You know, I stupidly thought with the Easter holidays here that I might actually be able to write some more. I was wrong. All I've been doing is revising (well I say that, today I've been a bit lazy but have done some work, just not as much as I should have) and coursework. Gah...I cannot wait till June is over...
Underdog I have typed up the Prologue and first chapter and it is about 7000 odd words, which is quite a bit. I am amazed by how much I have actually written...and worried about how much of it needs cutting out. Ah well, Chapter two to be typed up next!
Burgess Hill...I wish I could say that I have been writing that one, but since the start of Part Two I am finding it extremely difficult to get into this characters head. I'll persevere but I'm not sure how it will end up. I just really want to get it finished.
I am going to go and do some more revision now...sigh. Life just keeps on bringing more thrills...
Ellen x
Tuesday 19 April 2011
Monday 18 April 2011
Science Fiction in YA
I was reading one of my friends blogs (which incidentally you can find here: http://www.jonathanpinnock.com/2011/04/the-genre-that-dare-not-speak-its-name/ ) and in this, he talks about science fiction not being a genre that is ever discussed
It then lead me to think what YA novels I have read that are science fiction. The only one I could think of was the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Even then I would put it more under the fantasy genre. I racked my brains for a few more minutes and couldn't think of anything else. I even went upstairs to look at my bookcase to see if there was anything, but all the science fiction I have is written for adults, not for the YA market.
Where is the science fiction in YA? What happened to it? All I can think of in YA at the moment IS fantasy - with the whole dark romance section where Twilight and the House of Night novels are found (neither of which I particularly like), or where all the spy stuff is (Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series comes to mind) or chick lit like Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging (another series which I despise). I sincerely hope this is nothing more than a trend. Science fiction is a brilliant genre, one in which you can explore and make your own aliens or whatever to suit you.
There's a dip in the market right there. I am not sure WHY it isn't popular considering how well adult science fiction is but I guess people do not think we would be interested in that sort of stuff? But yet look how well The Hunger Games are doing so obviously it is something we do want to read.
Hmm....
Ellen x
It then lead me to think what YA novels I have read that are science fiction. The only one I could think of was the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Even then I would put it more under the fantasy genre. I racked my brains for a few more minutes and couldn't think of anything else. I even went upstairs to look at my bookcase to see if there was anything, but all the science fiction I have is written for adults, not for the YA market.
Where is the science fiction in YA? What happened to it? All I can think of in YA at the moment IS fantasy - with the whole dark romance section where Twilight and the House of Night novels are found (neither of which I particularly like), or where all the spy stuff is (Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider series comes to mind) or chick lit like Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging (another series which I despise). I sincerely hope this is nothing more than a trend. Science fiction is a brilliant genre, one in which you can explore and make your own aliens or whatever to suit you.
There's a dip in the market right there. I am not sure WHY it isn't popular considering how well adult science fiction is but I guess people do not think we would be interested in that sort of stuff? But yet look how well The Hunger Games are doing so obviously it is something we do want to read.
Hmm....
Ellen x
Thursday 14 April 2011
Mary Sue...
Recently, a good friend of mine posted an article up on the website Fantasy Faction. You can find the article here:
http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/killing-mary-sue
It got me thinking as to what my Mary Sue story was. Originally I thought it was Blood Moon, but it couldn't have been - Izzy was nothing like me and neither were any of the other characters.
My Mary Sue story was the one prior to Blood Moon. One I don't often talk about, mainly because it was a starter piece and not a particularly good starter piece at that. Not really a 'serious' story or at least something I took seriously. And it showed. I was about fourteen or thirteen when I first wrote it, so I am not surprised that it wasn't brilliant.
My main character was called Michelle (which happens to be my middle name) and she had brown hair with streaks of red (I had recently dyed my hair a reddish colour and hadnt done it properly), she also had green eyes (yeah I have green eyes) and..she had a black and white cat called Draco.
Yep, you guessed it. I had a cat called Draco who was also black and white.
The boy in it was called Hunter. He was the 'nice guy' that every teenage girl dreams of having at one point. Sigh...
Mary Sue was pratically screaming itself out by that stage. I don't regret writing Night's Secrets (as it was called) because I learnt a lot about writing in that period. I prefer writing in first, than in third (well I mainly found that out with Blood Moon) and I cannot plan a story. I have to let it take me where it needs to go. I hate knowing what happens. It sorta ruins it for me. Nowadays I tend to have a bare outline as to what will happen, but nothing is set in stone.
Underdog is going well. Read the first bit out to the writers circle last night and they seemed to like it, so I was quite pleased. Just hope the rest is good enough....*gulps*
Burgess Hill is moving slowly. I will write some more of it tonight. I have found a way to make it work (thanks to the suggestions given on bbc bitesize, you guys are wonderful :) )
Hope you're all well m'dears.
Ellen x
http://fantasy-faction.com/2011/killing-mary-sue
It got me thinking as to what my Mary Sue story was. Originally I thought it was Blood Moon, but it couldn't have been - Izzy was nothing like me and neither were any of the other characters.
My Mary Sue story was the one prior to Blood Moon. One I don't often talk about, mainly because it was a starter piece and not a particularly good starter piece at that. Not really a 'serious' story or at least something I took seriously. And it showed. I was about fourteen or thirteen when I first wrote it, so I am not surprised that it wasn't brilliant.
My main character was called Michelle (which happens to be my middle name) and she had brown hair with streaks of red (I had recently dyed my hair a reddish colour and hadnt done it properly), she also had green eyes (yeah I have green eyes) and..she had a black and white cat called Draco.
Yep, you guessed it. I had a cat called Draco who was also black and white.
The boy in it was called Hunter. He was the 'nice guy' that every teenage girl dreams of having at one point. Sigh...
Mary Sue was pratically screaming itself out by that stage. I don't regret writing Night's Secrets (as it was called) because I learnt a lot about writing in that period. I prefer writing in first, than in third (well I mainly found that out with Blood Moon) and I cannot plan a story. I have to let it take me where it needs to go. I hate knowing what happens. It sorta ruins it for me. Nowadays I tend to have a bare outline as to what will happen, but nothing is set in stone.
Underdog is going well. Read the first bit out to the writers circle last night and they seemed to like it, so I was quite pleased. Just hope the rest is good enough....*gulps*
Burgess Hill is moving slowly. I will write some more of it tonight. I have found a way to make it work (thanks to the suggestions given on bbc bitesize, you guys are wonderful :) )
Hope you're all well m'dears.
Ellen x
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