Revising a novel is like renovating a house. Doing both at once is... well, it's like living in the most turbulent moment of your story and having it never end. Fun? Yes. And no.  

For me, one of the best moments is writing "The End" after completing a first draft. Everything feels wonderful and perfect and I'm all "woo-hoo-my-story-is-finished-let’s-go-celebrate!" And then reality sets in... oh yeah, it’s a first draft. That means the really hard work is just beginning. Same with buying a house that needs some TLC. You get the shiny new keys, you move in all your personal baggage, you see the amazing potential—and then you realize there are squirrels living in your closet walls and the pipes burst and flood your basement, and the furnace stops working on the day the temperatures drop to negative 15 and...

Yeah, revising. It’s kinda like that.

Once you start to really tear into your manuscript, the novelty fades and you see all its flaws. You fix one problem only to expose another. Your quick two-day project turns into a two-month debacle. Essentially, you see your work for what it really is: a diamond in the rubble. Lots of rubble. Which isn’t so bad. It's actually okay. Because when it’s all said and done—heck, it’s a diamond!

For those who have traveled this territory, you know there is only one option: put on your mask, pick up your chisel, and get to work. I have read through my novel countless times, making big-picture revisions and smaller-scale tweaks. I found that spending four days getting one scene to be exactly where it needs to be is frustrating but ultimately one of the most satisfying aspects of the whole process. 

Three of us here at WHYA are chest deep in revisions right now, and one of us recently finished it. It’s so nice to have company in the trenches--and trusted partners to help guide you through them. 

Anyone else out there working on story renovations? What keeps you motivated on your tough days? What do you think is the most challenging part? And how close are you to unearthing that hidden gem?

Much is being said about Young Adult books being turned into films.  This is not a new formula, and turning books into movies has been the bread and butter of Hollywood for quite some time.  However, film rights for YA books seem to be snatched up quicker than publication. 

Money matters a whole awful lot on the business side of books and film.  There's an immeasurable demand for successful franchises like Harry Potter, Twilight, Divergent and The Hunger Games, and fears for those deals that don't garner as much attention or revenue like Beautiful Creatures or The Mortal Instruments.  There's no formula for success.  No one knows what will be the Next Big Thing.

However, if asking little old me, I'd say the most satisfying YA book to film has been The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  It's beautifully acted, visually realised and the soundtrack is infinite.  That's what I look for in a film, let alone an adaptation.  There is an immeasurable demand from me for films like that. 



art by the enormously talented Simini Blocker

So when Rainbow Rowell tweeted yesterday that her film rights to Eleanor & Park have been sold to DreamWorks, little old me did a crotchety dance.  Like, dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I could not be happier.  I can't think of a book that doesn't represent adolescence any better. 

And then I felt a little twinge of panic.  Eleanor & Park doesn't have a director yet.  Or a cast.  Who would be cast as Eleanor...who will be cast as Park?  Never has a book to film adaptation had such a challenge.  There aren't any famous actors I can think of for either part.  They're going to have to be unknowns--risky for a film company--or the characters are going to have to change in their appearance to fit a famous actor.

It makes me think that perhaps some books shouldn't be made into movies at all.

I think Rainbow realizes these challenges and has thought them over more obsessively than her readers, no doubt.  Not that she has any choice about anything!!  But she's having a go at writing the screenplay.  And happy for whoever the director will be and actors cast to represent the spirit of the book, if not perfectly fitting the physicality of the characters she's created. 

Okay. 

*mopey face*

I think there will be more answers for me after The Fault in our Stars comes out.  Someone clever discovered that John Green is the Next Sure Thing and even Paper Towns has recently been green-lighted with a director and cast.  That's big news.

Whether you love his books or not, the guy is very good at what he does.  And he's genuine about it.  He has this way of making you feel like life is just an inside joke.  That's not something to be hyped, but something to smile knowingly to yourself about. 

And I think it's probably a better formula for the medium of books. 

I hope I'm wrong. 

Prove me wrong! 

