Get Started in Writing Young Adult Fiction: How to write inspiring fiction for young readers

by Juliet Mushens

Learn how to write young adult fiction with imagination and verve.This is an authoritative and engaging introduction to writing young adult fiction for the complete beginner. It will help you understand how the genre works, the big do's and don't's - as well as giving you the inspiration and motivation you actually need to write. Written by a leading literary agent who knows what it takes to make it in this market, this book will give you the advice and tips you need to stand out. An essential book for anyone hoping to emulate the success and addictive qualities that characterize books like The Hunger Games, Twilight, Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars.ABOUT THE SERIESThe Teach Yourself Creative Writing series helps aspiring authors tell their story. Covering a range of genres from science fiction and romantic novels, to illustrated children's books and comedy, this series is packed with advice, exercises and tips for unlocking creativity and improving your writing. And because we know how daunting the blank page can be, we set up the Just Write online community at tyjustwrite, for budding authors and successful writers to connect and share.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference

225 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2015

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good guide for writers, this one specifically targeted to writers of YA, although a lot of the advice can be generalised (and is also thus similar advice to that found in other guides). Strengths of this work are:

1. that the author is an experienced agent, giving insight into that side of the process, and about what works - both in attracting and agent and selling a book. The author, nevertheless does not skimp on advice to potential self publishers.

2. For writers of YA literature, the advice is given in the context of the genre (if YA is a genre... discuss! Anyway that's my word, not hers). We have good examples and also where there are specific things YA writers need to keep in mind.

I didn't highlight much in this book, as so much of it is just general good advice I have already read elsewhere. I did, however, make some highlights. It fills the niche it sets for itself.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I can't fully give it a 5 stars just because I read it all through first without doing the workshops. Once I complete all the workshops I'll have a better understanding of whether this book works well or not. But, despite not completing everything, the book was still packed with useful information.
Also, since someday I'd love to work in publishing, I found the last couple of chapters insightful and eye opening (there was even a part when I finally realized why I started noticing an increase in YA Westerns in the last couple months when before I had never even thought they existed).
Overall, I'll know more when I finish everything, but from what I've read I think this one can be a great tool for anyone -- myself included -- wanting to write a YA novel.

[J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This does a great job of giving you the beats to write the YA story, and explains the importance of the various parts really well!

[Shinee'sBack! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful information on how to write a novel and how to get your novel noticed by agents and publishers.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review can also be found at :


http://fortheloveofbooksreviews.blogs...


I received this book in a Goodreads first reads giveaway.

In this book, Juliet Mushens, a professional literary agent, gives authors advice on writing young adult fiction. Covering everything from a novel's characters to the publishing process, this 'teach yourself' guide utilizes examples from popular novels, personal anecdotes and helpful exercises throughout.

This book came at the perfect time for me; I want to write a YA novel, I've had this idea in my head for a while but I never got to putting specific details down on paper. This workshop-within-a-book pushed me to get my ideas organized, and helped me to improve my writing skills in the process.

Exercises were suggested in each chapter, often during or after the author explained something or gave tips. These exercises, ranging from creating small lists to editing pre-written paragraphs to researching literary agents, gave me new perspectives and forced me to really delve into the world that my novel was set in and to think realistically about my goals.

One of my favourite exercises included drawing a map of the world my novel was to be set in. I hadn't really thought of doing this before as a way to organize my setting and keep things consistent, but after completing it I realized just how valuable this strategy could be when it comes to describing setting, travelling and distance.

While this is specifically oriented towards writing in the young adult genre, I feel many tips within the pages can be applied to other genres as well. I appreciated this because if I decide to write books targeted at a different age range, I'll still be able to improve my stories and navigate the world of publishing much easier.

I absolutely recommend this book to those who want advice when it comes to writing!  If you want to write a YA book and you would like  some guidance, this book is for you.

[Shyla Colt · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book that will get you started on writing your first novel, this is wonderful. However, if you're seeking insight on YA specifically, this only briefly brushes on genre specific topics.

[K.P. Ambroziak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a gem for beginner writers. It’s a practical guide for those who want to “get started” writing any kind of fiction, really. While Juliet uses examples from Young Adult fiction, they’re well-known ones, which makes the book inclusive. Really, the advice and guidance here can be used for any category and genre of fiction. She lays out a program for the beginner writer and offers useful exercises and prompts that will jump start the process. For those who want to write a novel but don’t know where to begin, start here. Since this book is written by someone who spends a majority of their time assessing writing, plot, narrative, characters, potential in all types of stories (because Juliet is a literary agent), the advice is practical. It’s also easy to follow. You’re getting an inside look at the way an industry expert works. For that, this is an invaluable tool. She even spends time discussing the job of the literary agent and how to submit your work (and when to submit it). Highly recommended for those starting out and those who need a refresher. The chapter on revision is particularly keen. Lots to take away!

[lucy♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing and informative book on all aspects writing a novel.

This book was quick, to the point, offering great tips and tricks on all aspects of writing and really made me consider my own work.

If you’re thinking about endeavouring to write a novel in the young~adult age range, I urge you to pick this up because I found it absolutely brilliant. I definitely feel a lot more confident with working on my own project now.

Love, Lucy x

[Carrie Daws · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I was brand new to writing, this would score higher on the star rating. However, I picked it up to read about the Young Adult fiction market, and this was a more general book on the complete writing and publishing process, which included a few tips for teens and young adults.

Overall, it is full of expert advice, good examples, and excellent exercises. So if you are starting out and know teens are your target audience, this book will serve you well.

[Heidi Coles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent starting point

You won't go wrong with this book if you are starting out. Covers some of the key areas I had to search for months to find answers to.

If you're a little further along really helps with the submission process particularly the synopsis and covering letter elements.

[Kayla Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read for people who have an idea for a book to write but have nowhere to start in the planning process! Mushens lays it out step by step to make sure all of your bases are covered and over the course of the exercises, workshops and edits, you have a pretty solid plan and foundation for starting your novel.

[Liz Rachel Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great for writers of fiction for YA and other age groups

A great resource for writers of fiction for YA as well as for other age groups. Juliet Mushens sets out useful information in a clear and encouraging way to help writers with craft. She also draws on her experience in the publishing industry to shed light on how things work with agents and publishers. A valuable read.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of the better books I have read about writing. The snapshots and writing prompts help one become a more well-rounded author. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who feels their writing may be lacking something, but may not know what.

[Mr Stephen Haunts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book of writing advice overall, but the YA aspect seemed tacked on.

[Anna St. Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes the important bits of writing a YA novel very clear with excellent examples, charts, and lists. Best I've read so far.

[Karl Hallbjörnsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fín. Nokkrir verðmætir punktar um markhópa og slíkt. Mun sennilega endurlesa valda kafla.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Get Started in Writing Young Adult Fiction is an informative read if you want to pursue writing YA stories. The exercises are helpful with helping to develop (or discover) your style. And the author uses her own experience as a literary agent to give helpful advice so writers know what to go for or what to avoid. It is definitely a book I will be referring to for my writing needs.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both my daughters love to write and found this book very helpful. Great job! I won this great book on GoodReads and like I do with most my wins I will be paying it forward by giving my win either to a friend or library to enjoy.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can find my review at http://fortheloveofbooksreviews.blogs...

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

really informative and thoughtful

[Russell Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the whole thing in a single sitting (plus tea break). Very insightful, really useful for every step of the writing process, from idea to post-publication. Definitely recommended if you're hoping to publish a (YA) novel.