Tag: Writing

Western Maryland Independent Lit Festival

The Sixth Annual Western Maryland Independent Lit Festival will be hosted at various venues around downtown Frostburg, Maryland. Editors, publishers, writers, and educators of the local literary community will be participating. Journals and presses will display books, submission guidelines, and other promotional materials inside the Lyric Theater. Panel discussions and roundtable sessions include topics on writing and getting published, teachers and students, blogging and new media publishing, using social media for promotion, and craft discussions. The Press Festival is an excellent opportunity for members of the local literary community to meet directly with editors and publishers and learn about writing and publishing.

Dates: Saturday, October 13th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Entry Fee: Free Admission

For more information, please visit their website.

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Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this conference information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition/conference. Participants should always research a conference prior to attending.

Ed’s Casual Friday: On Antiheroes

Once again, and as usual, I feel the need to preface the following by saying that I am of course just offering opinion, not defining any Universal Truths. This is just some stuff I think about some other stuff. This week, the “other stuff” is the Antihero.

First off, I need to define what I mean when I even use that word, as like many terms relating to anything literary or artistic, the idea of an “antihero” has undergone some changes through the years. Continue reading “Ed’s Casual Friday: On Antiheroes”

Casting the Characters in Your Book

The pretty girl with the tastefully highlighted soft brown curls walked into my office and took a seat opposite my desk.

She was wearing a form-fitting knit dress with a hemline that rose up mercilessly when she crossed her shapely legs.

“Hello Marcy,” I said.

“Hi Boss. I heard you’re writing a sequel to Upgrade,” she said. Continue reading “Casting the Characters in Your Book”

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?”