Happy Thursday everyone!
No post this week, cuz' it's convention time yet again! Luckily this one is in my home town of Chicago this year Yay!
Also, 21 people from my publisher, including my editor and more than half of the authors of my imprint have come in for this one, many of whom are in from the UK! I finally get to meet everyone face to face, which is awesome! And we are all going bowling! =D
Have a lovely weekend, and I'll be back next week with the recap and pics! (Including some shots from the Sci-Fi & Fantasy costume contest!)
Thursday, August 30
Sunday, August 19
Respect your youngers...
Something has been bothering me for a while and I am finally annoyed enough to talk to you all about it.
I have taken the following quotes from actual blog posts, book reviews (on both Goodreads and Amazon) and interviews.
“What chance do [young girls] have at knowing what a healthy relationship is, when everything they read labels obsession and mental abuse as ‘love’.”
“… girls are being taught that being weak and subservient will lead to unending love…”
“…does nothing but confuse teenage girls, who have a heard enough time sorting out relationships as it is.”
“Now, all these young women will think that it’s okay to let a man manipulate and control them as long as he uses the word ‘love’.”
“’Disobey your parents, skip school, laugh at any authority, but as long as you are doing it for love, it is okay.’ This is the message that teens get from [book] and all the rest like it.”
“…the popularity of books like this only proves that teens today have no appreciation of true literature.”
You've all heard this stuff before, right? Well guess what?
Teenage girls are not stupid!
I am SICK of all teens being grouped together under the umbrella of naïve, mindless, drones, who will do anything that a show, or celebrity, or book tells them! There are hoards of intelligent, confident, well-adjusted young women out there who are anything but weak and mindless.
Do some girls get obsessed over books that present unhealthy relations ships? Yes, of course. But that doesn't not mean that they actually think that is the way a real relationship should be! It’s fantasy! They are reading it because they enjoy it. And don’t you DARE tell me that it they shouldn’t enjoy something that to some is only considered mindless garbage—not when the GROWN WOMEN in this country have made RIDICULOUS CRAP shows like ‘Toddler’s In Tiaras’ and ‘Dance Moms’ some of the highest rated shows on TV.
“Oh, but it’s okay for me, I’m an adult. I know it’s ridiculous, but young girls don’t realize. They are too impressionable, just look how obsessed they get…”
Give. Me. A. Break.
Everyone gets obsessive about something, it’s human nature. We see something we really like, and for a time, we want as much of it as we can get. Since when is that the sign of a weak mind?! Moreover, since when does obsessing with something automatically mean the obsessed person believes that the thing is real? There are tons of people who flock to Sci-Fi conventions every year, dressed as robots, and monsters, and their favorite characters—does that mean that they all believe all that stuff is real? Sure, a few do, but the vast majority know it’s a fantasy, and do it for fun.
The other thing that kills me is that not long ago, everyone was whining about the fact that, with modern technology, kids didn’t read anymore. Well, now kids read more than adults, but it seems that still isn’t good enough. “Yes, we want you to read, but only what we think you should read.”
Grrrr…
Here is the fact of the matter folks, if a teen girl believes that it’s okay to be mistreated and dominated by a man, and doesn’t know how to recognize and unhealthy relationship, then that is the case because no one has taught her otherwise—and sadly, she would be that way with or without YA books.
Now, I am not saying that there aren’t girls out there who are easily lead and influenced by others, as we all know there are. However, thanks to a few crazy fan girls, as well as shows like ‘My Super Sweet 16’, and the like, the world seems to think that if you are female and between the ages of 12 and 18, you have no choice but to be a weak-minded twit.
Do these people realize that teens today are doing harder work in high school than most of us did in college?! Do they realize that the average IQ of a girl between the ages of 14 and 17 is, on average, 2 – 5 points higher than the average IQ of a woman between 34 – 37?
Thant’s right folks, they are smarter than us.
Yes, they make bad decisions from time to time, but we all do. They are not all stupid, or shallow, or weak, and most of them have to put up with more in a day than most adults do in a week. If you really want to help young girls grow into smart, confident women, then how about giving them the respect they deserve.
Tuesday, August 14
Conference Conundrum
Let's talk about conferences.
Attending conferences and conventions, whether they be writing, publishing, genre specific, or somewhere in between, can be one of the best things you can do for yourself as a writer and for your writing career. You learn, you grow, you inspire and you get inspired. Experts are there to guide and teach you, agents and editor are there to listen with rapt attention while you pitch, and publishers and booksellers are there to give you free stuff and try to earn your business. Best of all, conventions are one of the best places to recharge your writting batteries, so that when you head home, you are ready to plot, write, revise, edit, and polish until your fingers fall off!
Unfortunately, for as great as conferences are, there is one major downside...
$ $ $ $ $
The Price
$ $ $ $ $
Most major conferences and conventions cost upwards of $400 just to attend, not to mention your travel to said conference and your lodging while there. It can be incredibly expensive, making it out of the question for many writers. I have attended RWA National conference two years in a row now, and I can tell you that, while amazing, it was not cheap.
(And by the way, for those of you out there saying, "Once I sell my book,I will have plenty of money for conferences!", cuz... you won't. Trust me, I thought that too.)
However, to those of you who are still considering attending a conference (and I recommend that you do), I have a few tips that might make the dream a bit more attainable.
1. Stay local - Most of the larger conferences move locations every year, and if you can find one near to home, all you have to do is pay the registration fee. Or if there is one not in your own city but near enough to drive, then you save the cost of a flight.
