What Makes a Good YA Novel?

Melissa Pearl with Students at St. Kents
Melissa Pearl with Students at St. Kents

In no way would I consider myself an expert on writing. However, I have been studying and practicing the craft for well over a decade and my fifth book is about to be released in November, so I do feel slightly entitled to share the knowledge I have gleaned so far.

I was asked to write this post on what makes a good young adult novel. I have come up with a few suggestions of what I think are some of the necessary elements needed in a book written specifically for this audience.

First, and foremost, like with any good novel, you need a well-constructed story filled with diverse characters the reader can relate to.

Once you have this foundation, you may then need to think about what makes a story more YA than other books. Continue reading “What Makes a Good YA Novel?”

Anthony C. Alcamo Announces New Release

Get That JobAuthor Anthony C. Alcamo is pleased to announce his new non-fiction humour book, Get That Job!.

With the downturn in our economy and the staggering number of people looking for work, this book will show you how to get the perfect job for yourself using some unconventional methods. These methods are shown by example, in the form of various emails chains between recruiters and myself. Many of these advanced job-seeking techniques I help you employ are intended for the sophisticated reader. Consequently this book will use strong language.

Get That Job! was released May 17, 2012 by goFurther publishing. It is available from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Kobo and Barnes & Noble and other online retailers as an eBook and in print, as well as on the shelves at many bookstores.

Write Like a Playwright

The best three words to get a good discussion going among writers are: “Show, don’t tell”. When I first heard this instruction, I actually did explode: What do you mean, ‘show’, don’t ‘tell’? I want to TELL a story, for Pete’s sake!

Always remember Jimmy –
Show, don’t tell.

I want to be a storyTELLER – it’s in the job description, you see? And now you tell me that I’ve got to ‘show’ and not ‘tell’ my story? How should I do that, exactly? Put a few arrows around the page, pointing to the words? Draw little pictures of stickmen? Get my printer to emboss cupcake shapes into the pages?

However, that was sometime ago now, and I ascribed my misunderstanding to the fact that I’m left-handed and, all my life, little sayings that everyone understands have left me baffled, unless and until they are explained differently. In this case, it happened with an example I want to share with you. Now, because you read Indies Unlimited, you are clearly a cultured person and doubtless go to the theatre (work with me here, I’ve heard that a little flattery goes a long way). Imagine you’re in a theatre now, watching two characters on the stage. They say this: Continue reading “Write Like a Playwright”

Featured Book: Willow Pond

Willow Pond
by Carol Tibaldi

As the Roaring Twenties crumble into the Great Depression, Virginia Kingsley, owner of New York’s swankiest and most popular speakeasy, Bacchanal, learns her baby nephew has been kidnapped. Is she somehow involved? His movie star father and her niece must set aside their differences to work with Virginia and her shady contacts to find the stolen child. A Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who befriends the mother may hold a key to the mystery.

This title is available from Amazon. Continue reading “Featured Book: Willow Pond”