where no one ever throws anything away. You know, for when the aliens come.

It actually reminds me a lot of housekeeping, because whatever I do, there’s always this endless build up of stuff in my flat. It’s quiet, gradual but constant, like erosion but in the opposite direction. My book collection grows way too fast, every piece of paper in the whole entire universe seems to be magnetically attracted to the desk, and then there's all the weird stuff, cords for charging the camera, washing racks, Star Wars DVDs, strange singing dolls, stray socks. And it's all there, some essential, some not, all these bits and pieces that connect a life together. I try and organise it as best I can, but there's never a definitive victory.

There are those houses in magazines, all beautifully decorated and flawless, and I sometimes wonder if the reason for that is because they've shoved everything in a cupboard. But the cupboard is never in the pictures, because for all intents and purposes a cupboard like that should not exist. People should not have backstory, dammit, or stuff. Life should be straightforward and beautiful. There should not be muddle everywhere. The world should be a tidy place.

Or should it?

Don’t get me wrong, I love those magazine homes, but I can never actually believe that anyone lives in them. Because most of us live in the world and mess things up slightly as we do so, and then we have to try the best we can to fix it so things can be liveable. And on the bad days, when there is a massive pile of stuff on the floor, to navigate when things aren't quite as liveable as they should be. And amongst the mess there's always stuff that connects directly with who we are and where we've been and where we might be going.

Likewise, I love stories about people with backstory so strong that it's almost spilling out of them at every moment. I like characters with history, navigating all the clutter that their past has made, with chains of events that connect with each other which start way back before the story actually starts.

It's hard, trying to get all the essential bits in the right place, the things which tie in with other things, the stuff that lights up other stuff and makes it make sense. And also to get it all in just the right amount. Enough so that there's the presence of people and their world and a sense of wholeness, but not so much that the mystery disappears. So it gets complicated.  Some of it slides in quietly, into description, into conversations. And there are flashbacks. I love flashbacks, but they’re big and gawky and have to sit comfortably with all the present day stuff around them so that the story doesn’t get too disjointed. And then there's all the stuff which has to vanish, because it turns out it wasn’t needed after all. But it doesn’t always completely go. It sometimes leaves a kind of residue, a sense of mystery, of fascinating things the author could tell but is witholding instead. And that can be the best thing of all. Dealing with mess well is all about knowing what to throw away.

I think it’s time we give up on thinking that all mess is unhealthy. Mess can be beautiful. It’s just a matter of finding the right place for it.

On Mess

Welcome to our 18th Road Trip Wednesday!

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog and leave a link in the comments. We'll be adding our own links here throughout the day!

Topic #18: If You Could Be Any Book Character, Who Would You Be?

Road Trip Wednesday: If You Could Be Any Book Character...

When it comes to young adult fiction, the word "edgy" is widespread. Edgy fiction, edgy characters, edgy plots, edgy writing. Aspiring authors spend a ton of time agonizing over it. Is my book edgy? they wonder. Or worse, how can I make my book edgy?

It's a plague of edgy. A pestilence. A pandemic. And I have a proposal:

We should retire the word edgy.

Not because I have a problem with young adult fiction that takes risks. Are you kidding? I adore it. I write it. I think daring subject matter is one of the main catalysts for today's YA renaissance. For the first time, authors are really, truly speaking to teens, and writing what teens want to read.

I just have a problem with "edgy".

Let's take a look at what "edgy" is supposed to mean, as it pertains to young adult fiction. Historically, it's been used to refer to books that push the envelope regarding promiscuity, drugs, drinking, pregnancy and abortion, emotional problems, and other issues that can afflict teens. It's been used to describe books about rape, abuse, incest and violence. It's also been used to describe books with gay or bisexual characters*. Books with more than a couple swear words, with characters who think about sex.

That's quite a variation.

Now you see my first problem with the word "edgy": What's edgy is utterly relative.

It's relative to what you've seen. Who you know. What you've experienced in real life. But most of all, it's relative to what you've already read.

If you've only read Meg Cabot and your next book is Wicked Lovely, certainly the latter feels edgy in comparison. But if you come at Wicked Lovely after a bout of Ellen Hopkins, Melissa Marr's book might seem pretty tame. Some readers might consider Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak edgy—until they read Elizabeth Scott's Living Dead Girl. The unapologetic drinking in John Green's Looking for Alaska might seem edgy to you—until you pick up Melvin Burgess's Smack. Not to mention psychologically edgy books, like Chris Lynch's Inexcusable and Justine Larbalestier's Liar, which reach inside our minds and tangle up our brains.

