Of course YA authors have a responsibility to their audience.
The truth is that 'Twilight' is not a story about Bella and Jacob. It's a story about Bella and Edward. That was the story this writer wanted to tell.
I remember what it feels like to be fourteen or sixteen, to have the world folded out in front of you, and to have a million choices ahead. I also remember what it feels like to be so open and impressionable and to want something so badly it's impossible to see that maybe it isn't the best thing for you.
At its best, writing is a dialogue. It's one of the things I love about children's: the fact that this dialogue is really there from the get-go, from the start of writing.
The truth is there are people who love horror movies. I don't happen to be one of those people.
I don't watch horror films, because I don't want those images in my psyche, and I resent having them forced on me before a movie of my choosing.
I've tried in the past to blog about ghostwriting and have failed. I have a lot of opinions on the whole issue, and I'm constantly censoring myself to make sure I don't just sound like a bitter writer.
Let me get something straight: I have no problem with ghostwriting as a thing unto itself. What bothers me is the way it's shrouded in secrecy, ignored to the point of straight-up lying. Why not be honest?
Writing is hard. It takes commitment and determination and a good part talent. It's not an afterthought, an addendum - it's a career.
Everyone has a story to tell, and in a perfect world, everyone would get the opportunity to tell it. Some of us have the stories, some of us have the words, and some of us have both. Let's honor the portions we bring to the table and give credit where credit is due.
I love that the collapse of The Other Side is being felt in both 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'The Originals' universes - as someone who is a fan of both shows, it's very fun to watch.
At 22, and on my fourth day in New York, I was lucky enough to meet my mentor.
In her book 'Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,' Sheryl Sandberg talks about the mentor/mentee relationship - and how it needs to be organic. She goes on to explain how important it is for men and women to step into mentoring roles. I would argue that not only is it important - but it's important far earlier than we think.
I was lucky to have made it to 23 before my world fell apart, but when it did, I had no idea how to survive. It was a rough year. I cried - a lot. I complained - a lot. I also wrote - a lot.
I am a young adult author, and so are quite a few of my friends. We all write books for the same demographic; many of us are even published by the same publishing house. Two of us, in fact, share the same editor.
The idea that success is limited is an easy one to believe. We buy into it, and often without even thinking. There aren't enough resources. Something for you means less for me. I understand it, too. It's the give and take of the human experience. If you have the apple, I can't then hold it at the same time... or can I?
Whenever someone asks me for career advice, I always tell them to find a mentor. Find someone who has done what you want to do, and study the way they got there.
When someone around you succeeds, it does not mean they've taken that spot from you. What it means is that you are in the atmosphere of someone who is creating.
For many writers, selling a book is the ultimate dream.
Writing is probably the least glamorous profession there is. This doesn't change when you become an author.
