Deborah Halverson - Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

by Deborah Halverson

Award-winning author and editor

Foreword by M. T. Anderson

National Book Award Winner

Writing Young Adult Fiction For Dummies

Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Copyright 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2011930126

ISBN: 978-0-470-94954-2 (cloth); ISBN: 978-1-118-09289-7 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-118-09290-3 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-118-09291-0 (ebk)

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Author

Deborah Halverson edited books with Harcourt Childrens Books for ten years until she climbed over the desk and tried out the chair on the other side. Now she is the award-winning author of teen novels including Honk If You Hate Me and Big Mouth . Armed with a masters in American Literature and a fascination with pop culture, Deborah sculpts stories from extreme places and events tattoo parlors, fast-food joints, and, most extreme of all, high schools.

Deborah is also the founder of the popular writers advice website DearEditor.com, a frequent speaker at writers conferences nationwide, and a writing teacher for groups and institutions including the Extension Program of the University of California, San Diego. She freelance edits fiction and nonfiction for both published authors and writers seeking their first book deals. By conducting word-by-word line editing or more general substantive editing, Deborah helps authors hone their storytelling voices, synchronize age-appropriate language and subjects, and develop stories that appeal simultaneously to young readers and to adults such as parents, teachers, and librarians.

Deborah lives in San Diego, California, with her husband and triplet sons. For more about Deborah, visit her author website at www.deborahhalverson.com and her writers advice website at www.deareditor.com.

Dedication

For Robin Cruise, who gave me not one but three big breaks... and more importantly, her friendship

Authors Acknowledgments

On my first day as an editorial assistant with Harcourt Childrens Books, the managing editor walked me down the hall to view an art show of newly arrived paintings for a picture book then in production. I stood among a bustling crowd of editors, designers, production people, marketing gurus, and inventory, financial, legal, and support staff all of whom had dedicated their careers and personal passions to creating entertaining and enlightening books for children and it hit me: Id found my people. I discovered that day what Ive come to love about the writers and producers of childrens books: They are a true community that cheers, collaborates, and works its knuckles to the bones in support of literature for young readers. The enthusiastic participation of the writers, agents, and editors who have contributed their expertise to the information you hold in your hand reflects that.

I extend immense thanks to the inspiring writers and teachers whove lent their voices to this book: M. T. Anderson, Kathi Appelt, Karen Cushman, Jennifer Donnelly, Jean Ferris, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Darcy Pattison, Mary E. Pearson, Gary Soto, Deborah Wiles, and Jane Yolen. Add to their voices those of my trusted childrens book agent Erin Murphy and my friend Senior Editor Kate Harrison.

Then there are those whose words are not directly quoted in this book but whose insight and expertise fill its pages: former publisher and all-around publishing visionary Rubin Pfeffer, editorial veteran Diane DAndrade, vice president and editorial director Jeannette Larson, author Bruce Hale, author and copyright/free speech attorney Randal Morrison, publishing attorney Lisa Lucas of Lucas LLP, and publicists Barbara Fisch and Sarah Shealy of Blue Slip Media and Antoinette Kuritz of Strategies Literary Public Relations.