In different contexts, "edgy" has been used as a compliment. An insult. Even as a slur. In marketing speak to sell books. As reason to ban them.

The word has been applied to so many books, on so many different topics, with so many different shades of controversy and content, it's become meaningless.

So why are we still using it?

My second problem with edgy is probably a result of its popularity. Many aspiring authors have this idea a book needs to be edgy to sell. But because the word's so overused—and misused—writers are sometimes ill-advised to pack their books with profanity and provocative subject matter, to compete with what's already out there.

While I think almost nothing should be off limits in YA, I also think as YA authors, we need to be extra accountable. That means there needs to a reason for every F-bomb, every choice our characters make, positive or negative, and the repercussions of these choices. Our books shouldn't contain a single aspect that's gratuitous, unnecessary or untrue to our characters.

Good authors don't write just to shock. Though that doesn't mean their books aren't shocking. Take Living Dead Girl, or Laura Wiess's Such a Pretty Girl, or Julia Hoban's Willow, or Laurie Halse Anderson's Wintergirls. All are great books with unflinching takes on some of the edgiest issues teens can face.

But their subject matter isn't sensationalized—it's nuanced, three-dimensional, and absolutely accountable. The books weren't written to rank high on some arbitrary edge-o-meter. Their authors simply wrote the stories they needed to tell.

Maybe at one point, edgy had meaning. But those days are over.

So let's retire the word!

That doesn't mean we shouldn't continue pushing that envelope. In fact, I propose we should do the opposite: write and read books that are provocative and honest, rich and real, lighthearted and humorous and disturbing and downright dangerous. We should strive for the most transcendent adjectives literature can possibly reach.

Edgy not being one of them.


~Kirsten Hubbard


*Don't get me started on the word "edgy" being applied to books with gay characters. Homosexuality does not signify edginess, any more than heterosexuality does.

Why the Word EDGY Has Lost Its Meaning

As writers, our ultimate goal is to get our babies…errr..books published. The best way to achieve that is to first find that agent who loves your freckled faced kids as much as you do. Once that happens, and sometimes it can in a total whirlwind week of craziness, you feel a little invincible. Unstoppable. You’re one step closer to the dream and boy is it sweet.

But what happens if the relationship doesn’t meet your expectations? We writers are kind of a paranoid breed. We don’t like to rock the boat, cause any waves, or be the “Diva” client that agents talk about at the bar on Friday night. Still, there is a relationship there that needs to work. A give and take that, as a writer, you deserve.

And there are times when you just have to be strong enough to say when and admit that it’s not working out. I can tell you, that’s one of the harder thing to do. We spend weeks, months, sometimes even years to find that one agent who says, “I want to rep you.” They want you! Wow! Why in the world would you decide to say, “It’s not working” and voluntarily go back out into the scary world of the query?

Ultimately, it’s because your career matters and if you aren’t in charge of it, who is? Succeeding sometimes involves hard choices, like knowing when to let go. But along that same line, make sure what you think you need and what you think you aren’t getting are valid.

A LOT of books simply don’t sell. If you are giving up on your agent after two months because they failed to sell your debut novel about jackalopes who love anteaters (Which you think is brilliant and needs to be made into a major motion picture starring Johnny Depp AS the hunky jackalope,) well you might want to take a hard look your expectations. (And plot, but really who am I kidding, Johnny Depp could make even a jackalope look sexy. Hell, I'd go see it!)

If on the other hand, there are red flag communication issues, or enthusiasm for your subsequent books is lacking, or you need more guidance than the agent had time to give, then those are valid concerns that need to be discussed. And you should discuss them before you decide to leave your agent. Sometimes a simple conversation can get you both on the same page. Sometimes it can’t.

But if you do end up parting ways, you can do so in good conscience because you were professional and courteous and did not resort to tantrums and name-calling. (Believe it or not, agents talk to each other. A lot. Shooting yourself in the foot by bad mouthing all over the internet is never a good thing. Your goal is to find another agent who is a better fit, and you can bet if they see your name associated with rants about what a horrible person so and so was, they’ll think twice about working with you.)

Changing agents is just one of those things. It sometimes happens. If it happens to you, do it with dignity and respect. That way when your potential new agent asks why you parted ways with your old agent, you can give them an honest answer, feel good about it, and hopefully land the one who will take you to the stars! (Or even better, bestsellerdom!)

And as a side note on querying, remember to use something fresh and new. Don't try to sell the novel that got you your agent the first time around unless it never made it out of the gate and editors never saw it. You should have at least one (or maybe even five) books that are ready, so pick the one you think has the most potential, polish that query, and send your darling out into the world. Oh, and its okay to mention you had an agent and that you are now looking for new representation. If a new agent is interested, they will ask questions, and that is when the above comes into play. Good luck!

