In my last blog post, I talked about what it was like to finish writing a book. Now, what should someone do after finishing such a huge project? Eat some chocolate?* Take a vacation? Focus on school?

Don’t make me laugh.

Obviously the best thing to do is immediately start a new book and then participate in Nanowrimo,** a competition where you challenge yourself to write 50,000 words in one day. Obviously.

*Okay, so I did eat some chocolate in celebration. 

**You can add me as a Nanowrimo buddy if you’re also participating! 

Luckily, the amazing Paper Fury and Sky host the Beautiful Book linkup, which encourages writers to share their writing projects. I’ll be answering some of their questions today. (Not all of them, because I’m not done planning this project!) Click on the link if you want to answer these questions too!

What inspired the idea for your novel, and how long have you had the idea?

A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post about why I didn’t like young adult novels. But, surprise, surprise, the book I’m writing now is young adult! How did that end up happening?

Most of my complaints about the young adult genre were about how they didn’t accurately represent teens. Since I’m a teenager now, what better time to tell an authentic story about what it’s like to actually be 16?

I’ve had the idea for a little over three months. I actually pushed off three other writing projects to work on this. The other ideas I could tell at any point in my life, but it felt very urgent to tell this story now.

Describe what your novel is about!

My novel is going to be about…

Stars // Space // Sisters // Secrets // School // Sadness // Science

I know, vague. I’m still outlining this story!

What is your book’s aesthetic? Use words or photos or whatever you like!

These photos were taken from my Pinterest board.

Introduce us to each of your characters!

You’ll just have to wait until the novel’s written for that… 😉

How do you prepare to write? (Outline, research, stocking up on chocolate, howling, etc.?)

Right now, I’m writing an extremely detailed outline. I used to just write a short bullet list of scenes that I wanted to be in the book, but since I’m participating in Nanowrimo, I hope that more planning will mean that I won’t get ‘stuck’ writing any sections, and I can get more done!

I’ll also need Starbucks hot chocolate, painted nails, and a journal to start this project.

What are you most looking forward to about this novel?

Getting to write an authentic teenage story! I’m so excited to combine “writing what I know” and my imagination to create a realistic fiction world.

List 3 things about your novel’s setting

1. An over-crowded church
2. A high school with small lockers and dim florescent lights
3. The sky, and the infinity it contains

Since I’m now writing a book about teenagers, I thought I’d give a quick recommendation of my favorite novels about young adults. (I don’t dislike all YA books, I just took a break from them after I got tired of some repeated tropes and cliches. There are many that I still enjoy and appreciate.)

1. The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas

This is the best book I’ve read so far in 2017. There was a huge bidding war over who got the rights to publish this book, and I’m not surprised. Angie Thomas talks about important things happening right now. She also ‘gets’ teenagers. The main character had a realistic and lovable family, and the way she interacts with her friends at high school is unfortunately all too real. Everyone should read this book.

2. Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Or Winter Girls. Or Catalyst.

Laurie Halse Anderson, you genius. This prolific author uses lots of unconventional writing tools, like crossed out words and intriguing formatting, to tell her stories. She writes books about teenagers with big problems, and not only does she excel in capturing these important issues, she also understands the nuances of high school life. She gets college applications, the way teens interact with each other, and I trust her as a writer. Definitely read her books!

 

3. Tell The Wolves I’m Home – Carol Rifka Brunt

Okay, so this book isn’t actually YA, but it is about a teenage girl, and it brilliantly captures all the awkwardness of being that age.

Tell The Wolves I’m Home tackles the AIDs crisis, complicated family relationships, and the struggles of an outcast trying to find her way, and it manages to accomplish all of that with graceful prose and enthralling stories. This is one of my favorite books of all time.

Honorable Mention: Perks Of Being A Wallflower

The only reason I didn’t include this on the list is because *gasp* I haven’t actually read it. I watched the movie. I know, I’m sorry, amateur mistake. I saw it because Emma Watson is in it (and she’s the best) and it was heart-warming, heart-breaking, and incredibly real. I was pretty upset about the ending though, so I didn’t end up reading the book because I didn’t necessarily want to relive those feelings, but this story has a lot of emotional truth in it.

❤ Also, I just wanted to give a huge thank you to you all for helping me reach 1,000 followers! Thanks for supporting me and my writing. ❤

Are you participating in NanoWrimo? Tell me about your project. What are your favorite books about teenagers? Let me know in the comments! Until next time, you can find me on Pinterest or Instagram.