teenage writing

Twilight_Muse

I've recently written a 67,000 word story, it's fiction & aimed at teenagers like myself! Any ideas what to do with it??? :pac:

b.t.w, it's a vampire type story....:P

I've tried to get it published on this free website caleld i-proclaim.com, it's good really, you choose a cover, write the back, & they print on demand. It's in the u.s.a & is quite expensive incl. postage. Grr. :mad:

any diff ideas???

claire h

Read over it, revise, repeat as needed. Then you might want to look into submitting to agents and/or publishers. You shouldn't have to pay to get your work published, unless all you want to do is see it 'in a book' rather than 'being a published writer'.

Morzadec

If its any good I would try to get it out as soon as possible. I work in a bookshop and Vampire books are all the rage with teens at the moment. There seems to be a new series coming out every month, and on the back of Twilight are inevitably selling well.

Basically, Vampires are 'in' at the moment but they won't neccessarily be all that cool in a year or two.

EileenG

O'Brien Press publish (and pay for) stories aimed at that age group. Typically, they want 35-55k words, but they might go longer if they like the story.

Twilight_Muse

Thanks for your help

Patricide

If you want anyone to give it a read I have nothing better to do with myself these days as im broke(so no new books for me). Im also one of the few males that have actually read the Twilight books haha. Anyway let me know!

Twilight_Muse

Thanks but no thanks. I've already got myself a friend who is willing to be my critic. (:

EileenG

Sometimes it's best if your critic is not a friend. It's incredibly hard to tell a friend that something needs a damn good rewrite, while it's relatively easy to tell a near stranger that.

Twilight_Muse

Yes, i suppose your right.

iguana

Get a hold of a copy of the Writer's Handbook, preferably 2010. It has details of all the publishers and agencies in the UK and Ireland with descriptions of what type of submissions they are looking for and how they want them submitted.

You should try the reference section of your library as most libraries will have a copy, though maybe only last years.

Grievous

Twilight? Vampires?

isn't that chick meyers writing those kind of books already?

I have not read them. But I hear they are terribly written but kids seem to love the hell out of them.

fintonie

hope you get it sorted, all the best with it I hope you get published world wide.

EileenG

Grievous wrote: »

Twilight? Vampires?

isn't that chick meyers writing those kind of books already?

I have not read them. But I hear they are terribly written but kids seem to love the hell out of them.

Yes, she is, and people like them enough that they make films out them and have started a whole genre of vampire novels aimed at teenagers.

Grievous

EileenG wrote: »

Yes, she is, and people like them enough that they make films out them and have started a whole genre of vampire novels aimed at teenagers.

Hi Eileen, crap.

I re-read my post and it came off snarky. That wasn't my intention.

I am collecting and reading books and comics and all sorts of entertainment years now, Like most people i am sure:), But having something made into a movie doesn;t mean it is any good, Now does it?

I buy comic books that sell 15K copies world wide and other comics that sell 150K copies worldwide, Does this mean that the one with the bigger audience is better written? Not a chance.

I organised a comic book signing in forbidden planet earlier this year with an award winning writer named Gail simone (wiki/google her) and about 100 people turned up.

Months later, A member of twilight done a signing in the same place and over 550 people turned up, because he was CUTE :-)

As I said, I have not read the books myself, But friends have, and they told they are really badly written. Not the fact that vampires are not lovesick puppies and all good-looking and sweet.

Again. peace. we got off on the wrong foot.

Patricide

Grievous wrote: »

Twilight? Vampires?

isn't that chick meyers writing those kind of books already?

I have not read them. But I hear they are terribly written but kids seem to love the hell out of them.

Terribly written yes...however once i got around that, and the way they are aimed so much at females i actually found myself liking them. There brain candy in book form, once you shut off your brain there not bad.

Grievous

Patricide wrote: »

Terribly written yes...however once i got around that, and the way they are aimed so much at females i actually found myself liking them. There brain candy in book form, once you shut off your brain there not bad.

This is my problem.

I used to be able to eat steak sometimes, and other times I was in the form for mcdonalds. and other times a homemade bunburger.

Then evetually I done away with the Mc-donalds!:D

I would rather read a bloated dickens novel or try finish war and peace before reading some brain candy.