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

YA Highway teen contributor Kody Keplinger's debut, THE DUFF, will be published by Little, Brown/Poppy in September 2010. For more about Kody, visit our Who We Are page.

There is a point many authors reach early in their careers. It’s a moment of elation and joy. When the first draft of a novel is complete, and you feel as though you have accomplished all the success in the world.

And then the question hits.

“What now?”

It’s a terrifying question, of course. You know your novel needs work, but where to begin? Staring at a word document and realizing it has 60,000 or so words to be edited can really ruin that moment of happiness. But never fear! Survivor’s Guide To Revisions is here!

Every author approaches revisions differently, with different time frames. But here are a few key steps that will help you whip that newly completed manuscript into shape!

Step 1 – READ

It may have taken you anywhere from three years to two weeks to write that novel. Either way, it isn’t likely that your brain stored all of those words or that you can quote your novel by heart. So the first step to this revision is to read your novel. As you read, take notes on things that you know need to be revised. Does a character need to be taken out? Does a scene need to be added? Write these things down somewhere for future reference, but don’t try to tackle them just yet. In your first pass, perhaps focus only polishing grammatical issues in your book. Don’t be in a rush to do everything at once. Art takes time, remember?

Step 2 – RIP APART

After a decent gestation period – different depending on each author – take another look at the notes you made while reading your first draft. With these notes in mind, you should proceed to completely rip apart your book. Add and cut and change all of the things you noted before. Again, don’t try to rush yourself. This is often the hardest step, but it can be the most crucial.

Step 3 – SHARE

Once you’ve done all you know to do with your novel, consider letting some fresh eyes take a look. Critiques are always helpful, even if they aren’t from other authors. If you don’t feel comfortable with anyone but your sister, mother, or best friend reading your book, that’s okay! Have them tell you EXACTLY what they thought. Take some of their suggestions into consideration. Not all of their ideas may be right for your novel, but they are definitely things to think about. And remember, the more critique you can get, the better. Every set of eyes offers something new, and feedback is always a good thing.

Step 4 – REEVALUATE

Once you’ve had someone assess your work, reevaluate some of their ideas. Would they help your story? Are they worth giving a try? Once you know what you want to do, go back through your manuscript and implement the approved changes. You may do this multiple times depending on how many people read your work, so don’t try to give yourself a time limit. The more polished your work is, the better.

Step 5 – POLISH

When you are sure your book is the best it can be content-wise, give yourself time to do one more pass of the manuscript to clean up any left over grammatical errors. Take the time to read the book as you go. This is the best time to reflect on all the improvements you’ve made, and give yourself a pat on the back. YOU SURVIVED REVISIONS!

Of course, this process may be repeated multiple times depending on the author and the manuscript, but a rough guide never hurts! Take revisions a step at a time. They can be overwhelming, but if you take them at an easy pace, you’ll make it through.

A Survivor's Guide to Revisions

From the back cover:

Book Review: Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

 
Field Trip Friday is a weekly trip around the field of YA with stops at the most helpful, interesting or otherwise entertaining news. 







The big news this week?

The Olympics!

KT Literary has a post about what the Olympics can teach you about character and story. (See, totally related. NOT just an excuse to post that picture. I swear.)

• Editor Martha Mihalick posted the keys to A Fine Romance

• Agent Jill Corcoran provides the Seven Deadly Sins of Novel Writing

• Author Suzette Saxton continues great posts at Query Tracker-- this week it's How to Plot or Revise Your Novel

• Author Valerie Geary shares seven things she's learned so far-- including the following: "If you can’t write a concise synopsis, your novel’s not ready."
  

• How Twitter can help authors

• Straightforward how-to marketing tips from Simon and Schuster

• Great query letter advice from author Elana Johnson:
  
  

  "If you're writing a query, just start with nailing that first sentence and then the last. It should encapsulate the novel, from a starting point to an ending point, with nothing in between."
  
  (Elana also has a great contest running this week-- be sure to check it out!)
  

  
• Agent Kathleen Ortiz put up two helpful posts showing why queries and partials make the cut.  

• It's almost that time again: Some tax tips for writers
  

• And if all of this is getting overwhelming, Rachelle Gardner has some pertinent thoughts on patience.

The San Francisco Writers Conference was last weekend and several blogs posted highlights, including Writers Digest and our friend Sarah at Old People Writing For Teens.

