What the hell is Clean?

This has been roiling in my brain too long.

Back during the WSJ YA flareup, someone made a comment on an agent's blog about how she appreciated clean YA books. She cited one in particular that was exciting, but had no sex or cursing. It did, however, have someone getting stabbed in the eye (among other things).

Likewise, I've also seen reviewers describe THE HUNGER GAMES as clean/safe for children to read. Again, no cursing or sex. Just people getting their faces melted off.

Perhaps these are clean books b/c kids don't make a habit of killing, whereas swearing and fucking copulating are the norm. I don't know. But it's a whole lot of bullshit to me. Makes me want to grab a pencil or a flamethrower and get dystopian on some people (the MPAAers of the book world) - promise not to curse while I'm doing it.

What Will Replace the Like Virus?

When did it like originate? How did it like spread? How is it still, like, in existence? And what will replace it?

Yes, this is what my mind spews out when I'm sitting at a table near a pair of happy-go-lucky teenagers in the throes of intense conversation.

My Writing Labyrinth (or why I Laptop)

I rarely put pen to paper; this is why:

Needless to say, I was never the tidy engineer in my design groups :)

Why Global Warming Will Be The End of Us (Bane's Theory)

Not melting ice caps, floods and other weather fubarness, crop loss, resource competition, economic meltdowns or anything quite so complicated.

Heat. Just the damn heat. You know why everything's bigger in Texas? So people can get away from each other. Seriously, when it's hot, the last thing you want to have is some other person sweating up your space. Makes you all sorts of grumpy. So, when escalating population meets escalating heat, you have escalating anger, which leads to thermonuclear warfare (which is like global warming times infinity)... maybe not... but maybe.

Ever wonder why Canadians are so peaceful? Cuz they're cold and want to snuggle.

What Slows You?

I used to write fast. Not blazing fast, but 2000 words in a few hours wasn't out of the ordinary. 2000 words for me now... if I hit that in a day, I'm over the moon. A part of this slowness stems from the fact that I've switched how I write, going from pantsing it to editing as I go. Heavily. But there are a couple of things in particular that kill my momentum when I'm writing/editing:

1.) Boring sentences. Most books have them. I open the door. Sure, you can make that I open the door, wondering what horror next awaits or some such, but sometimes a door is just a door and your person needs to go outside without having thought tension involved. However, I don't want my person to just open the door. I want to expedite the boring to the point that it's either non-extinct or folded in well enough to disappear. Pain in the ass.

2.) Segues. Moving from one scene to the next in a fluid, logical manner, while keeping it interesting, informative. Relates to number 1 b/c lots of time my segues involve a change of scenery... damn doors.

3.) Dialogue. Used to come easily. Now I am very particular about trying to keep it concise, in voice, and informative. The biggest problem with dialogue for many, I think, is that it comes too easily and thus can allow for scene looseness, either in establishing an authentic environmental atmosphere or propelling the story in the correct direction. Figuring out how to convey the scene feeling in a believable, entertaining, and propulsive way is one of the most challenging elements in writing, IMO.

What about you? Which elements give you the most pause?

The Wondrousness of an Agent.

This is not a post about traditional pub vs. self-pubbing. Not directly. If you have a choice, if you're not at your complete wit's end, I'd keep going the agency route, or direct to editor (via small press or however). Over a period of a couple years, I struggled through a couple of manuscripts, several several queries, and a couple of heart-shredding close calls, never quite knowing what I was doing wrong (I do now, but that's a post for another day). Now that I have an agent, I realize how it was all worth it.

Sure, there's the obvious... direct injection into the publishing world, a wellspring of knowledge, etc. But that's not what I'm talking about.Many writers suffer a crisis of confidence at one or multiple points throughout their careers. A quality industry professional (agent or editor) telling you, in so many words, 'you're good' (but with far more enthusiasm) rebuilds those walls of self-esteem that get termited away. And they don't just help rebuild, they push you toward new heights.

It is a wondrous thing. So, if all seems dark, keep that in mind if you can as you climb the mountain. A certain sort of awesome awaits at the top that strips away much of the fatigue... until you look up and see the next, taller mountain ahead. But you've got Agent Sherpa at your side to guide you, which makes the continuing journey far more enjoyable.

In Which I Ride the Escalator of Joy

I've been sitting on this for a few days. I cannot tell you how thrilled, lucky, incredible I feel because I have never quite felt this way before. Three books. Greenwillow (HarperCollins). Virginia Duncan. Wow. Official blurb below:

Joshua McCune's debut KISSING DRAGONS, set in a future where dragon wars have shaped society, a seventeen-year-old girl becomes caught in a deadly conflict of loyalty between the dragon resistance and the government forces who are trying to wipe them out, to Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow, in a three-book deal, by Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary Agency (NA).



Dragons, war, romance... did I mention the dragons? I will need to figure out a contest to celebrate. Excelsior!


And here's a link to my awesome agent's write up on the EMLA website.

Writing Rules

As a writer/author/whatever, I feel like I should have rules that I follow/pass on/FAQtualize. "Everybody else is doing it."

Thing is, I don't have rules. If I were to offer writing advice, it'd be: Make it interesting. However you go about doing that... that's voice. Don't let all the noise interfere with the signal (that's lost voice). Fuck a lot of women (Nope, that's Little Miss Sunshine) Drink a lot of wine (yuk!)...

Honestly, though, be honest with your characters. Put them through hell so they know what heaven is, but don't let them float w/ the angels too long. Or sleep with them.

Weird post over.