Comments on: YA is red hot: Tips from 3 top agents

By: Yolanda

Yolanda — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 02:27:38 +0000

For anyone who is interested, I found a wonderful place that will create Video Book Trailers. They are very professional. Their customer service is top notch, very affordable! Please visit their website for more information or email them. This is an exciting and new way to promote your book. They will even upload the video to Youtube and other video sharing websites.

http://www.ivideoproductions.com
info@ivideoproductions.com

Here is a sample of their work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Gw__0TZqg

By: MacDibble

MacDibble — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 03:38:04 +0000

I’ve always been writing what I love which is middle grade and YA science fiction and horror with a good dose of zany. I always thought it was pretty unmarketable, not serious enough, set in the wrong hemisphere, and then along comes the likes of Brian Faulkner, and Daniel Pinkwater, and prove me wrong! Apparently my stuff is perfectly marketable!

By: worstwriterever

worstwriterever — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:29:55 +0000

Young Adult Supernatural Romance here- The Shattered Guardians. The main character, Skylar Shell, is forced into a new existence on Princess Royal Island in British Columbia. The new existence is that of a protector, a Guardian.

She’s not alone there. Four other teens share her fate, and they form a family while they learn to deal with what they’ve lost and gained via their transformations.

Skylar left behind a boy she loved beyond belief. Jordan Peters. He finds her on the Island and forces himself into her new life, refusing to be swayed.

Often teen relationships are fickle and change daily. Not this one. Skylar and Jordan, they’re forever.

I’ve loved writing The Shattered Guardians, it’s great to have a group of young characters because you can put a piece of your own personality into each one.

By: Henry

Henry — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:56:10 +0000

I am writing (struggling might be a better word) with a story that involves around a group of young boys in their early teens, who seem to spend an inordinate amount of their weekends hiking and camping on the Appalachian Trail. Their adventurous trips are lead by a small energetic group of adult men from the town. Over time a growing awareness develops that these frequent hikes might be in some way related to a growing conflict in a faraway place called Vietnam.

The writing is going very slowly, mainly because of a lack of available time.

By: Leah Quinn

Leah Quinn — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:06:56 +0000

Very interesting – and great insight and useful information – thanks for sharing!

By: Jana Oliver

Jana Oliver — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:05:47 +0000

I’m currently working on a Y.A. Urban Fantasy set in Atlanta. The heroine is 17 y/o and all she wants to do is become a legendary Demon Trapper just her dad. It took me a while to recapture the joys/horror/angst of being a teen, but I don’t think we ever lose those memories. The series has been a blast to write because it stretches my author muscles in new directions and I really like that.

By: Alan Rinzler

Alan Rinzler — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:21:28 +0000

Hi Mimm –

Your WASP story sounds great. I don’t think 19 is too old, as long as the voice is appealing to YA readers and the story isn’t too gory or technical. Readers under 16 can enjoy such a role model.

By: Alan Rinzler

Alan Rinzler — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:20:48 +0000

Hi Leah -

Yes, realistic, non-series fiction is doing very well these days, but whereas you may not be thinking of a series, if you have a big success with this heroine and her one story, there may be pressure from your publisher, or yourself, to do another…and another.

There’s also a lot or support for serious YA fiction from teachers and librarians who want to draw in a market that may be resistant at first. But once they’re hooked, having another book in the same voice or from the same perspective is a great way to keep them reading.

By: Mimm Patterson

Mimm Patterson — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:14:07 +0000

I’m struggling with the book I’ve just completed, about a young woman who joins the Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII. (The WASP, by the way, will be receiving their Congressional Gold Medal on March 10th)

The problem is – she’s nineteen. Is that too old for a YA protagonist? Should I consider it YA with crossover to adult? Told first person from Maggie’s POV, the tone feels “young” but the subject matter is a little intense: Before Pearl Harbor, Maggie falls in love with a Japanese boy. He’s interned, she flies for the military. A third friend flies B-17′s in England. Is this too heavy a topic for a sixteen year old?

By: Leah

Leah — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:57:45 +0000

Thanks–this is a great post, and I agree that voice is key for the YA and mg market. I noticed that all three agents had very commercial titles they were discussing. I’m wondering if the market for realistic, non-series fiction is there, too–if it’s on the rise or the decline? Thanks