• Noa Wheeler at Macmillan explains "Why Kids Books"

• Publishers Weekly took a look at the growing trend of YA dystopian 

• Very interesting thoughts from authors Diana Petersfreund and Justine Larbalestier on the standards to which readers, especially women readers, hold female characters. 

Field Trip Friday: February 19

It's come to my attention recently that the Internet is swimming with posts and papers and treatises about why writers are cat people. For example, this essay postulates the following:

"Writers are one of the best breeds of humans to get, because writers already have civilized, catlike habits. Most writers don't like being disturbed, either. They have an uncanny, almost feline, focus on their work that's very much like a hunter's patient stalk. They sit still for long periods of time, and have warm, comfortable laps. Quiet, undemanding intimacy is possible with a writer that a cat might not find with the more frantic types of humans."

That's all well and good, although if I may say so, the idea of the quiet, introverted, hermit-like writer is maybe just a tad outdated.

Maybe more than just a tad.

But that doesn't explain the plethora of blogs and websites claiming with an air of conclusiveness that writers are cat people, period. And while I'm not here to challenge cats and/or their owners to a Feline-Canine Showdown of Epic Proportions, I think this needs to be said:

Writers are dog people too. Or at least, they should be. And here's why:

• Using myself and the many writers I know as an example, I can say that we are not all moody and withdrawn. However, it is true that writing is a solitary job. The loneliness that comes with being trapped with the characters in one's mind for hours on end can be greatly balanced by the eternally happy disposition of a dog.
• When one does have a small mental breakdown of the "I am a talentless hack" persuasion, nothing is better than a wet, sloppy doggie kiss to make one feel human again.
• On that note, dogs have also been known to inspire highly awkward and well-written first kiss scenes in which one or more of the young lovers has about as much control over their tongue as said dog.
• Dogs can fetch more than frisbees. One can also train them to go get slippers, notebooks, and those ever elusive perfect turns-of-phrases.
• Hour upon hour of staring at a screen is not healthy for one's eyes or sanity. Dogs offer plenty of reminders that it may be time for a break, with a gentle nudge, a whimper, or perhaps a puddle on the floor.
• Dogs need exercise and ensure one spends at least part of the day out in the fresh air with the non-paper people.
• Dogs protect the peace and quiet of one's writing sanctuary by barking frantically at any intruder who dares to interrupt.
• Even after one has wallpapered the entire second floor with rejection letters and set fire to one's manuscript in a neighbor's trash can, a dog will greet one with a wagging tail and, if one is lucky, a leg hump. That, my friends, is unconditional love.

Why Writers Need Dogs

Welcome to our 17th Road Trip Wednesday!

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

We'd love for you to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog and leave a link in the comments. We'll be adding our own links here throughout the day!

Road Trip Wednesday #17: Where Do You Do It?

Some novels are meant to transport a reader into a new world while others strive to portray the everyday, normal teenage existence. Been a little too long since you've been there? Me, too. Before you send your character off on a midnight drive, you might want to consider if they're even licensed to be behind the wheel after eleven o'clock at night.

This nifty website has a drop down menu to select any state in the US to see restrictions for drivers under eighteen.

Wondering what textbook your character will pretend to read while secretly making eyes at someone a few rows over? While curriculum varies, this wikipedia article breaks down education in the states and what's required by section (middle school, junior high, high school).

Does your character work after school? The U.S. Department of Labor site will outline requirements for work permits, how many hours a minor may work and how late.

Think the legal drinking age is 21 in all states? Not necessarily. There are exceptions to this rule including religious, medical, private clubs, or even the presence of a consenting adult. This website breaks it down and also includes the legal drinking ages around the world.

Family dynamics play a role in almost all novels. The single parent home is a common denominator in many YA novels, and with good reason. This site lists the percentage of single family homes by state. The chart on the side also links to some other great demographics for teen population, ethnicity, pregnancy, poverty, and high school dropout rates.

Not all novels are meant to mimic real life. The emotions and choices your characters make are ultimately what readers connect to. That being said, just because our stories are fictional doesn't mean it hurts to do some fact checking. If you're looking for things that teens will identify with in their day to day routines, these links can provide some great information.

Baby You Can Drive My . . .err Wanna Take the Bus?

Dirty Little Secrets and a Chat With CJ Omololu

Hannah, Grace and Alainn want your entries for their new blog, Glam Book Shots! Check it out, it's awesome.











Also awesome: T-SHIRT WAR.

Field Trip Friday: February 12

YA Highway teen contributor Kristin Briana Otts is almost not a teenager anymore. Her novel, City of Shadows, is about to go on sub to publishers. For more about Kristin, visit our Who We Are page.