What makes a successful book adaptation for you? 

And who would you cast as Eleanor & Park?

Hi.

Normally we'd have a post up here on a Thursday...and now it's Friday...and this is not really a post.

We're taking a break this week as one of our members has suffered a major loss in her family.  It's hit us all hard.  Feeling sorry for someone doesn't always cut it.  Sometimes all you can do is stop what you're doing and take in one breath and let out one breath.

Put away your labours.  Pause.

Grief is a tricksy thing.  It can't be helped.  It can't be shared.  And you can't take it off someone like a stray eyelash on a cheek.

You can relate.  And you can link words to hearts and these ache wide open.

xx

Y'all, we need to talk.

Don't worry, this isn't a break-up post. This is a full-out-in-love post. And the object of our affection? WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart.

The problem is, we can't really talk about it. At least not about the plot, because there's a strong element of mystery, and giving it away would really hurt the reading experience.

(Seriously, do NOT look at spoilers for this one. I say that as someone who usually doesn't mind knowing the twist.)

Here are a few truths that are safe to share:

• The characters. Cadence and her friends (collectively known as the Liars) are a charming and eclectic bunch. Sweet Mirren, swaggering Johnny, and philosophical Gat. Lockhart paints the foursome in vivid strokes, to the point where I felt like I was lying on the beach right next to them.

• Unreliability. It's not so much that the characters are liars, it's more that Cady only has bits and pieces of her family's story (due in part to amnesia, and in part to being an individual and a teen). What she knows isn't everything, and what she learns will break your heart.

• The setting. The Sinclairs spend their summers on a private island, with each branch of the family tree getting their own house. From the beaches to the cliffs, the motor boats to the Golden Retrievers, Lockhart weaves the details in a wonderful way, creating a wistful, balmy mood for her story.

• The relationships. More so than even the twist at the end, this is what WE WERE LIARS is about. Love of all kinds. Family love, friendship love, romantic love. Pure love, worried love, angry love. Like any family, the Sinclairs have twisted each other up in a number of ways, and those tangles provide powerful, believable fuel for the book.

In short: Read this one. Maybe you won't love it as much as I do, but I certainly don't think you'll regret it.

When I posted last time, I wrote about the recent (and past) Morris winners and nominees, and how they never fail to impress me.  One of the books that I mentioned, but realized I still hadn't read was THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST.  I purchased this ebook in 2012 when it was released and somehow it got lost in the queue.  I'm kicking myself for not having read this one sooner because there was definitely some hype and some love for this book going around.  And now I have to chase after the conversation again...

Where are my fangirls?

I want to gush.  I want to put this book into everyone's hand and say, "This! This is how it's done."  The characters are so authentic, I expected Cameron to walk into my living room and sit down on the couch with me.  The setting, the themes, the kissing! all impacted upon my reader sensibilities.  I wanted to fight for Cameron when all things were going against her. 

She has the most painful journey.

This is a story about a person who isn't permitted to be herself.  I think most of us can relate to that universal theme. And yet, what makes Cameron so phenomenal is that she knows herself.  Without question.  That is sometimes the hardest part in shifting from adolescence to adult.
 
This week I'm reading Andrew Smith's GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE (haven't gotten to the praying mantises yet) and sexual identity is fairly central, but the main character is much more confused.  Sometimes the ultimate battle for survival is not fought with Hollywood explosions and flash, but the internal battle of being honest with yourself. 

Facing the truth is treacherous.

One of the things I love about YA fiction is that authors are kicking-in the fence between "normal" and "other" in relation to "majority" and "minority"...and breaking down these meaningless categories.  Ask any teenager and they'll tell you that they don't accept labels as prescribed.  This truth somehow gets lost in the adult world. 

Sexuality is not the story. We need fiction that isn't categorized as such, and both THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST and GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE are examples of how to do this right.  They're just good stories.

What do you think?  Any other examples you can think of where societal labels and barriers are being broken down?

Winners from our World Book Day Giveaway are: