tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post6188503598517872131..comments2024-01-05T05:32:54.346-05:00Comments on S.A. Larsen, Award-winning author of middle grade & young adult fiction: Writing Middle Grade vs. Other GenresS.A. Larsenッhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06241633272588383935noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-27181418381025857642011-06-06T22:53:18.159-04:002011-06-06T22:53:18.159-04:00I love writing and reading mg's because it all...I love writing and reading mg's because it allows me to feel the innocense of an 8-12 year old. I love books that show creativity in its characters...<br /><br />Great post, Ladies!Sharon K. Mayhewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799235347319851345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-44037265350746171922011-06-03T13:29:29.994-04:002011-06-03T13:29:29.994-04:00Writing for me is breathing, and since I never gre...Writing for me is breathing, and since I never grew up... YA is all about discovering the world in a near (but not quite) adult capacity. When in a person's life is there more tension, passion or drama? For active imaginations there's no other place to be. <br /><br />crcoll49 (at) yahooCrystal Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03912469552483168148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-23794768653194640532011-05-31T14:37:50.507-04:002011-05-31T14:37:50.507-04:00I write YA and Picture books right now...but once ...I write YA and Picture books right now...but once my kids get to the tween years, I'm sure I'll be writing MG too. I love writing for YA because I love reading YA. To me, it seems like there's so much more promise and imagination in YA lit. than in adult. (I'm sure that's not necessarily true but it often feels that way to me.) Emotions are so strong and new in youth and it shapes who we become as adults. Every day is raw potential and it's exciting to revisit those days through writing and speak to young people who are living it. I wouldn't want to write anything else. :)<br /><br />sarahjperry9 (at) gmail (dot) comSarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00063058173619213791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-25693277488623301612011-05-31T13:37:12.111-04:002011-05-31T13:37:12.111-04:00Excellent post, especially the part about mg voice...Excellent post, especially the part about mg voice. I write middle grade and I too find it easier having a middle grader in the house (and having Nick and Disney on TV!).<br />I love middle grade writing because it is such a pivotal time in a person's life. They want to be independent, yet depend on their parents. Plus lots of emotions!<br />Thanks for the awesome contest!!<br />kpolark at yahoo dot comKelly Polarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10968381456100611120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-41045104814291589412011-05-30T20:59:20.024-04:002011-05-30T20:59:20.024-04:00I love writing YA because I think those teenage ye...I love writing YA because I think those teenage years are the most exciting years of your life. It's the time where you figure out who you are and who you want to be. Your tastes develop, your choose and reject ideals as you learn more. It's a time for learning about love and how to love someone else. In short, it's the most dynamic period of life to delve into.<br /><br />Uh.. yeah. I'm rambling.<br /><br />katelarkindale(at)gmail(dot)comKate Larkindalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06202347563426692610noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-1696605726730314422011-05-30T04:25:52.357-04:002011-05-30T04:25:52.357-04:00Great post! I agree - to write to a target age-gro...Great post! I agree - to write to a target age-group effectively, you really have to immerse yourself in their world and watch what they watch!Talli Rolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04780882465745107715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-25442567952856699752011-05-29T16:32:22.900-04:002011-05-29T16:32:22.900-04:00Thank you for such a wonderful post, Kari. And tha...Thank you for such a wonderful post, Kari. And thank you, Sheri, for making it happen. So informative! It seems there's a lot more buzz related to middle grade recently, given comments from publishers that they're flooded with YA submissions and not enough MG. That's exciting!:)<br /><br />I've fallen for middle grade writing because it's such a memorable time in a young person's life. I have extremely vivid memories of how I felt and viewed the world during my tween years. I'm fortunate to have a little sister who was a tween just a few years ago. She gave me opportunities to take off my grownup hat and hang out in the tween world with her. Spending time with my sister and her friends was – and continues to be - a gem to me because it’s a real reminder of coming-of-age joys, struggles and often more complex worries than we recall as adults. It’s loads of fun, too, of course. <br /><br />Being close to my younger sister has inspired me to dig out the happy little fiction writer I thought I had to hide away once I was officially branded a grownup. I'm very much in touch with my inner tween and that makes voice for this genre come more naturally to me.:) I love it.<br /><br />Thanks again! <br /><br />I’ve spread the word:<br /><br />http://twitter.com/jodymlamb<br />http://www.jodylamb.com/2011/05/opportunities-abound-writers-another-contest-for-ya/<br />There’s a sidebar on my website about it: http://www.jodylamb.com/<br />jodymarielamb [at] gmail.comJody Lambhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09235025872805426830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-3087869253053671192011-05-29T13:43:40.750-04:002011-05-29T13:43:40.750-04:00I really enjoyed this interview because I write bo...I really enjoyed this interview because I write both adult and YA so it varies and I think that there are differences that I can just go from one mode to the next and get to switch it up. I guess that is what I like most about it. Not being bound to just one.Reginahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03493618594406138554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-25335098750340692822011-05-29T11:12:17.317-04:002011-05-29T11:12:17.317-04:00yay! What a fun interview--"1 diva" LOL!...yay! What a fun interview--"1 diva" LOL! And super tips. I can so understand how it would be easy to slip into adult dialogue after working on a mystery. Challenging! But the books sound great! Powers of her cell phone... :D<br /><br />Best of luck to Kari!LTMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05239077455322030275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-38782657944630044572011-05-29T10:53:52.918-04:002011-05-29T10:53:52.918-04:00Thsis is a great post. I love my MG project. I lik...Thsis is a great post. I love my MG project. I like that I can create funny characters that act like my son and his friends at that age. It brings back fond memories and writing kid characters is a lot of fun. Thanks for the great