***

I was first introduced to Neal Shusterman's writing when my sister (who mostly reads contemporary chick lit) said, "You have to read this book called UNWIND."

I told her, "If you liked it, then I probably won't."

"Trust me," she said.

I read UNWIND in one sitting, and it's still one of my top ten favorite novels.

So, obviously, I was very excited when Mr. Shusterman agreed to do an interview for YA Highway. Thanks for joining us, Neal!



KB: On your website, you say that your two years in Mexico City as a high schooler “gave me a fresh perspective on the world.” How do you think that perspective comes across in your writing?

NS: Having an international experience – there are several things that it does. One, it gives you a broader perspective of the world and your place in it. Secondly, once you overcome culture shock and live in a different place than you’ve ever lived in before, it makes you feel like you can accomplish anything.



KB: You’re not just a YA novelist; you’ve also written for TV and movies. What is the biggest difference between writing screenplays and writing books? Does your writing process differ for screenplays and books?

NS: Writing a book is an internal experience; a book comes from the inside out, and it comes from the mind of the reader – whereas a movie comes from the outside. One appeals to your senses; one appeals to your thought processes. In terms of the writing itself, I find that when you’re writing for film and tv, you’re writing for hire. You’re giving the networks what they want, and they’re the ones who control the content. When you’re writing a novel, you’re writing for yourself. You own it more when you write a novel.



KB: So it’s more limiting, writing screenplays?

NS: Definitely more limiting.



KB: I love what you said on your website about how you think that “most writers, deep down, have a desire to change the world.” What kind of impact do you want your books to have on your readers?

NS: I want people to think. I want them to think about their lives and the world in different ways. I think only by reevaluating your own positions on things, your own way of looking at things, can you really make sense of the world. It’s important to me not to preach and lecture. I don’t want to give people my opinions, because the reason these issues are so debatable is that everyone has opinions. A great deal of my writing is pointing out that things we see as black and white are really areas of gray.



KB: In the same vein, where do you draw the line between writing to affect your readers and writing for yourself?

NS: It’s very blurred. I write what I want to read. When I’m writing it, many times a story feels like it’s writing itself. I sort of have the freedom to enjoy the story unfold as if I’m reading it, but at the same time being a part of that creative process. I never want something that’s solely for myself without thinking of my audience; but on the other hand I never want to write something completely for my audience without enjoying myself as well.



KB: One thing I loved about UNWIND was the world-building. I had never really read a sci-fi novel that focused on the society rather than advanced technology or space travel. What made you decide to write a dystopian novel that didn’t have those flying cars and super computers?

NS: I have no interest in writing a story that is not grounded in reality. UNWIND is about people, not about things. It’s about decisions that we make as a society, how polarizing issues can create horrific decisions. That’s what UNWIND is about; it’s about our society and how things operate when things go wrong. Spaceships and flying cars, that’s fun, but it doesn’t excite me enough to spend a year of my life writing about it.

UNWIND intentionally does not take a side on any issue. My point was to point out the fact that there are two sides on all of these gray-area issues, and that’s part of the problem. You have to look at it from a different perspective.



KB: What usually comes first – a character, a setting, or a story line?

NS: Every story is different. Sometimes it’s the concept that comes, and the characters and setting come to fill that concept. Sometimes I have a really cool setting that sits in the back of my mind until a character comes along to fill that setting.



KB: Besides the script for EVERLOST, what are you currently working on? Can you share, or is that information top secret?

NS: I’m working on an original script for Disney Channel, and I’ve recently finished a novel called Bruiser that’s coming out in June. And right now I’m working on Everfound, the third book in the Skinjacker trilogy.



KB: Do have a strict writing routine, or does it vary from day to day?

NS: It varies from day to day. I try to get large blocks of time to try to focus on writing. Getting in the zone is very important. Sometimes I’ll take writing retreats for a week or two just to get something done.



KB: If you had to read only one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?

NS: I have no idea. Anything that I come up with won’t be a good enough answer. Give me another question. (laughs)

Wait! I have the answer! The dictionary – because from that I can create any book I want.



KB: What advice would you give to aspiring writers and writers who are just starting down the road to publication?

NS: First of all, you have to write. Don’t just talk about writing or think about writing but actually do it and do it a lot.

Second, you have to rewrite. Rewriting is the most important part of the writing process.

Three, you have to be a reader.

And four, you have to persevere and be persistent. It’s not going to be easy, and you have to persevere through all the difficulties.



Thanks again, Neal!


If you want to learn more about Neal Shusterman and his novels, you can contact him via his website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Interview with Author Neal Shusterman

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

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