I hope I don't come off as a jerk. I shoot from the hip and try to be as honest as possible.

You can't deny that twilight is banking on 15 year girls with a crush on the main star.

fintonie

Grievous wrote: »

This is my problem.

I used to be able to eat steak sometimes, and other times I was in the form for mcdonalds. and other times a homemade bunburger.

Then evetually I done away with the Mc-donalds!:D

I would rather read a bloated dickens novel or try finish war and peace before reading some brain candy.

I hope I don't come off as a jerk. I shoot from the hip and try to be as honest as possible.

You can't deny that twilight is banking on 15 year girls with a crush on the main star.

get a life let it flow

EileenG

Grievous wrote: »

, But having something made into a movie doesn;t mean it is any good, Now does it?

No, but it means that someone liked it enough to shell out mega bucks to make it into a movie.

I personally found her books incredibly slow moving, but my daughters think they are the best things out there. She's doing something right, I just wish I knew what it is.

Grievous

fintonie wrote: »

get a life let it flow

If you had less posts you might be deemed a TROLL.

You don't insult other posters who are having an intelligent discussion.

Do you have anything constructive to add to the discussion?

I might have only 20 something posts here, But I am not a newbie by any means. So threat me with a bit of respect.

Not everybody likes twlight and This may hurt your feelings to see somebody critising the content of the books or movies.

Grievous

EileenG wrote: »

No, but it means that someone liked it enough to shell out mega bucks to make it into a movie.

I personally found her books incredibly slow moving, but my daughters think they are the best things out there. She's doing something right, I just wish I knew what it is.

Hey Eileen.

Do you want her secret?

it's called giving the fans what they want.

I am not saying she doesn't have an passion for what she does. I don't see an agenda as such. She has found a teen market who can't get enough of this stuff and she will continue to churn out this stuff. fair play to her.

To the original poster.

Best of luck, If the twlight books has opened up a new genre of vampire romantic books, By all means give it a go and I wish you all the best. Personally, I think meyers has that niche filled and publishers will expect many admissions of fan fiction because of her sucess.

fintonie

Grievous wrote: »

If you had less posts you might be deemed a TROLL.

You don't insult other posters who are having an intelligent discussion.

Do you have anything constructive to add to the discussion?

I might have only 20 something posts here, But I am not a newbie by any means. So threat me with a bit of respect.

Not everybody likes twlight and This may hurt your feelings to see somebody critising the content of the books or movies.

ok respect givin but I was trying to say let it flow go with the words, I'm sorry if I upset you

Grievous

fintonie wrote: »

ok respect givin but I was trying to say let it flow go with the words, I'm sorry if I upset you

No worries. Cheers dude, I hope we can discuss many topics together on this board :-)

Patricide

Its true, hell my ex girlfriend is the only reason that I started reading them in the first place. Still mleh, cant say I didnt like the books, just certain aspects of them.

Grievous

One other thing.

If meyers can get more kids reading i duly applaude her.

I can't see many kids lapping up catch 22 or Lord of the flies straight away. But you never know. Twilight could make them hungry for all things story and art.

Patricide

Grievous wrote: »

One other thing.

If meyers can get more kids reading i duly applaude her.

I can't see many kids lapping up catch 22 or Lord of the flies straight away. But you never know. Twilight could make them hungry for all things story and art.

Exactly, it shocks me to see the amount of people who have never seen the point in picking up a book, they would all rather stare at the box all day.

Grievous

Patricide wrote: »

Exactly, it shocks me to see the amount of people who have never seen the point in picking up a book, they would all rather stare at the box all day.

Books are far better than TV.

Unless star wars is on:)

Sarky

Vampires.

Do.

Not.

Sparkle.

That is all.

DublinWriter

Patricide wrote: »

Exactly, it shocks me to see the amount of people who have never seen the point in picking up a book, they would all rather stare at the box all day.

Unless the book in question is 'Peig'. Jaysus, I'd rather watch 'Celebrity Colonic Irrigation Challenge' on Channel 5.

There's a lot of elitism with de auld reading business.

