Search found 14 matches

by melanieconklin
March 7th, 2012, 1:05 pm
Forum: Writing
Topic: Signs You're Doing It Right
Replies: 2
Views: 1417

Re: Signs You're Doing It Right

I'm beta testing a novel with teens. One of my betas wrote me yesterday:
"I was upset when I flipped the last page and realized there was nothing more."

That comment will fuel me for days!
by melanieconklin
March 5th, 2012, 7:12 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: THE FIRST 22: YA fantasy VS.2
Replies: 2
Views: 1693

Re: THE FIRST 22: YA fantasy

The first paragraph is backstory--though we may LOVE to read this in the novel, you need a more exciting first line in a query. In fact "normal teenager" sounds boring, right? So why start there? Tell us why we care to read the query: Before the car accident, sixteen-year-old Derek Weber t...
by melanieconklin
March 5th, 2012, 6:44 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

thanks for the feedback peeps!
by melanieconklin
February 29th, 2012, 4:19 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

After taking in a variety of feedback, here I am. I like it! QUERY: When fourteen-year-old Katie takes a test, she expects to ace it, but when everyone else bombs a bio pop quiz, she discovers she’s not just smart—she’s psychic. After she stops freaking out, Katie finds that mastering her powers is ...
by melanieconklin
February 29th, 2012, 2:29 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

Well, emotionless, clinical, and detached is certainly not what I'm aiming for, and I'm sorry to hear it struck you that way. Katie's trying to figure out how to be both a friend and a psychic. Her relationships matter. That is why Brian plays a role in the query. The conflict with Hilary is mention...
by melanieconklin
February 29th, 2012, 1:07 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

Thanks, quills. You have a real talent for spotting the extraneous, although we do differ on our vocab preference at times. :) I am still on the fence about the last line. I agree the grammatical structure is less than perfect, but I feel required to make the stakes super duper clear. Maybe that's Q...
by melanieconklin
February 29th, 2012, 10:52 am
Forum: Synopses and Plot Outlines
Topic: HELP!!! ...Ah well - too late
Replies: 2
Views: 6637

Re: HELP!!! 22 hours and counting....

just so you all know, this is one of the rules from the competition:
"Novels for children or young adults will not be accepted."

yours is not YA, is it?
by melanieconklin
February 28th, 2012, 11:57 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

"Good, but I would find a clearer term for "ex-bestie." Is this a British term? Are you primarily querying British agents?"

I just have to say this made me laugh out loud. I've never been British, but I have been a tween girl :)
by melanieconklin
February 28th, 2012, 5:08 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query: The Lamb
Replies: 4
Views: 2378

Re: Query: The Lamb

This is for the novel that was my NaNoWriMo this year. It needs a couple rewrites and some good editing, but I think it's got a solid grounding. On November 11th, 2011, televangelist Charles Foster Wallace announced to the world his intention to create a god machine. > this is an interesting openin...
by melanieconklin
February 28th, 2012, 2:50 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

Thank you everyone for your opinions on MG v/s YA! Here is the latest version of my query. I should mention, I'm in the middle of MS revisions using beta feedback from both tweens and adults, and so the MS and the query are advancing in tandem. It may be awhile yet before any version of the query le...
by melanieconklin
February 28th, 2012, 1:35 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

thanks for the feedback! the query has already evolved much past this version, and i'm glad to see some of your comments are issues i've been ironing out. regarding "sidekick," i had "confidante" but got feedback that level of vocab may be inappropriate for MG. I need to work tha...
by melanieconklin
February 28th, 2012, 9:29 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

Re: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

Thank you Kay, those are very helpful thoughts and I appreciate your sharing them. I believe I'm coming to the same conclusions. I am framing it as "upper middle grade," as I've found in my research that this category is evolving in response to YA appeal to tweens 10-14. MG books with a li...
by melanieconklin
February 24th, 2012, 1:37 pm
Forum: Queries
Topic: Query: Never Remember *Revised*
Replies: 16
Views: 6189

Re: Query: Never Remember *Revised*

First and foremost, I could not say that I know what your basic story is about. Character, yes to some degree, but conflict and crisis are still confusing in this latest revision. I've written a few lines based on what you have in the last revision, and although I'm not sure if they will work with t...
by melanieconklin
February 24th, 2012, 11:50 am
Forum: Queries
Topic: QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT
Replies: 23
Views: 10225

QUERY: YA or MG? BOOK I OF THE SIGHT

SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST REVISION :) Hello fellow writers! I've really enjoyed reading your work and comments this morning. I'm looking forward to jumping into the discussions, so look out for me! I have a conundrum on my hands. I've written a novel that seems to lean more MG, but the MC is 14...an ag...