information. memelynne(at)yahoo(dot)comKristi's Book Nookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08497641900551707387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-66077920941270827252011-05-28T15:00:34.642-04:002011-05-28T15:00:34.642-04:00I don't have anything that needs to be critiqu...I don't have anything that needs to be critiqued, so I'm not officially entering-- just here to say great post & that I'm going to go hunt down Kari's books!Suhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11862479925124552922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-60183718881060910872011-05-28T09:37:17.863-04:002011-05-28T09:37:17.863-04:00Oops - forgot my email. It's susanfieldswriter...Oops - forgot my email. It's susanfieldswriter(at)gmail(dot)com.Susan Fieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02433408456603462774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-65515163503255910512011-05-28T09:35:04.509-04:002011-05-28T09:35:04.509-04:00Great guest post! I write YA. I think I like it be...Great guest post! I write YA. I think I like it because I like to include romance, and young love just seems more exciting. I have two teenagers and a pre-teen at home, and they are the absolute best source for trying to get dialogue right.Susan Fieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02433408456603462774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-18972433303454288542011-05-27T23:27:59.921-04:002011-05-27T23:27:59.921-04:00It seems like the younger the age of the reader, t...It seems like the younger the age of the reader, the faster the pace has to be. Wonder if some of that i because of TV and commercials and the shortening of attention spans.<br /><br />I write for both adults and YA, although I do have an idea for a MG series that I haven't started yet. And I have written a few PB but I have no idea if they are any good or not.<br /><br />Would love to win a critique! :)Nicole Zoltackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464800543376449290noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-12208643465610673492011-05-27T18:44:31.505-04:002011-05-27T18:44:31.505-04:00Awesome info! I love writing and reading YA and s...Awesome info! I love writing and reading YA and some MG because those ages are so interesting. <br /><br />elizabeth.arroyo5@gmail.comE. Arroyohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06634213563563094173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-88353996275192141392011-05-27T15:42:53.857-04:002011-05-27T15:42:53.857-04:00I love the advice to watch what kids watch. Now my...I love the advice to watch what kids watch. Now my hours spent watching Spongebob are justified! :)Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-243211723092947852011-05-27T15:37:30.609-04:002011-05-27T15:37:30.609-04:00Me again,
I forgot to leave my email address........Me again,<br /><br />I forgot to leave my email address..... mculi at aol dot com.Michael Di Gesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-40674019409250990992011-05-27T15:36:08.896-04:002011-05-27T15:36:08.896-04:00Thanks Kari...
These are great tips. I had quite ...Thanks Kari...<br /><br />These are great tips. I had quite the challenge writing my first m/g fantasy. It's mostly in the pov of an eleven-year-old girl. Thinking like a little girl was certainly interesting. It took many revisions to get the voice right, but the final is fun and believable.<br /><br />Thanks Sheri for the great interview and contest. I will put it in my sidebar right now.<br /><br />I hope you have a fantastic weekend too!<br /><br />MichaelMichael Di Gesuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17047267262428143113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-91918773697724566172011-05-27T15:34:20.746-04:002011-05-27T15:34:20.746-04:00Ah! What a great post you guys! I love the tips.
...Ah! What a great post you guys! I love the tips.<br />Have a great weekend!Carolyn Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03780443388339294502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-70439680659856846682011-05-27T15:30:31.805-04:002011-05-27T15:30:31.805-04:00Thanks for the tips, Kari. I've found these to...Thanks for the tips, Kari. I've found these to be the challenges with writing MG. But that's why I like it ... I get to think like a kid again, which is tons of fun. :)PK HREZOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11650153097981426833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-7927083461584740132011-05-27T15:13:32.962-04:002011-05-27T15:13:32.962-04:00This is such a fabulous post! I write two differen...This is such a fabulous post! I write two different genres and it's so nice to see that it really does work for a lot of writers as long as they are able to perfect their craft in both.<br /><br />I love writing Fantasy YA but I also love chick lit. The beauty is that the voice changes! <br /><br />Happy Friday!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667521490706435608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-11844939308121242552011-05-27T14:23:46.089-04:002011-05-27T14:23:46.089-04:00MG and Cosy are so different. I don't write YA...MG and Cosy are so different. I don't write YA or MG novels so I never knew the differences, however, having four children will be helpful.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12160669603997465454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-39804898552962443722011-05-27T14:03:22.648-04:002011-05-27T14:03:22.648-04:00Thanks for the great post and the contest. Wonderf...Thanks for the great post and the contest. Wonderful tips. I love writing MG. Such a great and fun age. Ready to examine the world and conquer it. Thanks for the winning post!<br />C.K. Volnek<br />ckvolnek at yahoo dot comCharliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03523744949575339156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-33743825890946128012011-05-27T13:55:32.356-04:002011-05-27T13:55:32.356-04:00Hi Kari ~
Great interview and fabulous tips! I sw...Hi Kari ~<br /><br />Great interview and fabulous tips! I swear Disney or Nickelodeon is on 24/7 in my house. You're right, it's a great place to get a feel of today's lingo. <br /><br />Because I have a 9 & 13-year-old in the house, it's easier for me to write MG. Who knows, a few years from now when I'm immersed in teenage angst, my writing might reflect that instead.kbalzarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14009426476336096427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4513702670120363707.post-61406936616820926492011-05-27T13:38:13.115-04:002011-05-27T13:38:13.115-04:00To everyone: thanks for making this such a lively ...To everyone: thanks for making this such a lively conversation. I love it!!<br /><br />Kari - WOW!! A full chapter critique!! Awesome. Thank you so much. Sorry Blogger is all wonky on you, today. That happened to me the other day. I had to go in a empty my cache. Um...until then, I thought a cache was a purse. lol ahahaha...S.A. Larsenッhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06241633272588383935noreply@blogger.com