Dublin141

A lot of people say that Meyer cannot write well but is a good storyteller. I have read the books and I find the writing quite poor. But it doesn't claim to be a masterpiece - it is what it is. A soppy, cheesy self indulgent love story with a happy ending. In saying that, I really like them (even as I criticise them). I'm a big fan of anything that gets people reading and this is definitely getting them reading - although it's a little creepy how many people say things like bite me, Edward (and that was even before the film came out.)

Anyway, if you read any of the amateur teen fiction online, you'll see that kids have been writing Twilightesque stories for years. The market has been there, nobody had tapped into it properly before. Show most non-readers War and Peace and they will probably be intimidated by it but something like Twilight is a bit more manageable. Personally, I'll read anything, whether it's considered literature or trash.

Grievous

DublinWriter wrote: »

There's a lot of elitism with de auld reading business.

I respectfully disagree.

There is nothing elite about wanting to spend your money on something you consider well written than something you don't.

MikeC101

Grievous wrote: »

Books are far better than TV.

A bit of a blanket statement, no?

While I read far more than I watch TV, they're simply different media. One is not intrinsically "better" than the other.

I've found this attitude prevalent within written work too - especially the snobbery with regards to genre.

iguana

Grievous wrote: »

Books are far better than TV.

Well that's a load of crap, both are an art form and both has produced results which are fantastic and both have produced pure trash. It's also harder to make great tv as to make a fantastic book you just need a well written story. To make great tv you need a well written story, top-class actors and directors, talented editors, camera-persons and cinematographers, producers with vision a good casting director. It's a massive collaborative effort which can be screwed up if just one of the necessary people doesn't have what it takes.

People who deem tv as an unworthy art are mindless snobs. Sure Big Brother the book is a lot more worthy than the tv show of the same name.;) But there is world class tv out there that is every bit as enriching as the best books.

blagards

Sarky wrote: »

Vampires.

Do.

Not.

Sparkle.

That is all.

Vampires.

Do.

Not.

Exist.

So.

How.

Can.

Someone.

Say.

If.

They.

Sparkle.

Or.

Not.

That is all.

bakkiesbotha

iguana wrote: »

People who deem tv as an unworthy art are mindless snobs. Sure Big Brother the book is a lot more worthy than the tv show of the same name.;) But there is world class tv out there that is every bit as enriching as the best books.

I agree with you on the tv.

What is Big Brother the book? I can't find any details on it. Do you mean 1984?

Grievous

iguana wrote: »

Well that's a load of crap, both are an art form and both has produced results which are fantastic and both have produced pure trash. It's also harder to make great tv as to make a fantastic book you just need a well written story. To make great tv you need a well written story, top-class actors and directors, talented editors, camera-persons and cinematographers, producers with vision a good casting director. It's a massive collaborative effort which can be screwed up if just one of the necessary people doesn't have what it takes.

Crap.

This is the perfect example on why my punctuation needs to improve

I meant that blanket statement as a piece of sarcasm, Hence the whole, Not unless it is star wars. Negating my notion that books are better straight aways.

I was just joking.

Both art forms have their highs and lows.

Ever watch the wire?

reality

OP, i'd say milk the Twilight cow for everything it's worth!!

As for the non-official topic sprouting in this thread, I read the Twilight series during my final college exams (all my housemates were studying so conversation was sparse!). TBH, I didn't think they were that bad, not my favourite books by a long shot but I can understand their allure. I don't think she's a bad writer by any means, just a simple one. I mean the text is clear and understandable, allowing easy comprehension by any grade of reader!

Picasso's work lacks the exact technicality and precision of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling - but it is no less viable as art!

Oh and for the record, I love tv (IMO,it's a brilliant source of both satisfying mind-rot and top class education) but I've yet to see a book-to-film transition where something substantial wasn't lost in translation!

iguana

reality wrote: »

Oh and for the record, I love tv (IMO,it's a brilliant source of both satisfying mind-rot and top class education) but I've yet to see a book-to-film transition where something substantial wasn't lost in translation!

The Sookie Stackhouse books are pretty good, but the tv series based on the books, True Blood, is superior.

iguana

bakkiesbotha wrote: »

What is Big Brother the book? I can't find any details on it. Do you mean 1984?

Last time I try to be clever.:o