2. Bigger isn't always better - When looking for a conference to attend, you may immediately gravitate towards the Writers Digest Convention, RWA Nationals, RT, or one of the other big dogs. Sure, big is great, but every year there are dozens of smaller conventions put on by local organizations, or even local chapters of larger organizations like RWA. For example, the Chicago chapter of RWA holds a conference each year. It is always in Chicago, they always have big name authors and publishing experts in attendance, and registration is less than half the price of the national convention. Plus, since many of the different chapters sponsor conventions every year, you are far more likely to find one that is local to you. RWA posts a list of all upcoming conferences, both large and small on it's website, and no you do not need to be a RWA member to attend.
3. Think outside the genre - "Sure there is a RWA conference near me, but I don't write romance." Just because a conference has a theme or is sponsored by a specific group, doesn't mean you won't get anything out of it. RWA may stand for Romance Writers of America, but the conference focuses on writing as a whole. This years RWA conference had workshops on plot, structure, query writing, synopses, dialog, as well as specialized topics like writing thriller, medical, YA, and historical.
4. Choose wisely - No matter which size or style of conference you attend, make sure it is the best choice for you and your writing. Ask yourself, "Is there a reason I am choosing this conference," as they are not all created equal. Make sure you do your research. Do you want a conference focused on writing and honing the craft like Writer's Digest, or would you prefer something for both writers and readers with the serious writer-focused panels as well as fun parties and fan events like the RT Convention? (Personally, I recommend RT for the first timer. It is informative and educational while also being loads of fun!)
I hope this helped some of you, or at least got you thinking, and hope to see some of you on the conference trail next year!
Attending conferences and conventions, whether they be writing, publishing, genre specific, or somewhere in between, can be one of the best things you can do for yourself as a writer and for your writing career. You learn, you grow, you inspire and you get inspired. Experts are there to guide and teach you, agents and editor are there to listen with rapt attention while you pitch, and publishers and booksellers are there to give you free stuff and try to earn your business. Best of all, conventions are one of the best places to recharge your writting batteries, so that when you head home, you are ready to plot, write, revise, edit, and polish until your fingers fall off!
Unfortunately, for as great as conferences are, there is one major downside...
$ $ $ $ $
The Price
$ $ $ $ $
Most major conferences and conventions cost upwards of $400 just to attend, not to mention your travel to said conference and your lodging while there. It can be incredibly expensive, making it out of the question for many writers. I have attended RWA National conference two years in a row now, and I can tell you that, while amazing, it was not cheap.
(And by the way, for those of you out there saying, "Once I sell my book,I will have plenty of money for conferences!", cuz... you won't. Trust me, I thought that too.)
However, to those of you who are still considering attending a conference (and I recommend that you do), I have a few tips that might make the dream a bit more attainable.
1. Stay local - Most of the larger conferences move locations every year, and if you can find one near to home, all you have to do is pay the registration fee. Or if there is one not in your own city but near enough to drive, then you save the cost of a flight.
2. Bigger isn't always better - When looking for a conference to attend, you may immediately gravitate towards the Writers Digest Convention, RWA Nationals, RT, or one of the other big dogs. Sure, big is great, but every year there are dozens of smaller conventions put on by local organizations, or even local chapters of larger organizations like RWA. For example, the Chicago chapter of RWA holds a conference each year. It is always in Chicago, they always have big name authors and publishing experts in attendance, and registration is less than half the price of the national convention. Plus, since many of the different chapters sponsor conventions every year, you are far more likely to find one that is local to you. RWA posts a list of all upcoming conferences, both large and small on it's website, and no you do not need to be a RWA member to attend.
3. Think outside the genre - "Sure there is a RWA conference near me, but I don't write romance." Just because a conference has a theme or is sponsored by a specific group, doesn't mean you won't get anything out of it. RWA may stand for Romance Writers of America, but the conference focuses on writing as a whole. This years RWA conference had workshops on plot, structure, query writing, synopses, dialog, as well as specialized topics like writing thriller, medical, YA, and historical.
4. Choose wisely - No matter which size or style of conference you attend, make sure it is the best choice for you and your writing. Ask yourself, "Is there a reason I am choosing this conference," as they are not all created equal. Make sure you do your research. Do you want a conference focused on writing and honing the craft like Writer's Digest, or would you prefer something for both writers and readers with the serious writer-focused panels as well as fun parties and fan events like the RT Convention? (Personally, I recommend RT for the first timer. It is informative and educational while also being loads of fun!)
I hope this helped some of you, or at least got you thinking, and hope to see some of you on the conference trail next year!
Thursday, August 9
RWA Recap!
Hello all!
Check out the Omnific Publishing Blog today to read all about my time at the RWA National Convention this year!
Check out the Omnific Publishing Blog today to read all about my time at the RWA National Convention this year!
Tuesday, August 7
Giveaway Time! (And it's jewelry!!!)
Hello lovelies!
The other me, Julianna Scott, is hosting the first ever giveaway for her upcoming YA fantasy, THE HOLDERS! When 400 people add THE HOLDERS to the TBR list on Goodreads, one of them will win...
The other me, Julianna Scott, is hosting the first ever giveaway for her upcoming YA fantasy, THE HOLDERS! When 400 people add THE HOLDERS to the TBR list on Goodreads, one of them will win...
this!!!
A custom made, Celtic-inspired(for a very Irish novel) necklace! How cool, right? And it's even better in person!
All you have to do to enter, is add THE HOLDERS on Goodreads, and for those of you who have added it already, not to worry, you are already entered! (Now wasn't that easy?) More official-ish details here.
That's all for now, kiddies!
Talk soon!
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